Are Visits to Heaven for Real?
Rebuttal
By EP Lockley
This article is a response to Pastor John MacArthur’s article “Are Visits to Heaven for Real”. In this article, I will also reveal my personal experiences with the subject of visiting heaven.
After reading MacArthur’s article, I contend he wrote his position on the subject based upon one particular book and a movie. I am convinced MacArthur erred when he assumed people who claim to admit visits to heaven are conveying messages from their imagination.
MacArthur’s article was the catalyst needed for me to go public about the wonderful heavenly encounters I too enjoyed.
There were some reservations about going public about my heavenly experiences simply because I did not fully understand the things I saw there and I struggled with Scripture to corroborate it all.
The seriousness of explaining my encounters was foundational and intricate in ensuring my revelation knowledge stays within Scriptural boundaries.
In Christianity, we teach about humanity’s tripartite composition: spirit, soul, and body. When the body ceases to function, the spirit and soul enters an eternal status somewhere in the world of departed spirits.
There are people gifted in diverse areas. Scripture corroborates there are people gifted in spiritual matters. However, those gifted in spiritual matters can use it to build God’s kingdom or work against it. For example, in matters of national security, each country has spies who act as intelligence to keep the government abreast of situations that can harm its citizens. If a threat develops, the government can prepare to address the threat before it becomes active. I believe the same intelligence exists in the spiritual world and there are gifted people on both sides (good and evil).
The article written by MacArthur speaks about people who go public about having heavenly encounters. While the article seems to target one particular book and movie, I felt led to respond in an effort to convince those who will believe there is a place outside of the physical world where people live. Heaven is a real place and, I went there.
I visited heaven for the first time Thanksgiving 1999 and I will never forget it.
Early Thanksgiving night, I lay in bed and slept. Suddenly, I stood atop a mountain and saw the food we cooked Thanksgiving day. Previously, I remember praying over the meal and thanking God for providing us with the resources we needed. The food appeared before me and tumbled down the side of the mountain landing on the shoreline. I ended up on the shoreline too and ended up moving into the water where I experienced a water baptism.
Following the baptism, I entered a train similar to the subway cars we are accustomed here on the earth. The conductor spoke on the intercom and the doors closed.
The train moved in the direction of the light. The light became brighter and brighter. I was moving into the presence of Father God. God began to speak with me, identifying Himself. I did not understand how or why God would bring me into his presence but the experience was very humbling. The light was too bright for me to bare, as it began to pierce the hands covering my closed eyes. I began the train ride sitting on a seat, but at this point in the ride, I had fallen on my knees without as much as a thought. My spirit/soul automatically fell down as dead before the Father. As the light became unbearable, the train began to move in reverse. God was no longer a mystery in my life, He was now a confirmed being, my heavenly Father.
God’s voice was filled with peace, love, and comfort. I did not focus on what was being said. I wanted the voice to talk forever. However, as the train went in reverse to the light God began repeating the words, “Only Believe.”
The first experience was wonderful and several more visits became a teaching opportunity. People need to know more about God’s dwelling place. It is His desire for every soul to be in fellowship with Him.
God is my provider. I seek no fame or fortune for having the experiences.
After reading Pastor John MacArthur’s article which appears to defend his view on the subject of heavenly visits, I assert that he misses the message of the cross entirely when he dismisses individual accounts of heavenly visits.
MacArthur appears to behave like a realist when he measures one particular storyline and judges all heavenly encounter stories as imaginative.
I have come to the knowledge that Jesus paid the sin debt for everyone and forever. Humanity has access to the Father, through the work of the cross. If we believe in this work, we have salvation and are welcomed into God’s heaven.
MacArthur seems to write his article from an angle of one major book and movie and seems to warn believers about trusting sources outside of Scripture. I support MacArthur’s potential to arm the body of Christ against heresy. However, I am offended when he lumps everyone’s heavenly experiences into one argument.
We live in a world where light and darkness share space. Jesus taught about wheat and tares growing in the same field.
Some people may not accept sincere stories about heavenly visits and there are many like me who bear record about the place and have not sought to go public. I retain reservation about sharing my experiences because of concerns of contradicting Scripture.
After much meditation and prayer about my experiences and seeking to corroborate what I experienced with Scripture, His Holy Spirit simply enlighten me with the revealing fact of God’s vastness in which every soul could see heaven and enjoy a different experience.
The great “I AM” God can and is everything we desire and need to be fulfilled in this short physical life and beyond.
The Father’s world is unlimited and the things I beheld, heard, and experienced were testimonies that what is written in Scripture is true, and will completely come to past.
Pastor MacArthur writes, “There’s nothing transcendent or even particularly enlightening about Colton’s heaven”, referring to the book and movie. He writes, “They are merely figments of the human imagination, not true visions of heaven as it is described in God’s Word.”
Prior to my multiple heavenly experiences, I would have adopted MacArthur’s point of view. As a seminary graduate, my total reliance was studying the Scriptures and dismissing anything outside of it. I too struggled with my experiences, often talking to God about it and allowing Him to minister about what I beheld, experienced, and heard.
While MacArthur writes in defense of the body of Christ, I cast caution on his efforts to deny all heavenly encounter stories.
In defense of what God allowed me to see, I move with compassion to begin bringing illumination to the eternal side of life.
MacArthur writes, “Studying mystical accounts of supposed journeys into the afterlife yields nothing but confusion, contradiction, false hope, bad doctrine and a host of similar evils.”
The body of Christ is greatly diverse in the interpretation of Scripture. People need to hear more about God’s heaven and how Scripture corroborates its existence and purpose. People also need to know that Scripture has been misinterpreted by some preachers and teachers which has a bearing on how you live in eternity.
I believe heavenly visits are necessary proof alerting humanity about the realness of God’s written word to man.
In my years of teaching Scripture to diverse populations, I conclude, the entire body of Christ is without unity in matters of truth. I’m often burdened after hearing an erroneous gospel message from those within the faith.
Everyone who has had a heavenly visit may not be scholars of the biblical text. Some people may not be able to biblically explain their experience. These laymen may have a basic faith in the cross and without formal biblical training. There are people from every continent of the world in heaven, some may have had little to no training in Scripture, but Jesus died for them too!
Earlier I mentioned my experience with God’s glory. MacArthur states,“they say…little about God or His glory.” I can say everyone in heaven does not experience the same illumination of God’s glory. While we like to say there is no distance in the spirit, I’d rather say the closer you get to God’s presence, the brighter the light. At proximity, the light from God’s glory penetrates through you to a point where you can do nothing but bow down and bathe in His glory. However, there are places in heaven where you can see His glory but you are not affected by it because you are far away.
MacArthur states, “…the authors of these stories seem obsessed with details like how good they felt-how peaceful… how they received privileges and accolades… how many things they think they now understand perfectly… they highlight everything but what’s truly important about heaven.”
I like Jesus’ words when the people asked him to show them the Father, he replied, “anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus did the work of the Father on earth and showed people what the Father was really like.
Likewise, Jesus gave us an example of what to pray. In one phrase he said “in earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10. When we see the good attributes of earth, we are seeing heaven. Earth’s physical features are a duplicate of the features in heaven. In heaven, there are cities with highways, transportation on the ground and in the air; buildings, communities, schools, shopping malls, amusement parks, recreational parks, water, and land.
MacArthur writes, “But if you actually saw heaven and lived to tell about it, those things are not what would capture your heart and imagination.” He continues with, “You would be preoccupied instead with the majesty and grace of the One whose glory fills the place.” The only problem with this is that those in heaven are actually in complete unity with God. My first experience and back, I was in awe about God’s glory. It took me years to really go public about it. The other visits were wonderful. However, I realized that it was not normal for someone to have so many heavenly visits, there had to be a reason.
MacArthur writes about “Crossing the Boundaries.” I must tell you that one could not enter heaven uninvited. Heaven is a secure world. I witnessed beings trying to find a way inside. There is a force that protects all the inhabitants from unauthorized beings.
I dismiss his section “Crossing the Boundaries.” Those that truly experienced heaven were definitely invited. Any occultism references should be with an understanding that spiritual beings exist within the earth’s heaven and tampering with it would only reveal what is in the earthly realm alone. People can also get misinformation about heaven from seducing spirits.
I am in agreement with MacArthur when he writes, “we are forbidden in all spiritual matters to go beyond what is written” and he references 1 Corinthians 4:6. I have a seminary educational background and it would not allow me to see beyond the text. I tried to dismiss my experiences, citing that it was not scriptural. In prayer, I asked the Father for scriptural revelation to confirm the things I saw so that I would not plant heresy among the churches. In solution, many biblical references became apparent and I was able to make full sense of my experiences.
I disagree with his section “The Glories of Heaven. MacArthur is sure to speak about the real Christian motivation towards understanding heaven. Scripture is clear that we “fix (our) hearts on heaven.”He states.“No wonder Christians are intrigued with the subject. But no matter how much they might obsess over what heaven is like, people who fill their head with a lot of fantastic or delusional ideas from others’ near-death experiences have not truly set their minds on things above.”He calls the experiences of those that visited heaven, “dreams and speculations of human minds.”
The truth about fixing our hearts on heaven is not complete without understanding how to prepare to live there. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Christian leaders are guessing about how to prepare people to live in heaven. The more trustworthy sources that give revelation about the inner workings of God’s heaven the more prepared we can be.
MacArthur’s article appears to be written to protect the integrity of Scripture about the inner workings of God’s heaven. To avoid heresy, we teach biblical scholars to stick to Scripture and allow it to interpret itself.
I am a fan of truth and sticking to the text. I have scolded some and shunned others with personal interpretations of Scripture. We must keep the Word of God pure at all cost. I will defend the gospel with my life. I have been to heaven and seen things that will strengthen and prepare believers for eternal living. However, if I am not careful to stay in the context of Scripture, I can also mislead those that are striving to reach maturity in the faith.
I have prepared several texts revealing the things that I have seen and experienced in heaven.
My closest ancestors have had heavenly visits while still alive in the earth. My maternal great-grandfather, grandmother, a close cousin, and mother all experienced heaven while they were still alive on the earth. My great grandfather reported visiting heaven a week before he passed. My grandmother had visited heaven a year before she passed. My cousin woke up from a coma and told the family she was going with Jesus. My mother on her deathbed was able to communicate the things she saw in heaven hours before she passed. Each gave specifics about what they saw and who they saw.
Are heavenly visits real?
I believe my ancestors’ experiences were genuine, as mine were totally real.
Are Visits to Heaven for Real?
Rebuttal
By EP Lockley
This article is a response to Pastor John MacArthur’s article “Are Visits to Heaven for Real”. In this article, I will also reveal my personal experiences with the subject of visiting heaven.
After reading MacArthur’s article, I contend he wrote his position on the subject based upon one particular book and a movie. I am convinced MacArthur erred when he assumed people who claim to admit visits to heaven are conveying messages from their imagination.
MacArthur’s article was the catalyst needed for me to go public about the wonderful heavenly encounters I too enjoyed.
There were some reservations about going public about my heavenly experiences simply because I did not fully understand the things I saw there and I struggled with Scripture to corroborate it all.
The seriousness of explaining my encounters was foundational and intricate in ensuring my revelation knowledge stays within Scriptural boundaries.
In Christianity, we teach about humanity’s tripartite composition: spirit, soul, and body. When the body ceases to function, the spirit and soul enters an eternal status somewhere in the world of departed spirits.
There are people gifted in diverse areas. Scripture corroborates there are people gifted in spiritual matters. However, those gifted in spiritual matters can use it to build God’s kingdom or work against it. For example, in matters of national security, each country has spies who act as intelligence to keep the government abreast of situations that can harm its citizens. If a threat develops, the government can prepare to address the threat before it becomes active. I believe the same intelligence exists in the spiritual world and there are gifted people on both sides (good and evil).
The article written by MacArthur speaks about people who go public about having heavenly encounters. While the article seems to target one particular book and movie, I felt led to respond in an effort to convince those who will believe there is a place outside of the physical world where people live. Heaven is a real place and, I went there.
I visited heaven for the first time Thanksgiving 1999 and I will never forget it.
Early Thanksgiving night, I lay in bed and slept. Suddenly, I stood atop a mountain and saw the food we cooked Thanksgiving day. Previously, I remember praying over the meal and thanking God for providing us with the resources we needed. The food appeared before me and tumbled down the side of the mountain landing on the shoreline. I ended up on the shoreline too and ended up moving into the water where I experienced a water baptism.
Following the baptism, I entered a train similar to the subway cars we are accustomed here on the earth. The conductor spoke on the intercom and the doors closed.
The train moved in the direction of the light. The light became brighter and brighter. I was moving into the presence of Father God. God began to speak with me, identifying Himself. I did not understand how or why God would bring me into his presence but the experience was very humbling. The light was too bright for me to bare, as it began to pierce the hands covering my closed eyes. I began the train ride sitting on a seat, but at this point in the ride, I had fallen on my knees without as much as a thought. My spirit/soul automatically fell down as dead before the Father. As the light became unbearable, the train began to move in reverse. God was no longer a mystery in my life, He was now a confirmed being, my heavenly Father.
God’s voice was filled with peace, love, and comfort. I did not focus on what was being said. I wanted the voice to talk forever. However, as the train went in reverse to the light God began repeating the words, “Only Believe.”
The first experience was wonderful and several more visits became a teaching opportunity. People need to know more about God’s dwelling place. It is His desire for every soul to be in fellowship with Him.
God is my provider. I seek no fame or fortune for having the experiences.
After reading Pastor John MacArthur’s article which appears to defend his view on the subject of heavenly visits, I assert that he misses the message of the cross entirely when he dismisses individual accounts of heavenly visits.
MacArthur appears to behave like a realist when he measures one particular storyline and judges all heavenly encounter stories as imaginative.
I have come to the knowledge that Jesus paid the sin debt for everyone and forever. Humanity has access to the Father, through the work of the cross. If we believe in this work, we have salvation and are welcomed into God’s heaven.
MacArthur seems to write his article from an angle of one major book and movie and seems to warn believers about trusting sources outside of Scripture. I support MacArthur’s potential to arm the body of Christ against heresy. However, I am offended when he lumps everyone’s heavenly experiences into one argument.
We live in a world where light and darkness share space. Jesus taught about wheat and tares growing in the same field.
Some people may not accept sincere stories about heavenly visits and there are many like me who bear record about the place and have not sought to go public. I retain reservation about sharing my experiences because of concerns of contradicting Scripture.
After much meditation and prayer about my experiences and seeking to corroborate what I experienced with Scripture, His Holy Spirit simply enlighten me with the revealing fact of God’s vastness in which every soul could see heaven and enjoy a different experience.
The great “I AM” God can and is everything we desire and need to be fulfilled in this short physical life and beyond.
The Father’s world is unlimited and the things I beheld, heard, and experienced were testimonies that what is written in Scripture is true, and will completely come to past.
Pastor MacArthur writes, “There’s nothing transcendent or even particularly enlightening about Colton’s heaven”, referring to the book and movie. He writes, “They are merely figments of the human imagination, not true visions of heaven as it is described in God’s Word.”
Prior to my multiple heavenly experiences, I would have adopted MacArthur’s point of view. As a seminary graduate, my total reliance was studying the Scriptures and dismissing anything outside of it. I too struggled with my experiences, often talking to God about it and allowing Him to minister about what I beheld, experienced, and heard.
While MacArthur writes in defense of the body of Christ, I cast caution on his efforts to deny all heavenly encounter stories.
In defense of what God allowed me to see, I move with compassion to begin bringing illumination to the eternal side of life.
MacArthur writes, “Studying mystical accounts of supposed journeys into the afterlife yields nothing but confusion, contradiction, false hope, bad doctrine and a host of similar evils.”
The body of Christ is greatly diverse in the interpretation of Scripture. People need to hear more about God’s heaven and how Scripture corroborates its existence and purpose. People also need to know that Scripture has been misinterpreted by some preachers and teachers which has a bearing on how you live in eternity.
I believe heavenly visits are necessary proof alerting humanity about the realness of God’s written word to man.
In my years of teaching Scripture to diverse populations, I conclude, the entire body of Christ is without unity in matters of truth. I’m often burdened after hearing an erroneous gospel message from those within the faith.
Everyone who has had a heavenly visit may not be scholars of the biblical text. Some people may not be able to biblically explain their experience. These laymen may have a basic faith in the cross and without formal biblical training. There are people from every continent of the world in heaven, some may have had little to no training in Scripture, but Jesus died for them too!
Earlier I mentioned my experience with God’s glory. MacArthur states,“they say…little about God or His glory.” I can say everyone in heaven does not experience the same illumination of God’s glory. While we like to say there is no distance in the spirit, I’d rather say the closer you get to God’s presence, the brighter the light. At proximity, the light from God’s glory penetrates through you to a point where you can do nothing but bow down and bathe in His glory. However, there are places in heaven where you can see His glory but you are not affected by it because you are far away.
MacArthur states, “…the authors of these stories seem obsessed with details like how good they felt-how peaceful… how they received privileges and accolades… how many things they think they now understand perfectly… they highlight everything but what’s truly important about heaven.”
I like Jesus’ words when the people asked him to show them the Father, he replied, “anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Jesus did the work of the Father on earth and showed people what the Father was really like.
Likewise, Jesus gave us an example of what to pray. In one phrase he said “in earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10. When we see the good attributes of earth, we are seeing heaven. Earth’s physical features are a duplicate of the features in heaven. In heaven, there are cities with highways, transportation on the ground and in the air; buildings, communities, schools, shopping malls, amusement parks, recreational parks, water, and land.
MacArthur writes, “But if you actually saw heaven and lived to tell about it, those things are not what would capture your heart and imagination.” He continues with, “You would be preoccupied instead with the majesty and grace of the One whose glory fills the place.” The only problem with this is that those in heaven are actually in complete unity with God. My first experience and back, I was in awe about God’s glory. It took me years to really go public about it. The other visits were wonderful. However, I realized that it was not normal for someone to have so many heavenly visits, there had to be a reason.
MacArthur writes about “Crossing the Boundaries.” I must tell you that one could not enter heaven uninvited. Heaven is a secure world. I witnessed beings trying to find a way inside. There is a force that protects all the inhabitants from unauthorized beings.
I dismiss his section “Crossing the Boundaries.” Those that truly experienced heaven were definitely invited. Any occultism references should be with an understanding that spiritual beings exist within the earth’s heaven and tampering with it would only reveal what is in the earthly realm alone. People can also get misinformation about heaven from seducing spirits.
I am in agreement with MacArthur when he writes, “we are forbidden in all spiritual matters to go beyond what is written” and he references 1 Corinthians 4:6. I have a seminary educational background and it would not allow me to see beyond the text. I tried to dismiss my experiences, citing that it was not scriptural. In prayer, I asked the Father for scriptural revelation to confirm the things I saw so that I would not plant heresy among the churches. In solution, many biblical references became apparent and I was able to make full sense of my experiences.
I disagree with his section “The Glories of Heaven. MacArthur is sure to speak about the real Christian motivation towards understanding heaven. Scripture is clear that we “fix (our) hearts on heaven.”He states.“No wonder Christians are intrigued with the subject. But no matter how much they might obsess over what heaven is like, people who fill their head with a lot of fantastic or delusional ideas from others’ near-death experiences have not truly set their minds on things above.”He calls the experiences of those that visited heaven, “dreams and speculations of human minds.”
The truth about fixing our hearts on heaven is not complete without understanding how to prepare to live there. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Christian leaders are guessing about how to prepare people to live in heaven. The more trustworthy sources that give revelation about the inner workings of God’s heaven the more prepared we can be.
MacArthur’s article appears to be written to protect the integrity of Scripture about the inner workings of God’s heaven. To avoid heresy, we teach biblical scholars to stick to Scripture and allow it to interpret itself.
I am a fan of truth and sticking to the text. I have scolded some and shunned others with personal interpretations of Scripture. We must keep the Word of God pure at all cost. I will defend the gospel with my life. I have been to heaven and seen things that will strengthen and prepare believers for eternal living. However, if I am not careful to stay in the context of Scripture, I can also mislead those that are striving to reach maturity in the faith.
I have prepared several texts revealing the things that I have seen and experienced in heaven.
My closest ancestors have had heavenly visits while still alive in the earth. My maternal great-grandfather, grandmother, a close cousin, and mother all experienced heaven while they were still alive on the earth. My great grandfather reported visiting heaven a week before he passed. My grandmother had visited heaven a year before she passed. My cousin woke up from a coma and told the family she was going with Jesus. My mother on her deathbed was able to communicate the things she saw in heaven hours before she passed. Each gave specifics about what they saw and who they saw.
Are heavenly visits real?
I believe my ancestors’ experiences were genuine, as mine were totally real.
