Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3
Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
In 2010 there was a cave-in at the San José copper-gold mine near Copiapó, Chile. Thirty-three miners were trapped 2,300 feet underground for sixty-nine days. When they were finally rescued, the miners emerged from the darkness wearing sunglasses. Not seeing sunlight for such a long period, their eyes were dilated fully, and the sun’s UV rays would have severely damaged their vision without the sunglasses. This pictures how we come to perceive the kingdom of God. Before we were born again, we lived in a world of spiritual darkness (Ephesians 4:17-18). In Christ, we are given the ability to perceive and understand God and His kingdom by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. Typically, this does not happen all at once, as it would be overwhelming. That means there will be changes to your thinking, way of life and habits. Some are immediate, and others are of a more progressive nature.
I love, cherish and am thankful for the revelatory moments when heaven is tangible, and I am enveloped in the voice and heartbeat of God. There is nothing like it on earth. Because of those precious and rare moments my life has been profoundly and forever impacted. I will continue to experience dreams, visions, and revelations with the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:1), but these are a means to an end. They are not an end in themselves. There is so much more to the kingdom of heaven that the Holy Spirit wants to disclose to us.
The story of Jesus calling the twelve disciples illustrates how revelation is meant to equip us and not merely be a wonderful experience. “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.” (Mark 3:13-15) Going up on a mountain speaks of a revelatory encounter. He called to Himself those He wanted, a call that you can know in the depth of your heart, that God wants you, invites you and loves you. You belong. You’re included in His circle.
He then appointed the disciples to be with Him, while also letting them know that soon He would send them out. We have a dual appointment: closeness with God and carrying out His work. It is love and power. Kingdom life is filled with passion for Him and compassion for others. Being with Him should precede the work (Matthew 7:21-23), but the mission of the Lord must not be neglected. When Jesus returns in His glory, He will call those who took in the stranger, fed the poor, clothed the naked, visited the sick and prisoner as His very own (Matthew 25:31-46). For many years, the Holy Spirit put an emphasis on knowing God in my heart. It has been an incredible journey, and I will continue to grow deeper in my relationship with Him. But now, I perceive that the Holy Spirit is opening my eyes to the works the Father is doing. Light belongs in the darkness. Just as the Father sent Jesus (John 20:21), Jesus is looking for those who will follow in His footsteps and bring light to a dark world.
Many Blessings, BW