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Supernatural
Biblical Guidance
Understanding
Holy Spirit Inspired Visions & Guidance
Knowing the 3 Biblical Categories Is Essential
by
Pastor John Hamel
JHM
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Understanding Visions
Chapter
2: Spiritual Visions
Chapter
3: A
Personal Example
Chapter
3: Spiritual Trances
Chapter
3: A
Personal Example & Visitation
Chapter
3: An
Additional Personal Example
Chapter
3: The
Vision Comes to Pass in Every Detail
Chapter
3: Astounding
Supernatural Confirmation
Chapter
4: Open Visions
Chapter
4: A
Personal Example
Chapter
4: Jesus
Personally Commissioned Me
Chapter 4: Jesus,
Peter, Paul & John: New Testament Seers
Chapter
4: Last
Days Spiritual Visions, Trances & Open
Visions
Chapter
4: Last
Days Great Spiritual Awakening
Chapter
5: Additional Examples of Visions from the Bible
Note:
For the complete JHM Guidance Series go to our Online
Bible Training Centre Curriculum Guide.
Chapter
1: Understanding Visions
"And it shall come
to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the
handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28,29)
In our last study we saw how the Holy Spirit frequently
used dreams in the Old Testament as a means of guidance, warning and
revelation. He is still doing this today and will do so even more in
the coming outpouring of His Spirit. We saw how in the Old Testament,
the Holy Spirit did not limit Himself to dreams as the only form of
guidance, but dreams were very common.
In the New Testament, beginning with the
Day of Pentecost, the most significant events in Christianity have come
about as a result of visions, rather than dreams. We will cover that
in this lesson. It is important to understand that visions, like
dreams, are also used for guidance, warning and revelation. They are also a manifestation of either
the Word of Wisdom or the Word of Knowledge, sometimes
both. However, they are always a
manifestation of the Discerning of Spirits. These three Gifts are known as the
Revelation Gifts.
The primary difference between a dream and
a vision is that with a dream you are asleep when the Holy Spirit is
communicating with you. With a vision you are not asleep, you are
always awake.
With
a vision, particularly when the vision comes in the form of a trance or an
open vision, it is as if one is standing in the center of the vision as the
vision unfolds around them or in front of them.
I find it to be quite interesting that
before the Holy Spirit
came to indwell human beings, He would frequently wait for someone to fall
asleep before communicating with them.
However,
since the Holy Spirit has come
to indwell man, it appears that He is much more willing to communicate with
him while he is still awake. I do not claim to know the reason for
this. Possibly it is because a human
being is less resistant when they are sleeping.
What I do know is
that the Holy Spirit has shown an amazing willingness to supernaturally
communicate with human beings since Adam’s creation six thousand years
ago.
I also know that the Holy Spirit instructs us in the Scripture
to be prepared for more communication from Him than we have ever had in the
past.
We will be studying the three types of
visions that are laid out for us in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts. The Holy Spirit
deliberately had these recorded in order for us to understand them and to
cooperate with them.
The life and Ministry
of Jesus Christ, combined with the Book of
Acts, is actually a blueprint for the New Testament Church to build upon.
These
three types of visions can occur in the life of any Born
Again Believer in Jesus Christ. However, they will occur far more
consistently in the life and Ministry of a
Prophet, but they can and do indeed manifest occasionally in the life of
anyone whom God wills.
"Verily,
verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My
Father." (John 14:12)
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Chapter
2: Spiritual Visions
The first type of vision we will study is
called a “spiritual vision.”
A spiritual vision occurs when an
individual is moved upon by the Holy Spirit to see something with the eyes
of their spirit and not with their physical eyes. During a spiritual
vision your mind is not displaced. Your physical senses are not
suspended in any way. You know who you are. You know where you
are. You are simply seeing things within your spirit, on the inside
of you.
This is so much more than just human
imagination and you will know when you are experiencing a spiritual
vision. Spiritual visions can be very simple or they can be very
dramatic. How simple or dramatic they are has nothing to do with how
important they are. If faces, places, events, ideas, etc., keep
“popping up in your spirit,” you will want to ask the Holy Spirit to help
you to not miss what He is revealing.
Jesus saw Nathaniel under a fig tree with
His spiritual eyes. He saw this within Himself. Nathaniel was
amazed at Jesus’ spiritual keenness and gave glory to God. (John
1:47-49)
It was not uncommon at all for Jesus to see things on the
inside of Himself or through a trance or open vision before they actually occurred. Jesus
revealed that He would see Himself healing the sick,
casting out demons, preaching, teaching,
prophesying and ministering to individuals in His spirit or through a trance
or open vision before He went out
to actually do so. He would then simply go and imitate outwardly what He had seen
previously while He was in the Spirit and miracles would occur.
"Then
answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that the
Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what
things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
"For
the Father loveth the Son and sheweth Him all things that He Himself doeth:
and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." (John 5:19-20)
Jesus said, “I only do what I see My Father
do.”
In essence, what He was saying was, “I only do what I see the Father doing
through Me as I am praying or when I am in the Spirit.”
Through spiritual visions, trances or
open visions Jesus would see Himself performing specific
miracles before they actually occurred. He knew it would be the Father doing it
through Him at the time of the miracles occurring, so Jesus was always careful
at that time to give the Father all the
glory.
"...
the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works." (John 14:10)
I want to make this perfectly clear. There were
times when Jesus
would see Himself perform a certain miracle for a person or persons ahead of time
either through an inward vision, a trance or an open vision. Later,
when He encountered that person or situation which He had seen
supernaturally, He would simply act out what
He had previously seen Himself doing in vision form. As a result the
supernatural would occur, even as He had seen, and He would give the glory to God because He knew it
was really the Father doing it through Him.
This is why Jesus said, “I
only do what I see (in vision form) My Father do.”
Fascinating,
isn't it?
In the same way, the Holy Spirit wants to
show you things before they occur so you can walk them out, minister in
the miraculous and experience the supernatural while giving God the glory. (John 14:12; 16:13)
Do not miss out on what the Holy
Spirit wants to do through you just because it comes in the form of a
simple, non-dramatic, inward spiritual vision as opposed to a more dramatic
trance or open vision. They are all equally as supernatural.
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A
Personal Example of a Spiritual Vision
One day when I was
first Born Again, my dump
truck refused to start. It was a dry, sunny Autumn day in New England. I said, “Father, what’s wrong with that
truck?”
Immediately, on the inside of my
spirit, I saw a picture. Now this was on the inside, not the
outside. It was almost the way one would use their imagination, but it
was more than simple human imagination. It was a spiritual vision
coming out of my inner spirit
man. I saw the coil on my dump
truck. I could actually see right through it. There was a bead of water
inside of it which was hindering the proper flow of electricity.
I went back outside and
stuck the rolled up tip of a paper towel into the coil. It became
saturated, wicking the water up into it. I
jumped inside the truck, turned the key and the engine fired up
immediately. I was a baby Christian and that completely “blew my
mind.” You can believe that I shouted praises. My dump truck
mattered to God because my dump truck mattered to me and I matter to God. Supernaturally through an inward
spiritual vision God showed me what was wrong with my truck.
Keep
in mind if people, places, things or events continue to be brought before
you from the inside, you will want to pay very close attention. You
may be experiencing spiritual visions as God is attempting to direct you
according to His plans and purposes for you.
Remember, the Revelation Gifts frequently
operate through spiritual visions within.
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Chapter
3: Spiritual Trances
The Greek word for “trance” is “ekstasis.” It means “the displacement of the
mind.”
This is an experience where your physical
senses are suspended and you are unaware of your physical
surroundings. You do not know, for the moment, exactly where you are
or sometimes even who you are.
A Scriptural trance is unrelated to a
hypnotic trance. You cannot come out of a hypnotic trance if the
hypnotist will not allow you to come out. You can come out of a
Scriptural trance if you choose to do so. A hypnotic trance strips
you of mastery over your God-given free will. This is something the
God of love would never do to you.
You can deliberately enter a hypnotic
trance. You cannot deliberately enter a supernatural Biblical
trance. A supernatural Biblical trance is always and only Holy Spirit
induced. Although your senses are overpowered, your free will is
not. That is the Spirit of Love.
Deliberately stripping a person of mastery over their free will is rooted
in witchcraft and hatred. Paul
referred to this as the “Works of the Flesh” in Galatians chapter
five.
The word Paul used for “witchcraft”
actually means “to control.” A
hypnotist takes “control” of an individual’s free will for his own good pleasure. During this time demon spirits can easily
enter into the hypnotist’s victim.
Demon spirits cannot just enter into anyone or they would enter into
everyone. A person must stop
exercising mastery over their free will for demons to come into them. Satan uses the hypnotist to bring the
unsuspecting victim to this place of demonic entry.
It is appalling that hypnotists have found
their way from sleazy back alleys and carnival sideshows into the popular
media, centers of Education, the halls of Congress and even the White House
itself. Even the best educated are now falling victim to this
deceptive practice that does not have the best interest of humanity at
heart.
Hypnotic trances are not fun and they are
not funny. Neither are they
“harmless.” They force an individual to stop exercising mastery over
their free will for as long as the hypnotist desires. It is during
the hypnotic trance that demonic powers are now able to freely enter into
the submissive participant. Once the “show” is over, the demons
remain within their unknowing victim. This is when Satan really
has opportunity to reign and to rule. Only the most
foolish would knowingly submit to this dangerous, demonic practice, and pay
hard earned money for the demonic experience.
The Apostle Peter experienced a Scriptural
trance. During this experience the Holy Spirit showed Peter
symbolically that because of the Blood of Jesus, Gentiles were now as
acceptable to God as Jews. (Acts 10:9-16) This was a tremendous revelation
to Peter. So we see that supernatural Biblical trances can bring
revelation even as dreams and spiritual visions can bring revelation.
The Apostle Paul was warned of danger in a trance,
while he was in Jerusalem
praying. Jesus actually appeared to Him in his trance, explaining
that the Jews would not receive his testimony and would bring him great
harm. Jesus then explained to Paul that he was being called to
minister the Gospel to the Gentiles. So we see one supernatural
Biblical trance in Paul’s life resulting not only in warning but also in
guidance and revelation. (Acts 22:17-21)
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A
Personal Example & Visitation
Many years ago I was making plans to attend
a certain Bible school. I was living in Las Vegas, Nevada, and my plan was
to relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma in a matter of
weeks.
A woman approached me offering $10,000.00 for this very
purpose. I immediately had unrest
in my spirit about taking the money. It was as if alarms
were going off on the inside of me. It was the inner witness of the
Holy Spirit warning me. Therefore, I explained to her that I could
not take the money at the moment but that I would go and seek the Lord as
to what His will was.
As I went into prayer, I was instantly
caught up in a supernatural Biblical trance. My senses were
suspended. My mind was displaced. I was unaware of my actual
physical surroundings.
Suddenly I was in another place I had never
before seen. I looked around and saw evidence of a tropical
setting.
Then
I noticed Jesus was standing beside me to my right. He was
holding in His hands something similar to a small pad and pen. It could even have
been some sort of electronic handheld device and stylus. After all, everything in Earth
is just a replica of something better in Heaven. (Romans
1:20)
Jesus and I were both facing the bow of a
very large white, rusted ship
sitting in dry dock. There were men hanging in captain’s chairs all
over the vessel scraping and painting. Inwardly I knew the ship was being
prepared for some sort of great journey.
As I continued looking at it, I asked Jesus, regarding the rusty
unprepared vessel, “What is it?”
He answered, “It is [symbolic of]
you.”
I then asked, “When will it be ready?”
Jesus answered me,
“In nine months.”
Standing
there beside Him, I understood supernaturally, that like the large
dry docked ship we were facing, there was much work to be done in me before
I would be ready to go to that Bible School.
I should
have been disappointed but somehow disappointment just does not seem to be
an option when you are in the presence of Jesus. I felt pretty good
standing there beside Him in the tropical sun, surrounded by palm trees,
looking at that giant vessel symbolizing me in my rusty, unready condition.
Suddenly I returned from the tropical shipyard to my
place of prayer. The trance had ended. I now knew where I was and my senses were no longer
suspended.
Kneeling there I knew that I was not to take the
$10,000.00 and that I was to hold steady until the next school year.
I obeyed Him, declining the offer of the
money. The rust scraping and painting continued over the next nine
months as He prepared me to go to Bible school.
During my time at Bible School four families
ultimately paid my tuition, housing, transportation and other
expenses. I never asked any of them for anything. The Lord put
it on their hearts to offer it to me.
Had I gotten ahead of His
timing and taken the $10,000.00, I would have been one sunk ship!
I came to discover soon after this that the
woman who had offered the $10,000.00 was wrongly motivated and looking to
make inroads into my life. I also discovered that she had been lying
to my Pastor,
attempting to turn him against me in an effort to make improper inroads
into his life as well.
This was a
symbolic, supernatural Biblical
trance of guidance similar to the Apostle Peter’s. (Acts 10:5-12)
It was also a
trance that contained warning even as the Apostle Paul’s. (Acts 22:17-21)
This was
also the Spiritual Gifts called the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom operating through a
supernatural Biblical trance.
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An
Additional
Personal Example
I
was once in Massachusetts praying about an upcoming five-day Miracle Healing Revival I had agreed to conduct
in Front Royal, Virginia. It was approximately three o'clock in the morning. The Holy
Spirit often awakens me at this time to pray
in the Spirit.
Suddenly, I was caught up in the Spirit even as the
Apostle John was caught up in the Spirit on
the Lord's Day. (Revelation 1:10-11) I found myself in a trance like
Peter went into a trance (Acts 10:5-12) and like Paul went into a trance.
(Acts 22:17-21)
In the trance I realized I was standing in the sanctuary of the
very Church in Virginia in which I was to conduct the revival meetings. I had never been there
before. I was standing in the pulpit looking out over hundreds of
people in attendance.
As I looked to my left, I
noticed an angled aisle.
I looked up the burgundy-carpeted aisle and noticed a woman sitting in the aisle seat exactly two
rows from the back wall. She was in her late forties or early fifties.
She had brown hair with bangs. She was
wearing a red, ribbed-turtleneck sweater, a light jacket and either a denim skirt or jeans.
As
I looked at her sitting there, I heard the voice of the Lord speak from
behind me, even as John the Apostle heard the voice of the Lord speak from
behind him. (Revelation 1:10)
The Lord said, "She is struggling and suffering terribly concerning
her finances. Tell her I said, 'It's over.'"
I stood
staring at her, pondering what the Lord had just revealed to me. I am not
sure how long I stood looking at her when just as suddenly
as I went into the Spirit, I
came out of the Spirit and was back in my place of prayer in Massachusetts.
Later
that morning I shared the details of the vision with my wife. I told her, "When we
arrive at the Virginia church she will be sitting where the Lord showed me she will
be sitting, on the angled aisle two rows from the back. She will be wearing what the Lord showed me she will be wearing.
I am going to call her out and tell her what the Lord told me to tell
her. He will take on my obedience and confirm it to her. Somehow she will
experience a miracle in her finances."
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The
Vision Comes to Pass in Every Detail
Weeks
later we arrived at the Church in Virginia and it was exactly as I had seen in the trance,
right down to the angled aisle and the burgundy carpeting on the
floor.
As the service was beginning my wife and I were standing in the
front row. I looked back and I saw the woman with the brown hair, red
ribbed-turtleneck, light jacket and denim skirt.
She was seated on the angled aisle,
two rows from the back and in
the very seat which the Lord had shown me in the trance.
I said,
"There she is Lord, just like You showed me. I am going to obey You. I
am going to call her out as You told me and You will confirm the
vision."
When
the worship service ended and I
stepped into the pulpit I immediately called her out.
I asked her if
she knew me. She answered, "No, not personally. Although I did
know you were coming."
I asked if we had
ever spoken or even met before. She answered, "No."
I then
asked if she had been struggling financially. She and her husband both
publicly confirmed that she had been so burdened by financial trouble that she was
actually physically sick.
I told her, "The Lord showed you to me
in a vision. He told me to tell you that
your financial struggles are over. He said to tell you, 'It's over.'"
At
the end of the service her husband
was so thankful for what the Lord had revealed to me that he actually burst into
tears and cried uncontrollably.
They
both later came to me individually asking if I knew how the Lord was going to bring
the word to pass. I told them that I did not know but that He would do
it in a way that would bring great glory to Himself. I reminded
them that they didn't have to try to figure anything out, even as Moses
didn't have to try to figure out how he was going to deliver Israel from
Egypt.
I said, "Moses didn't have to figure a thing out. If he
tried to do so Moses would have messed it all up. He
just had to trust God to take him through the Exodus supernaturally, one
step at a time. You
don't have to figure anything out either. If you try to do so you'll
mess it all up. Trust the Lord to take you
through this supernaturally, one step at a time. Somehow He is going to supernaturally
reverse your financial situation and glorify Himself in it. All I can tell
you is I know what I saw in a vision before coming here. Even as the
vision has proved out here today, the fulfillment of the vision will prove
out according to God's plan and purpose."
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Astounding
Supernatural Confirmation
I
spoke to the woman's husband on the telephone about two months after I had
called her out during the service. He
called to relay the following. "At the time of you calling her
out, my wife was getting her house in order because she was planning her own
suicide. That is how bad things were concerning our finances."
"I want to thank you for obeying God,
standing up there and giving her that
word. I don't know what I would do without her had she taken her life. Once you gave
her that word, everything changed in our lives. Everything. Our marriage relationship
was under tremendous pressure but that has changed as well. We are
free to love one another again. We have
peace in our home again. Everything has changed for the good. We were able to believe God again and to just
trust Him as Moses trusted Him like you said."
"Less than two weeks after you called
her out from the pulpit and gave her that word from the Lord, someone who
knew nothing at all of our situation gave
her (a very, very substantial amount of money). Our whole lives have changed as of that word being
given. Thank you, Pastor, thank you. I don't know how I could have lived
without her."
I reminded him that all the glory for what occurred
belonged to the Lord, not to me, although I did indeed understand his
thanking me.
Before
hanging up he said, "Oh, yes, Pastor, by the way. My wife wanted
me to tell you that as she was preparing her clothes for the service the day
you gave her that word, she had a black turtleneck laid out to wear. At the
last minute she said to me, 'I think I need to wear my red turtleneck
sweater and not my black one today.' I thought you might find that
interesting. It really adds to the testimony, doesn't it?"
This
man and his wife were greatly exhorted, edified and comforted by both the
supernatural vision and word which the Lord had given me for them, as well as the supernatural fulfillment
of the vision and word.
Although
I have had frequent manifestations of all the different types of visions in
the Bible since I was first saved over 30 years ago, I cannot turn these
Gifts on and off at will. No one can.
Jesus Christ is the Head
of the Church, not man. The Gifts of the Spirit operate according to
the will of God, not the will of man. (1 Corinthians 12:11)
This
is why it is absolutely wrong for a Prophet or any Minister, for that
matter, to advertise that the Gifts of the Spirit will be in manifestation
in their meetings. If God chooses not to manifest through the Gifts of
the Spirit in those meetings, the Minister could feel pressured to perform
because of the advertisement in order to satisfy the people.
This is
when well-meaning but Bible-illiterate Ministers begin to yield to wrong spirits.
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Chapter
4: Open Visions
During an open vision your physical eyes
are wide open, your physical senses are intact, your mind is not displaced
and you know exactly where you are. You are aware of your physical
surroundings and you actually see spiritual beings, spiritual things or
spiritual events with your physical eyes.
You are actually looking into the spirit realm with your physical
eyes through the Discerning of Spirits.
Zaccharias, the father of
John the Baptist, was in the Temple executing his
priestly office, burning incense. Suddenly an Angel appeared in the Temple and Zaccharias could see him with his physical eyes.
How do we know Zaccharias was seeing the Angel
with his physical eyes? Because the Scripture says that he saw the
Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
He could not have been caught up in a trance because he was seeing his
actual physical surroundings, including the altar of incense, at the same
time he was seeing the Angel.
During this open vision, the Angel revealed
to Zaccharias that his wife, Elisabeth, would
bear a son and his name would be John. “John,” he explained, “was to
be a forerunner of the Messiah.” This open vision, therefore, was a
vision of revelation. (Luke 1:11-17, 22) It, too, was a vehicle for
the Word of Wisdom, which reveals future events.
Herod imprisoned Peter and was about to
execute him to please the Jews. While Peter was sleeping an Angel
came into his prison cell to release him. The Angel opened the gates supernaturally,
leading Peter into the city before departing. (Acts 12:7-11) This was
not a spiritual vision or a trance. This was an open vision where
Peter saw the Angel with his physical eyes, even as he saw the prison gates
opening as the Angel let him out. This was not the first time Peter experienced an
open vision. (Acts 5:19,20)
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A
Personal Example
In
1981 I was addicted to drugs and alcohol. I asked Jesus to deliver me
and He sent His Angel to visit me. The Angel laid his hand upon my
head three times and I fell out under the power of God for three days.
You may read my testimony
on this website.
Within
24 hours of regaining consciousness from having been "slain in the
Spirit" for those three days, I received the first of what have been
multiple visitations of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2
Corinthians 12:1)
In an
open vision,
my eyes wide open, He came to me out of a
literal, cloud-like whirlwind which suddenly appeared, coming down from the
North, spinning before me as I
was on my knees. (Ezekiel 1:4)
Right
there in my Massachusetts living room two white-winged Angels, dressed in white,
appeared from out of that whirlwind cloud, pushing it wide open from
its spinning center point, like sliding, spinning doors. The Master, Jesus, clothed
in a white linen robe, came out of the whirlwind
appearing directly before me.
The entire scene was very similar to the whirlwind and Angels described in
Ezekiel's commissioning in Ezekiel chapters one through three, which I had
never read before this visitation. I did not even know the Book of Ezekiel existed. I
had never read the Bible before this visitation.
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Jesus
Personally Commissioned Me
Jesus
now stood before me and through an impartation from His right hand,
He personally commissioned and appointed me to the Ministry Offices to which I am called.
The very purpose of His appearing that day was to actually make me a
Minister of the Gospel. His hand
(anointing/power) came
upon me for the very purpose of making me His Minister. (Ezekiel 1:3)
The
Apostle Paul was also commissioned personally by Jesus at the time of his
Damascus Road conversion experience. Jesus appeared to Paul that day
to make him a Minister of the Gospel. Years later when testifying of
this Divinely granted visitation to King Agrippa, Paul quoted Jesus as
having told him, "...for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to
make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast
seen and of those things in the which I will (again) appear unto thee."
(Acts 26:16)
Of course, it has taken decades
for me to develop into the Ministry Offices Jesus commissioned me to, even
as it did Paul. (Acts 13:1-4; Galatians 1:15-2:2) I will spend the rest of my life doing so. No one just starts out in the Offices to which they are
called, including me. It takes
years of tremendous discipline, endurance, faithfulness, sacrifice, prayer and study to properly develop in any of the
5-Fold Ministry Offices of Ephesians 4:8-11. Tremendous
persecution also accompanies some of those Offices,
one
in particular.
However, Jesus Himself did personally commission
me to those Offices, making me His Minister through an impartation from His
outstretched right hand, at the time of this Divinely-granted
visitation.
In
the Bible, whenever the Lord "stretches forth" His hand or His
arm, it is to judge/deliver, perform the miraculous or call someone to the
Ministry. (Deuteronomy 5:17; Acts 4:29-31; Proverbs 1:24)
In
my case it was for all three purposes. He judged my sin and its
consequential addictions as having no further claim upon me. He miraculously
set me free from all addictions after three days being slain in the Spirit.
He personally called me & commissioned me to the Ministry.
There
are other things about that visitation that the Lord has not yet released
me to share. Things which I myself am waiting for Him to further clarify to
me. Nonetheless, Jesus did anoint me thru an impartation from His right
hand, commissioning me to my specific Ministry Offices.
Having
done so, Jesus and the two Angels then
went back into the whirlwind from where they had come, Jesus first. The
Angels then closed the opening in the spinning cloud behind them, like
sliding doors, disappearing into it themselves and the whirlwind dissipated before my eyes. I was left kneeling
there, stunned and all alone.
I began to know things supernaturally
from that very day.
For
another dramatic example of a word of warning delivered to my wife and me
through an open vision, see the JHM article "A
Miraculous Sign in the Heavens. A Personal Warning from God."
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Jesus, Peter, Paul & John: New Testament Seers
Jesus
said He would frequently see Himself first performing the miraculous in
vision form before He would actually perform miraculously in the natural
realm. Whether these visions were Spiritual Visions, Trances, Open Visions
or a combination of them all is not stated.
However,
as you will read, Jesus would consistently see Himself perform the
miraculous, in one vision form or another, before actually performing the
miraculous or bringing forth a supernatural revelation. This is also a
characteristic of the Prophet's Office today. This is why Prophets are often
referred to as "Seers."
"Then
answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, The Son
can do nothing of Himself but what He seeth the Father do: for what
things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:19)
During
times of prayer, meditation, ministry or "right out of the blue"
as we would say, Jesus would often receive supernatural revelation or see
Himself in vision form performing the miraculous. He would then walk out
what He saw the Father doing through Him in the vision and supernatural
things would occur.
This
is why He said, "The Son can do nothing but what He seeth the
Father do." Jesus was giving glory to the Father for all the
things He would see the Father do through Him, first in vision form and then
in the natural realm.
"...the
Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works (miracles &
revelations)." (John 14:10)
Jesus
was always very careful to give His Father the glory for all the things He
would see the Father doing through Him during visions before He, Jesus,
actually walked them out in the natural realm.
In
a vision Jesus saw the location of the unridden colt He would use during His
triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He sent His disciples out to that
exact location, even warning them ahead of time they would be questioned for
taking the colt and telling them how to respond.
The disciples went to
that exact location, the colt was indeed there and the very questions Jesus
warned His disciples would be asked were indeed asked. The disciples
answered precisely as Jesus had instructed and the colt was released into
their custody. (Mark 11:1-6)
In
a vision Jesus saw the location of where He was to celebrate His last
Passover with His disciples. He told His disciples to go to the city and
look for a man bearing a pitcher of water and follow him. That man would
lead them to a guest chamber where they would celebrate their last Passover
together.
It would not be difficult for the disciples to locate the man
carrying the pitcher of water because that would be an unusual sight
indeed. Women, not men, made all the water runs down to the local well
and back. It was extremely unusual for a man to do so. Jesus' disciples did
as they were instructed and it came to pass even as Jesus had foreseen in
the vision. The man carrying the pitcher of water led them to the guest
chamber and agreed to allow them to celebrate Passover there. (Mark
14:12-16)
In
vision form Jesus first saw Himself interrupting the funeral procession at
Nain, raising the dead man and restoring him to his widowed mother. He went
and sat waiting for the funeral procession to pass by and then He did what
He saw Himself do in the vision. The man was raised, there was much joy and
great glory was given to the Father. (Luke 7:11-16)
When
Jesus first met Simon Peter and before being introduced, Jesus
supernaturally identified Peter by both his name and his father's name, even
describing Peter's solid, rock-like personality to him. Jesus had seen and
heard Himself doing this in a vision prior to meeting Peter. (John 1:40-42)
In
a vision Jesus first saw Nathaniel under a fig tree and received revelation
of Nathaniel's flawless character before He ever even met him. When they
finally did meet, this revelation stunned Nathaniel causing him to believe
that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. (John 1:45-51)
In
vision form Jesus actually saw Himself encountering a woman at Jacob's Well
in Sychar who had been married five times and who was presently living with
a man outside of marriage. In the vision He saw and heard Himself tell her
of her immoral history.
Later,
He went and sat by Jacob's Well waiting for the immoral woman to appear,
which she did. He spoke to her supernaturally concerning her five marriages
and present immoral living situation.
This
revelation caused her to repent and to give her life over to God. She even
ran into town telling everyone to return to Jacob's Well with her for she
had found the Christ. All of this Jesus first saw in a vision before He
actually walked it out in the natural. (John 4:1-29)
In
vision form Jesus first saw Himself heal the man at the Pool at Bethesda
before later encountering the crippled man and actually performing the
miracle of healing. (John 5:1-18)
In
vision form Jesus saw Himself raise Lazarus from the dead long before it
occurred in the natural. (John 11:1-45)
There
are numerous examples in the Gospels of Jesus seeing Himself perform the
miraculous or receive revelation first during a vision before actually
walking it out in the natural. John the Beloved said this happened so
many times during Jesus' Ministry that it was simply impossible for them all
to be recorded. (John 21:25)
Of
course, these supernatural vision experiences did not occur in the life of
Jesus simply because He was the Son
of God. These things happened in Jesus' life because He was a Spirit-filled
human being. None of these things occurred in Jesus' life that we know
of until He was baptized with the Holy
Spirit in the River Jordan at the same time He was being water
baptized by John the Baptist. (Matthew 3:16,17)
These
things can occur in the life of any Born Again,
Holy Spirit filled Believer in Jesus Christ. They will occur far more
consistently in the life and Ministry of a
Prophet, but they can and do indeed manifest occasionally in the life of
anyone whom God wills.
"Verily,
verily I say unto you, he that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My
Father." (John 14:12)
It
must also be stated here that no one will ever operate in these type of
visions and Holy Spirit Gift manifestations
as strongly and as powerfully as Jesus did, because Jesus had the Holy
Spirit's anointing without measure.
"For
He Whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the
Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into His hand." (John 3:34-35)
The
Apostle Peter had similar experiences with visions. (Acts 10:9-23)
The
Apostle Paul had similar experiences with visions. (Acts 22:17-21)
The
entire Book of Revelation was given to the Apostle John while he was in a
vision, or "in the Spirit." (Revelation 1:10-20)
Still
today, all true New Testament Prophets are often referred to as
"Seers" because it is a regular part of their Ministry to see
themselves performing the miraculous, to hear things supernaturally or to
know things supernaturally before they actually walk those things out in the
natural realm.
I
have personally experienced these things many times in my own
Ministry.
(John 14:12)
"Beforetime
in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spoke, Come and let us
go to the Seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a
Seer." (1Samuel 9:9)
Top
Last Days Spiritual Visions, Trances & Open Visions
Spiritual visions, trances and open visions
still occur today and will increase in volume and intensity according to the
Prophet Joel. (Joel 2:28-29) I myself, to date, have experienced the visitation
of four Angels in the form of an open vision. I saw them with my
physical eyes, fully aware of my surroundings. Another messenger
Angel appeared to me in a dream with a message from Jesus concerning my
Ministry to certain nations.
I have both seen and smelled unclean
spirits.
I experienced multiple visitations of Jesus during
trances, some of which I have shared.
You have also read of my personal visitation of Jesus
through an open vision. This
was not a spiritual vision or a trance.
It was an open vision where He actually came to me. There were two Angels with Him who had
something similar to wheels where their feet should have been. (Ezekiel
1:1-21)
All of these experiences, whether through
dreams, spiritual visions, trances or open visions, are actually
manifestations of the Spiritual Gift known as Discerning of
Spirits, as
previously stated.
In the Old Testament Elisha and Gehazi were surrounded by the Syrian army. Gehazi was petrified figuring that it was all over
now. Elisha prayed that the Lord would open Gehazi’s
eyes to see that those who were for them were far greater than those who
were against them. Gehazi’s physical eyes
were supernaturally opened and he saw that the mountains were full of
spiritual horses, Angels and chariots of fire. Elisha, however, did
not need a vision. He knew they were there all the time. (2Kings
6:1-17)
We do not need visions to believe the Bible
either. However, if the Holy Spirit should decide, you, too, will
experience dreams and/or visions. There are many other examples of
the three types of visions throughout the Scripture. The ones
presented in this study should be enough to convince a reasonable Believer
that these things do and will continue to occur.
It is only human to
desire direct and spectacular forms of supernatural guidance. Man is
created in the image and likeness of God, so it is only natural that he
would be a power-seeker and a seeker of the supernatural. But if you insist on ignoring the inner witness of the Holy Spirit as His primary
form of guidance, demanding only spectacular forms of supernatural
guidance, Satan himself will see to it that you get the counterfeit of what
you are really looking for. The end result will be very displeasing
to you.
Keep
in mind that manifestations
of the Revelation Gifts, through the three different types of visions, occur much more frequently with the Office of the
Prophet than they
do amongst other Ministry Offices or the laity.
Top
Last Days Great Spiritual Awakening
Peter quoted the Prophet Joel when he said,
“In the last days saith God, I will pour out of
My spirit upon all flesh…”
God is presently pouring out His Spirit on
Jehovah’s Witness flesh, Muslim flesh, denominational flesh and any flesh
that is open to true revelations from God.
There are numerous accounts coming out of Muslim nations of Jesus
Himself appearing to Muslims and preaching His Word of Salvation to them
directly because they are presently unreachable by human Ministers.
We are presently entering into the greatest spiritual
awakening in the history of humanity. God is pouring His Spirit out upon
unsaved flesh and saving them. He is
pouring His Spirit out upon saved flesh and delivering them from demonic
harassment and oppression. He is
pouring His Spirit out within denominations worldwide and it seems to
matter very little to Him that some of His Family doesn’t like it. As for me, I’m running with God. I’ve asked God to put my wife and me
right in the middle of what He’s doing in the Earth, wherever He’s doing it
and for whatever reason.
Prepare yourself now by learning God’s
Word. (Psalm 138:2) Prepare yourself by praying in the Spirit regularly. (Jude
20) Build on the inner witness of the Holy Spirit as God’s primary
form of supernatural Biblical guidance. Be willing to have dreams and
visions but do not pressure God for them. You will motivate
Satan.
Keep yourself alert. Be sober,
faithful and mature. When the supernatural occurs always check it
against the Scripture. The Holy
Spirit will never do anything contrary to the written Word of God.
The Holy Spirit is always open to humble investigation. After all, He
is the One who commended the Bereans for
searching the Scriptures daily, making sure the
Apostle Paul was not filling them with unscriptural doctrine. (Acts 17:11)
Top
Chapter
5: Additional Examples of Visions from the Bible
The following is a
listing of the many visions experienced by human beings in the Bible.
I have placed them here apart from the lesson for your further study.
You can decide which classification of vision each one is.
The Most High God
covenanted with Abraham in a vision. (Genesis 15:1-21) God spoke to
Jacob in either a dream or a night vision. (Genesis 46:2-4) Balaam
experienced a vision of the Almighty. (Numbers 24:1-19) Samuel
experienced a vision as a child. (1Samuel 3:1-21) Nathan experienced
a night vision concerning King David. (2Samuel 7:4-17; 1Chronicles 17:15) Iddo, the
seer, received multiple visions concerning Jeroboam. Exactly what his
visions and writings were concerning is not stated in the Bible. He
did write genealogies and kept records of some of Israel’s Kings.
(2Chronicles 9:29; 12:15)
Job experienced both visions and
dreams. (Job 7:14) Jesus, the
Messiah, received a vision of David from Almighty God before ever coming to
the Earth. (Psalm 89:19-21) Isaiah experienced a vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (Isaiah
1:1) Isaiah also saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne in His Temple.
(Isaiah 6:1-4) Ezekiel experienced multiple visions. (Ezekiel 7:13;
8:1-4; 11:24) Daniel
apparently received both dreams and visions of the Lord. (Daniel 2:19;
8:1-27; 9:21-24) Obadiah
received a vision concerning Edom. (Obadiah
1:1-21) Nahum received a vision of the destruction of Ninevah approximately one hundred years after Jonah
preached there. Apparently they had backslidden again and it was
“time to pay the piper.” (Nahum 1:1-3:19) Habakkuk had a vision of
the Second Coming of Christ. (Habakkuk 2:2,3; Hebrews 10:37)
Peter,
James and John had a vision of Moses and Elisha while on the Mountain with
Jesus. (Matthew 17:1-13) Zacharias had a vision of the Angel of the
Lord. (Luke 1:11-22) Ananias had a vision of the Lord concerning Saul
of Tarsus. (Acts 9:10-12) Saul of Tarsus had a vision of Ananias
coming to him to restore his eyesight. (Acts 9:12) Cornelius
had a vision of an Angel coming to him to reveal how he could hear the
Gospel preached. (Acts 10:1-48) Peter had a symbolic vision of the
Gentiles being accepted into the Kingdom of God. (Acts
10:9-48) Paul had either a vision or a dream of a Macedonian man
beseeching him to come with the Gospel. (Acts 16:9,10) The Lord
appeared to Paul in either a dream or a vision bringing him encouragement
and guidance. (Acts 18:9,10) Paul experienced many visions in his
lifetime. (2Corinthians 12:1)
Paul was an Apostle and a Prophet (as well as a Pastor, Evangelist and Teacher). Apostles and Prophets
have consistent manifestations of visions and revelations in their
Ministries.
You, too, can
experience visions and dreams of the Lord, according to His will, by
walking uprightly before Him.
"Verily,
verily I say unto you, He that believeth on Me the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My
Father." (John 14:12)
Be blessed … John and Barbara Hamel
How
to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)
How
to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power
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