THE VISION By Rick Joyner
PART IV
The White Throne
EPISODE 36
I gazed one last time around the huge room inside the mountain. The gems and treasures that represented the truths of Salvation were breathtaking in their glory. It seemed that there was no end to their expanse, and no way to fully comprehend their beauty.
I could not imagine that the rooms which contained the other great truths of the faith could be any more glorious. This helped me to understand why so many Christian never wanted to leave this level, being content to just marvel at the basic doctrines of the faith. I knew that I could stay here for eternity and never get bored.
Then the eagle who was standing next to me exhorted, “You must go on!" As I turned to look at him, he lowered his voice and continued, "There is no greater peace and safety than to abide in the Lord's salvation. You were brought here to know this because you will need this faith for where you are now going. But you must not stay here any longer." The eagle's statement about peace and safety caused me to think about the courageous warriors who had fought in the battle from the first level of the mountain, Salvation.
Although they had fought so well and delivered so many, they had also all been badly wounded. It did not seem that they had found peace and safety here.
The eagle interrupted my thoughts again as if he were listening to them. "God has a different definition of peace and safety than we do," he said. "To be wounded in the fight is a great honor. It is by the Lord's stripes that we are healed, and it is through our stripes that we, too, are given the authority for healing. Once we are healed, we are given the power to heal others in the very place where the enemy wounded us.
"Healing was a basic part of the Lord's ministry, and it is also a basic part of ours. One reason why the Lord allows bad things to happen to His people is so they can receive compassion for others, by which the power of healing operates. That is why the apostle Paul told of his beatings and stonings when his authority was questioned. Every wound and other bad thing that happens to us can be turned into the authority to do good. Every beating that the great apostle took resulted in salvation for others. Every wound that a warrior receives will result in others being saved, healed or restored."
The eagle's words were very encouraging. Standing here amid the glory of the treasures of salvation made this truth even clearer and more penetrating. I wanted to go shout it from the top of the mountain so that all who were still fighting would be encouraged.
Then the eagle continued, "There is another reason why the Lord allows us to be wounded. There is no courage unless there is real danger. The Lord said He would go with Joshua to fight for the Promised Land, but over and over exhorted him to be strong and courageous. This was because he was going to have to fight, and there would be real danger. It is in this way that the Lord proves those who are worthy of the Promises."