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Web Design Software“Irene, do you trust Me?”
This was the very first question Yeshua asked me as I started my heavenly journey. This question still resonates within me as I continue my earthly walk with Him. He asked me this at a time when I had lost my faith in people and I had little trust in God. I was tired of life and did not understand why many things were happening to me. I was disappointed, and my dreams and expectations were not being fulfilled. I felt spiritually bankrupt.
Did I trust Him? He was waiting for my answer. I searched deep down within my heart.
I remembered when I first came to Him, emotionally and spiritually broken, oppressed by the kingdom of darkness, dying without hope. He took me in when I needed His help and His love. He saved me from my enemy, from my illness, and from my sins. I remembered that day when He comforted me, even when I was silent in my prayers because of my grief. He was there when I had a heart attack and collapsed on the street of a big city and a stranger helped me so that I would not die. He was there when I was homeless, and He sent His people to give me shelter. Life was not easy, but He was there to help me along the way.
I knew deep down in my heart that His love was still there for me. I just had to trust Him and reach for it. I made a decision: “Yes, I trust You, my Lord.”
Then I saw myself at a crossroads, with two roads—two ways I could go. Yeshua was giving me a choice, and He was waiting for me. One road was my life as before, and the other road contained a challenge. I knew that the challenging road would not be easy, but somewhere inside me, I felt that this was the road Yeshua wanted me to take. I chose the way of challenge.
My journey with Yeshua has not always been easy, but it’s always very rewarding. Once, I was told, “The bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward,” and I know it’s true.
The journey to heaven is a journey to God. He is the center of the visible and invisible universe. Yeshua, His Son, is the true manifestation of God’s love for His people. Therefore, any heavenly journey starts with Him and His love (see John 14:6). It is true for all people, born and unborn; Yeshua is the heavenly Groom of our souls.
Yeshua is the goal of all heavenly journeys. They all point to Him. He is the perfect image of God and the manifestation of His nature in a human body (John 1:1, 14). After many visions and revelations, I realized that nothing can compare to Him. I like to talk to Him and have fellowship with Him.
His kingdom is not just a place in the heavenly realm but also a life and fellowship with Him. He came to the earth to bring His kingdom to people—the kingdom of heaven within our hearts. He Himself is that kingdom, with His presence, His love, and His amazing power (see Colossians 1:12-14).
My heavenly journey is a journey with Him. He has become much more than just a friend. He knows me, and I have learned to know Him, to hear His voice, and to recognize when He is near (see John 10:27). There is nothing on the earth that can compare to the relationship between the Lord and His beloved children.
What happens to a believer when his or her life on earth is finished?
At first, a person passes to the other side of the veil that separates every man and woman from the realm of heaven. This veil separates the physical world from the spiritual world, and it was established after the Adamic fall.
At the moment of physical death, the soul of a person immediately enters into the second heaven. From here, the souls of believers are then moved into the third heaven. Souls are taken through many portals. Sometimes they are like doors that open in a moment. Other times, they look like a tunnel. They can also look like a big highway or stairway (Genesis 28:12).
At this point, a soul is accepted through the gates of heaven, which are located in Paradise Valley. After that, the person starts his or her journey toward meeting God face-to-face.
Heaven is a multidimensional realm. It is much more complex than the realm of the physical world. For instance, the angelic realm is where the angels dwell. It is different from the heavenly realm of redeemed humanity. Angels can move through different doorways and portals to minister to people, but not every human can enter into the angelic realm. Humans require special permission from God in order to enter into the realm of angelic beings.
To understand the world of heaven, we have to look at the blueprint given to us in the Scriptures, especially in the Torah of Moses (Matthew 5:17, 19, Hebrews 10:1). Many things in the instructions and the law are a wonderful way to explain the things of heaven to people.
At the center of heaven, God sits on the throne, with His Son. Around the throne is the glass sea. The heavenly temple, with the altar and its many service rooms, surrounds the throne room. The service in the heavenly temple continues all the time.
But God Himself is not limited to just sitting in the temple. He can simultaneously also manifest Himself anywhere in heaven and have personal fellowship with His children.
The temple is in the middle of the New Jerusalem, which is the capital of God’s kingdom. Paradise is huge by earthly standards and surrounds the New Jerusalem, which stands at the top of the heavenly mountain of Zion. The throne of God is higher than anything else in heaven.
When a new soul enters the heavenly world, he or she is usually greeted by relatives and friends who have been waiting for him or her there. The first steps of this soul’s new journey start at the lowest level of heaven—Paradise Valley. This valley has the specific purpose of helping newcomers adjust to the reality of heaven. The eternal glory and light in heaven are so intense that many souls have to spend some time adjusting to it.
Many who enter into heaven received salvation just before they died. They had no real spiritual growth in Yeshua and in walking with Him, and everything is new to them. Many of them never read the Bible, and so they have a hard time comprehending the things of heaven.
Knowledge does not come instantly. A person has to learn and mature in the ways of heaven. He or she has to learn to understand even the basic realities of how heaven functions. How quickly this happens depends upon the person’s motivation and ability to receive the knowledge of God. Many people are so ashamed of their past life that they cannot forgive themselves for lost opportunities, and they fear the holiness of God. Not many are ready to stand in the presence of the heavenly Father, and it takes them a long time to make their journey to Him.
Paradise Valley is covered with shadows, so that newcomers are not overwhelmed with the light. But even in the shadows, it is brighter than the brightest day on earth. Every person has a motivational angel assigned to guide him or her in the journey to the Father, which each individual has to undertake. People are encouraged to eat from the Tree of Life to heal their souls. They are also encouraged to drink the water of life and to even submerge themselves in the cleansing water of the River of Life.
Every person has his or her own unique journey to God. No two are the same. Some people mature and recover quickly and are taken straight to the gates of the New Jerusalem in heavenly chariots. Others make the long journey on foot on one of the golden roads. Some even make their journey by boat on the River of Life, which has its beginning at the throne room of God.
As people approach the city, angels greet them at the gates. Here, their names are checked in the golden book of the Lamb. At the gates, people can meet with Yeshua, as He personally greets them there.
From this point on, their journey takes its course along the streets of the city toward the temple of God for a personal meeting with the Almighty.
At the throne room of God, the heavenly Father will declare each person’s position in heaven and his or her residence.
The kingdom of God has an established hierarchy. As in the angelic world, where there are “thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers” (Colossians 1:16 KJV), likewise we can find that God is establishing His order of powers and dominions among redeemed mankind (see Revelation 2:26-27; Matthew 24:46-47; 25:21).
A great number of saved people in heaven entered into the kingdom of God through the blood of the Lamb. However, it is according to our faithfulness and works that God will decide our position in the heavenly hierarchy of redeemed mankind—the body of Christ.
It is a privilege to become a part of the Bride of Yeshua, the Son of God. Only those who are spiritually mature in a relationship with the heavenly Groom are part of this group.
Those who became part of the Bride can reside in the New Jerusalem, but those who failed to be part of the Bride have their residence with the rest of the saved people outside the city in paradise.
Outside of the New Jerusalem, in paradise, are many towns and small cities. Many nations reside according to their cultural and generational backgrounds. Many nations have their own languages, along with their own righteous and unique traditions and culture.
Each person will have a certain ministry for God and for the saints in heaven. All of the saints are required to learn about the Scriptures, the Law of God’s kingdom, and how to live in righteousness. There are many classes and lectures, as well as many opportunities for fellowship. Everywhere in heaven, people can find worship centers where they can come together and glorify God.
One time, an angel of God took me to a special watchtower, one of many placed in various locations in paradise. The tower itself stood at the top of a mountain. Initially, I found myself on the first floor of the tower. Those who wanted to look out from this tower stood on the balconies circling the tower at different levels.
From the first level, I saw a beautiful valley covered with vegetation. In the valley, I noticed a small, beautiful town, with many trees, magnificent buildings, and houses. The scenery looked so nice and peaceful.
Then I was taken to a higher level of the tower by way of an inside elevator, which could take people to any level they wanted. From the higher level, I could see the golden streets and the road going through the town and leading to the New Jerusalem.
Farther away, I could see the walls of the New Jerusalem and its gates. From my point of view, I could not see behind the walls of the New Jerusalem; they were too high. I also could not see how wide the walls of the New Jerusalem spread. From my perspective, the walls did not seem to have any end.
Finally, I was taken to the highest level of this tower. It was a long elevator ride. The height was as high as a bird would fly, if not higher. I again saw the New Jerusalem, and in the middle of the city, I could see the temple of God. Although the tower was very tall, the temple of God was the highest point in heaven. From my point of view, I could see only part of the New Jerusalem.
This heavenly vision has a deep spiritual meaning.
Some think of heaven as only a place of paradise with beautiful mansions. However, such a view of the heavenly kingdom does not reflect its entirety. That type of spiritual perspective of heaven is like being on the first level of the tower. Yes, there are many beautiful towns surrounded by nature in His kingdom. But in the spiritual world, the Lord offers us so much more.
Some believers expect to be in the New Jerusalem upon their arrival in heaven, but their only goal is just to enter there. Again, this is good, but it is not everything that God wants from us. That kind of perspective is like standing on the second level of the tower, from which we can see the walls and gates of the great city, but we fail to see anything beyond.
Our heavenly Father wants us to reach the highest level of our spiritual tower, from which we can have a much greater perspective of heaven. He wants us to desire to see Him, to enter into His city and be in the temple with Him. Yet even this is only the beginning of a wonderful spiritual journey with Him, during which He will reveal Himself to those who are seeking Him.
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