The Vision by Rick Joyner
Prophetic Experiences Episode 79
I also understand how the nature of some of these revelations would cause theological problems for some. One of these would certainly be the way that I met and talked with many Old and New Testament characters, as well as
prominent people in church history who are now dead. There are biblical precedents for this, such as when the Lord talked to Moses and Elijah. Even though Elijah was carried up without dying, Moses had died. We also have the example when the apostle John fell down to worship the angel in Revelation 22:9. The angel rebuked John, declaring that he, too, was a fellow servant of his brethren (Revelation 22:9).
Many have understood this to indicate that this was one of the saints who had gone on to be with the Lord.
Even so, I can understand how some would still have a problem with this, and there is another explanation. There is a difference between prophetic experiences and actually doing something. For example, when Ezekiel was caught up in the Spirit and carried to Jerusalem, it is obvious that he was not taken to the actual Jerusalem, even though it seemed very real to him. Much of what he experienced did not actually exist, but was meant to convey a message to the exiles.
Likewise, even though some of these experiences and people seemed very real to me, I seriously question whether I was actually talking to people in heaven. I believe that these were prophetic experiences meant to convey a message. I do not know if the places I saw in heaven were actual places or appeared to me in the way that they did for the purpose of conveying that message. However, I am open to the thought that I saw real places and met real people. I see no conflict with Scripture that would prohibit this possibility, although I understand how some would object. Even so, just as Abel still speaks though he is dead, certainly the lives of biblical characters are messages, and these experiences helped to illuminate this to me more than ever before.
One reason that I lean toward the belief that these were prophetic experiences and that I was not talking with the real people is because of how long they did or did not last. For example, most people have had dreams that were so real that when they awoke, for a brief time they may actually believe that the dreams were real. However, even the most realistic of dreams usually begin to fade so that in just a couple of hours, it can be forgotten. Real experiences are not that way.
I have had real encounters with the Lord and with angels that are almost as real to me now as they were years ago when I first experienced them. I have had many dreams and visions in which I saw the Lord or angels, but these would quickly fade. Except for a very few of my experiences included in these books, these prophetic episodes faded like revelations rather than enduring like real encounters.
It was for this reason that I tried to write down these experiences as quickly as I could after having them. In some cases, I was not able to do this. When I was able to get to a place where I could write them down, my memory of them had already begun to fade. I did feel the Holy Spirit helping to bring things to my remembrance, but the more time that elapsed between the experience and the time in which I was able to record them, the more concerned I was that they may have not been conveyed exactly as I received them.
In such cases, I was aware that my own pet doctrines or prejudices could easily creep into my writing, and though I sincerely tried not to let this happen, I acknowledge the possibility that this could have occurred in some instances.
For this reason, my continual prayer for this book has been for the Holy Spirit to lead me in writing it and also to lead everyone who reads it. He was given to lead us to the truth and to Jesus. My prayer is that you will discern that which is truth and that which is from Jesus, holding fast to that and discarding anything that isn't.