There Is Always Revival In Heaven
Ian Johnson
New Zealand
Col 3:1-2 since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honour and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.
Heaven is our home and our life is built on the foundations found in heaven; that is; “Christ our hope of glory.” We accept Christ as if he were a ticket to the movies or a free trip to a far away place. But Christ has broken down the wall between heaven and earth in order that we may know the ways of heaven on a daily basis and release heaven into our world. As Jesus said in the Lords prayer in Luke 11 "As it is in heaven so may it be on earth"
Jesus demonstrated heaven to us in his actions here on earth. The sick became well, the oppressed received their freedom, the blind saw, the love of God was revealed and the nature of forgiveness became apparent. A way was opened up into the very realm of God through His wonderful blood.
Heaven is a place full of glory, where the atmosphere is glory and as you breathe all your senses are filled with glory. When you catch a glimpse of heaven, you see things in an eternal perspective.
When Satan was forcibly removed from heaven he became bitter against God and against man and against heaven because he is no longer welcome there. It reminds him of a time when he used to be in heaven, and in the very throne room of God. (Isaiah 14:12-15)
So when God’s people start to seek an eternal view, that is a view of heaven, Satan goes into a rage. He can’t stand it. He knows that the moment someone sees heaven and tastes it’s atmosphere, he has lost souls, because that person will be transformed by glory. This is the key reason people oppose the move of glory. The opposition is not inspired out of heaven but out of the realms of darkness.
Earthly revival gives people a glimpse of heaven; people are saved from darkness; set free from sickness; delivered from bondage and released into an atmosphere of glory. Its very sad that the people Satan is able to use most effectively to try and stop a move are the Christians.
In the Garden of Eden man walked in pure fellowship with God, The atmosphere of Eden was an atmosphere of Glory; because God came to fellowship and His glory was manifest there. But when man sinned he was cast outside the realms of glory, Mans vision of eternity began to fade with each generation. slowly we became convinced that we just need to struggle through this life and then one day in the sweet by and by we would meet on that beautiful shore.
Jesus came to lead us into full fellowship with the Father. Col 2 tells us we are complete through our union with Christ. He has made a way for us to access heaven NOW.
God is in a constant state of revival, heaven is in a constant state of revival because its full of Him; so it stands to reason that if we catch just a glimpse of the King of glory and we look into heaven now; we will become revived.
We can’t work revival up, that's works, but as we learn to rest in Him and to access heaven and all its glory revival just flows out of us.
Throughout the Bible and history times of revival come when the Glory of God is revealed, and individuals or cities or even nations catch a glimpse of the eternal realm of glory. The more aware you are of God the more you will want to follow hard after Him.
Many fall away or never start because we have no concept of the wonders of heaven. Or of the realms of glory set aside for those that seek Him. Satan has robbed our vision. He keeps us occupied with programs and methods with little relevance to a dying world. He keeps our attention firmly fixed on the atmosphere of earth.
That’s why it is important to recount testimonies of experiences in the glory of God. One can inspire two, and two can inspire four, and pretty soon Satan has lost control.
This week I have heard so many testimonies of Heaven invading the lives of New Zealanders.
A bouncer outside a hotel received a word of Knowledge from an 18 year old, got hit by the power of God, was healed and found life in Christ, because the 18 year old moved in the glory of heaven.
A waitress in a restaurant was asked if she needed healing, she did, heaven came down and touched her now she's saved.
A woman in a petrol station asked the attendant if she had a headache, she did, heaven came down now she's saved.
Heaven coming down is tangible, it looks like something, it has hands and it has feet, it has speech and it has life. The more you get a vision of heaven the more you will become heaven on earth and people are saved and healed and set free.
Colossians 3:1 since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God’s right hand in the place of honour and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth
The term “set your sights” uses the Greek word “Zetro” the same word is used in:
Matt 18:12 A shepherd looking for his sheep
Luke 19:10 Son of man seeks the lost
Luke 15:18 Woman searching for lost coins
Matt 13:45 Merchant seeking pearl of great price
So there is an intensity in the seeking after heaven and the Glory of the kingdom where our King is enthroned, that is more than singing a couple of songs, taking an offering, reading the word, the activity we call Church! The other thing about the word “Zetro” is that it is present tense! In other words keep on seeking Heaven in the now!
Many fear that we become too heavenly minded, and are of no earthly good” but in fact the opposite is true. Those in history who changed things the most had a heavenly perspective.
Some time ago I had lunch with a man who is what we call a Maori Kaumatua, or leader. He is in His late 50’s, when he was 10 he and His family had no knowledge of Jesus or his claims on their lives. In fact they were deeply into the other side, having open visions of their tribal guardian and other spirits. His young sister got cancer and was dying; He loved his little sister and wanted to see her well again. One morning while he was milking the cow He saw Jesus appear to him on the cross, Jesus spoke to him and said Ï loved you so much that I suffered this for you. Then Jesus appeared to him as he is in heaven, in all His Glory and said then I became like this in order to set you free. Remembering that this was a 10 year old. He ran to His mum and told her what had happened; she struggled with it and suggested they call a local minister to see what he thought. He came and was amazed at the vision the boy had received, then suggested that he lay his hand on his little sister and pray for her. As he prayed she began to convulse and vomit a black substance, They rushed her to the doctor who examined her and proclaimed, this girl is healed, the only thing wrong with her now is a lack of food, give her a feed. That was nearly 50 years ago, she is still well today!
Earthly wisdom will inform but a heavenly encounter will transform.
Earth holds a strange power that ties us to dust, So that ponderous souls are bound to its crust. But the wind whispers tales of a force in the sky, and those with the courage to scorn dust can fly. - Calvin Miller.
Revival is here now, His name is Jesus His throne is the glorious realm of heaven, when you see him you will be revived because there is always revival in Heaven.
Ian Johnson