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Bernini, ecstasy, heaven, Jesus Christ, love, martyrdom, near death experience, out-of-body experience, Saint Teresa of Jesus, spiritual power, Teresa of Ávila
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (The Ecstasy of Teresa of Ávila)
Whenever I find myself alone regarding my experiences with God and I am tempted to let myself go, there is only one thing I can do, and that is, to look at Him who knows how it feels to stand alone. Even though tears might fall down still, there is sooo much comfort in knowing that He endured the same. And surprisingly, God doesn’t want us to remain in our suffering as if there were no hope. Quite the contrary.
More and more I have been realizing that suffering is not the ultimate purpose but only the means to receive His joy at its fullest. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
Tell anyone you know who doesn’t know Christ that you would love to suffer for Him, he would shake his head, to say the least. And I do understand such reactions, of course. Yet, thinking of Stephen for example, we read that those beholding him saw that his face was like the face of an angel (Acts 6:15) when he proved to be a witness for Christ. And shortly afterwards we see as soon as Stephen had finished speaking before the council, “they were enraged” (Acts 7:54) while Stephen was ”full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55).
“And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”” (Acts 7:55 ESV)
Why did Stephen speak out what he was seeing? And what does it mean?
A few years ago, as I was thinking the issue of martyrdom completely through, I experienced the Good News at its best.
I was lying in bed and praying, that is, talking with Jesus. As I was pondering on various agonizing modes of death, such as being drowned, being burned, being cut up, or having your eyes being gouged out – I guess you get the “beautiful” picture that arose in my mind 😉 – I heard the Lord whisper into my ear, “Don’t you worry about such things, my dear. I bore such pain on the cross. And I’ll show you what I mean.”
Finding myself dumbfounded, I was still wondering what Jesus could have meant, as a sudden burning pain was cutting through my left knee. Before I could shout out, “Ouch!!!” or something like that, I wondered, indeed, and was amazed why I didn’t feel pain as usual, but rather a hot fire expanding more and more. What kind of fire? one might ask here. It was the fire of the Holy Spirit’s Love that was filling my whole body and soul with pure bliss. Ecstasy… Indeed, it was life on another level. And I only begged Jesus to give me more of IT.
Thank God, there was another saint who experienced such a mysterious introduction into the inner sight of suffering for Christ. Since Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, who was a Spanish Carmelite nun in the 16th century, obviously had a similar experience. Many years ago, I read a lot about her spiritual experiences with Jesus and there were some books of hers that had helped me immensely to intensify and deepen my prayer life. Well, and then there was one entry as to her experiences with Jesus which caused me to laugh out loud. She said (paraphrasing),
“My deep respect toward martyrs has declined sharply, now, that I know how much the Lord helps.”
In fact, it was so freeing for me to read that I was not the only one who had been prepared for the possibility of martyrdom. [BTW, Teresa just died a normal death as everyone else for she had been able to throw the inquisitors off.]
Today, I am convinced that Stephen enjoyed every stone thrown at him, and maybe, he left his body shortly before he, that is merely his body, really died. Since, who could refrain from entering heaven when he sees the gates have already opened for him?
Oops, I almost forgot to mention that I know how it feels to leave your body before you die. Not only during my near death experience (NDE) (*), but also on a few occasions during the last almost two decades, I suddenly found myself “elsewhere”. Indeed, whenever you leave your body, you won’t feel pain anymore. This is Christ’s life that feels like we were actually on another level when we are being filled with His Spirit. The world doesn’t know of God’s mysteries which are all hidden in Christ (Col 2:2-3), but we may know: “It is finished!” Forever. Amen.
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:3-5 ESV)”
(*) If you like, see MY TESTIMONY here https://enteringthepromisedland.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/my-testimony/ (cf. 1995 – 2008: Years of the Wilderness).
Entering the Promised Land 
You have written much to think about, and ponder. It is obvious that Stephen was in an ecstatic state as I read that passage in acts regarding his death. I have thought of the way he appeared more as a witness to those who saw him of the kingdom of heaven among men, than I have thought of it as an expression of what he was feeling (or not feeling).
“Nevertheless when one shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 3:16-18 KJ2000)
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The Scripture you quoted fits perfectly, Michael. Actually, you are right, for those who didn’t know Jesus and sought to kill Steven, his shining face witnessed that God dwelt in him. They saw it from the outside and I intended to shed some light on the inside of Stephen. Thus our two different views complement each other, don’t they… 😉
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Actually, this whole passage that Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians is very enlightening. Here we see that the Old Covenant had the glory of the Lord that was manifest in the form of the shekinah of God that was over the mercy seat of the Ark. Then we see that even Moses face shown with that glory because of His visits with God on Mount Sinai. Yet, it is recorded that that glory began to fade and Moses hid his face from the people with a veil because he didn’t want the people to see that the glory was passing away.
Now, imagine what was going through Saul’s (Paul’s) mind as he watched the glory of God reappear on the face of the first martyr of the NEW Covenant! The very man that he was partaking in the murder of! The glory of the old had been Ichabod (the glory has departed) for hundreds of years! Even the Ark itself where the glory once rested had been lost for hundreds of years and the Holy of Holies in the temple was just an empty room.
Now ponder these two verses…
“But if the ministry of death, written and engraved in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministry of the Spirit be more glorious?”
(2 Corinthians 3:7-8 KJ2000)
YES! How shall not the ministry of the Spirit in the New Covenant be MORE glorious on the faces of those who minister IN the Spirit and Life of Christ???
What changed my heart and got my attention when God captured me in 1970 was this very thing. I saw the glory of the Lord on the faces of a handful of young Spirit filled Jesus People… a glory and life I HAD NEVER SEEN in any church filled with people I had ever been part of. Did everyone see what I saw resting upon them? Probably not, no more than everyone sees what I have seen on the faces of His precious saints whom I met since then and have come to love so much. Why don’t all see it? You see there is still the problem of the veil…
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same veil not taken away in the reading of the old covenant; which veil is done away in Christ.
(2 Corinthians 3:14 KJ2000)
The veil of empty sin-filled lives and empty religion that people settle for must be taken away as we abide IN Christ and refuse to abide in anything less than HIS fulness and glory! May we all seek HIS face and never settle for anything less until the fulness of Christ be formed in and upon us!!!
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Amen to your prayer, Michael. You created an intensely gripping narrative in your second comment, my brother.
I also saw the glory of the Lord on some Christians long ago. The first one was an already retired but still voluntarily active religion teacher in school (a Jesuit priest) when I was eleven years old. That old man was love personified, indeed. The second – hold on tight – was another Jesuit priest at about the same time.
But in the following years there were more and more women whose faces revealed God’s glory. Men still, too, but not that often. Who knows why? 😉
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Once again, God uses the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak things to confound the mighty… The last place I would have expected to see His glory would be on the face of a Jesuit priest! In the Catholic church as a kid in my youth, all I ever saw was a lot of dead religious people… on second thought, there was this one nun in Catholic school that I never had for a teacher and wished that I had. Her face shone with the love of Christ.
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it is simply amazing how different things are when your under the control of a supernatural being–I believe that Jesus did have an advantage over us in that he came from the fathers presence–as for us we have not–but for sure now that we do have the fathers presence in us we can certainly expect to think and feel a whole lot different then the normal.
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Amen, Kenneth.
I often thought that Jesus indeed had the advantage of knowing the Father’s presence a whole lifetime. But then I thought that it must have caused a kind of loneliness for Him as well since He was the only one. There was nobody with whom He could share that experience. In addition to that, we may live without knowing what will happen next – only God knows. But Jesus knew how painfully His life on earth would end. What a prospect to live with!
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Delightful entry. It is hard enough to think about dying for Jesus. To say to LOVE dying for Him is yet another level. I don’t think I will seek out those opportunities intentionally. The day to day choices are challenging enough for me learn to die for Him, one decision at a time. If I am too afraid to speak up for Him in situations that are dark and need a voice of light, then what make me think I will be bold like Stephen when it will cause me my life for Jesus? Is the fear of man easier or harder than the fear of death?
It reminds me of Dr. Kent Brantly, the missionary doctor with Samaritan Purse who gave his life so sacrificially. May Jesus’ name be glorified to the world by what he has done.
Keep writing and keep challenging us!
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Thank you for the encouragement, Joanna. 🙂
So true that the “day to day choices are challenging enough” since I have been realizing myself that I will never be able to get rid of anything which ought to die unless He gives me the power to let go of it. As for these situations where I found or still find myself “too afraid to speak up for Him”, I believe that He only wants me to act when He has already shared His power with me before. In all other cases I should listen to His, sometimes quiet, voice that suggests, “Be silent!” That’s another case of not being able to do anything apart from Him (Jn 15:5).
The best biblical example for me is Peter who thought in his “Old Adam nature” that he could do everything for Jesus, even die for Him. I think I really understand what was going on in Peter who felt so much love for Jesus, but did not yet realize that all things have been given to us by God (love, courage, power – whatever we might need). I too think that we must remain weak and powerless so that we can be truly “useful” for God’s work. Or in other words,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:3 ESV)
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Some of the older martyrs that were burned at the stake called it ” dying Grace “
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Only two words that say so much! Thanks for your input, Wayne. Much appreciated!
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Thank you all for your sharing on “Would you love to die for Jesus?” I believe that God has enough grace to cause us to answer “yes” to the question. However, my flesh is not up to doing anything for Jesus – live or die. I want to live at the Throne of grace to receive grace and mercy continually – as spoken of in Hebrews chapter 4.
Several years ago, I left a meeting in which the late Art Katz had spoken. As I heard him the thought that came into my mind was, “what an honor it would be to die for Jesus”. However, I was still fearful at the same time. However, reading what you have written is encouraging faith, and hopefully dispelling fear.
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Thank you, my sister.
In fact, you nailed it, saying, “I believe that God has enough grace to cause us to answer “yes” to the question. However, my flesh is not up to doing anything for Jesus – live or die.” Thus you hold ALL qualifications to do EVERYTHING for Him! His supernatural power will be revealed to everyone who finally agrees with the (humanly) weak apostle Paul, for it is written,
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor 12:9 ESV)
PS
What I write here now has NOTHING to do with your comment, Pat. However, I am glad that you mentioned Art Katz because I couldn’t get some of his words (which I had read a few months before) out of my head. There was an article posted on another site [“What is a Prophet? The Prophetic Function———Art Katz”, August 3, 2011 on “A Call to the Remnant” blog] where I read the following.
“The prophet’s own lifestyle must itself, therefore, be a repudiation of the lie. We cannot ‘blow the whistle’ on false values if we ourselves are subscribing to them. There is something about poverty that is more than an accident or happenstance. It is appropriate to the authenticity of our union with God. Camel’s hair garments and the eating of locusts are symbolically intrinsic to the prophetic life.
There is a reason why John the Baptist was in the wilderness and not in Jerusalem, though he was the son of a priest. He could not be where the Establishment was. He could not enjoy its benefits and at the same time ‘blow the whistle’ on the falsity of it. We cannot in our own lifestyle indulge in the very thing that we are condemning before others. Lifestyle is, therefore, remarkably important with regard to the word that is to be proclaimed and probably nothing more betrays whether you are a true or false prophet than this.”
[…]
A prophet shuns the distinctions and honors that men confer. These things bring a certain aura of prestige and eminence and weight, but the prophetic man, in order to be true to God is the ‘wilderness’ prophet. Wilderness does not just mean physical isolation, but a conscious and willful separation from the kinds of things that are calculated to compromise.
He does not effect any kind of prophetic outward ‘appearance’ to indicate his office. He is unprepossessing in appearance and demeanor and despises what is showy, sensational or bizarre. A prophet is intent on turning men to God and not to himself.”
To put it briefly, I agree with his last sentence, but I’d rather drop the rest since he appeared to me being influenced by an evil end time spirit which may have caused his readers and listeners to get more anxious than to be set free. So much talk about judgment reminded me of the so-called hell-and-brimstone preachers. I really missed grace in his writing; perhaps he himself did not know grace either.
While reading the whole article, I felt uneasy more than once. Sometimes Art Katz seemed to be right as for his statements but he had a clear OT view of the prophetic call.
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Susanne and Pat,
I had spent time with Art and talked with him on many occasions and meetings since I first met him in 1978. It was sad to see him decline the way he did and succumb to that terrible rare disease. Yet, I found a great deal of comfort and insight in his earlier writings that helped explain what I was experiencing myself during the ’80’s and ’90’s in my own intense wilderness period of life as I followed Christ.
I fully understand what Art is talking about here in your quote as to how the prophet is not part of the Jerusalem (Christian establishment) crowd. He CAN”T be and still have a clear vision of what the Spirit is saying and calling him to speak without, saying as we do in America, worrying about which side of his slice of bread has the butter (money) on it. I know the seduction of that Jezebel spirit that grips the so called “apostolic-prophetic movement” of today. As it was with the original Jezebel, if she could not seduce God’s anointed man with HIS word for that hour, she sets out to defame and kill him or both!.
When we are gifted with a clear word for the church of Jesus Christ and it flies in the face of the false prophets of Baal (or prophets of Mammon as is more the case today) we by our very God-given natures and callings are a treat to that which is false. The fact that Stephen’s face shown like that of an angel as he told the establishment in Jerusalem that they were false and against the Spirit of God’s New Covenant calling, which was NOT about temples made with the hands of men (but rather one made with living stones), this made Stephen a target of the hatred of God that was the driving force within Christ’s murderers. They were very ones that were behind the murder of the Son of God, themselves, who heralded an end of that old fallen covenant and proclaimed something all together NEW! Stephen could not have seen the difference or been such a clear voice for God if he had been a member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem.
As for me (and many of us), the more I got free of the established institutional church systems of men (and set free of wanting to be accepted and recognized by them), the clearer things become to me that the whole thing calling itself “the Church” has fallen away from the simplicity that is found in the TRUE body of Christ as HIS living organism that manifests the will of God as God’s own spirit led family. The last god to die that held me back from hearing and obeying the Spirit went by the name of “MY RECOGNIZED MINISTRY.”
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Yes, I agree with you, Michael. We have to make a choice between the approval of men versus the clear guidance of the Spirit. Also, we cannot serve two different masters at the same time. Either we use Christianity to earn money with it or we serve God (Mt 6:24).
Nonetheless, what I sensed there in that particular article by Art Katz was a strange spirit that caused him to put too much emphasis on outwardness (how a prophet should look like, what he thinks, says, does etc.). A really Spirit-guided person does not need such self-focus as described there since the Holy Spirit makes us forget ourselves completely.
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Interestingly to me, is that in a short time, I could not remember one word of what Art said that evening; but I have not forgotten what was imparted as he spoke.
After that I heard Bro. Art several times through the years before his death. Some of those words and some of the books by him that I read I can still recall. My husband and I spent a night at BenIsrael in Oct.l997. Pearl Rose of Mobile, AL where we live had recently moved there. We were blessed to stay with her, and attend a gathering of the saints that evening. Bro. Art was present, I don’t remember who spoke etc. However, the fellowship was wonderful.
By now, you probably realize that I am a fellowship seeker. I realized reading a post by Michael Clark that his words to me were what Jesus said of His words in John 6:63, “they are spirit and they are life”. I don’t believe that is elevating man, but recognizing the gift.
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Dear Pat,
It is so good to hear His voice through whomever God might speak. What you said about forgetting the words you heard on the one hand, but receiving the message that was meant for you personally by God was my very experience as well. In fact, we have a humorous God who does not need prophets to make His voice heard. If He wants to confide something to us, God has no problems to temporarily choose an atheist as His “mouthpiece”. 😉
Just as an illustration for my latest statement here, I was reminded of the following event.
In 2005 I attended a 14-day “Life Coach” seminary in Laax (Switzerland). In one of his lectures, Kurt Tepperwein, an esoteric author and lecturer, made the following assertion,
“Do not look any longer for an ideal partner. Be that ideal partner yourself.”
WOW!
How many inside and outside the Church still struggle with the question of “Divorce, yes” – “Divorce, no” – or “Divorce in some cases, perhaps”. But isn’t that a real different perspective on marriage problems when we know that God’s spiritual power can change us completely, so that we can love our spouses just the way God wants them to be loved?
Actually, God spoke through an atheist, then. Very funny, indeed. 🙂
PS
Having been so critical of Art Katz’s article here had nothing to do with his person. However, it has become important for me to discern the spirits whenever I read something. I cannot explain how I “do it” but I sense immediately the different spirits which have influenced a writing (or a speech, a sermon etc.). The person writing or talking, then, is of no influence when I look at the spiritual realm and its sometimes deceiving forces. And whenever I sense Satan at work, I will open my mouth (if God wills) in order to protect those who could run into danger of believing destructive half-truths.
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Pat, I am with you. God used Art to instill some very good life principles in my heart from his words and writings. One was a willingness to only speak when and what I hear the Spirit saying and no more and no less. Doesn’t it say in the New Testament that ALL who have the Spirit may prophesy and that anyone who speaks should do so as an oracle of God? Thus, I am not too hip on this whole “prophetic office” mentality in the New Covenant church. In the O. T. the Spirit would come UPON a man and He would have an office, but in the N. T. we ALL have an unction if we have the Spirit of God IN us (see 1 John 2:26-27),
The other thing I learned from Art was the fact that the very Bible itself when used in the mouth of a deceiver can become a lie that can deceive the one hearing him. Now, THAT will put most sola scriptura folks over the line and make them come after you with fangs bared.
Art had sat through a sermon of a preacher in a church and the more the man preached, the more it bothered him. The preacher was using scriptures to make his points, but something was wrong. In effect he was saying, “I know that the words of Jesus are very demanding, but I won’t demand that you walk in them as long as you don’t demand them of me… just keep supporting me with your tithes and we will get along famously!” So, Art went home and sought the Lord about how the word of God in the mouth of a preacher could be a lie because of the way he used the Bible and God took him to the following passage…
Elijah had just been used of the Lord to bring back to life the son of a Gentile woman in Zerapath as well as did other miracles in her presence that kept them alive during a famine, but at the saving of her son she said a most interesting thing to Elijah.
And Eli’jah took the child, and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Eli’jah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Eli’jah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, AND THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IN YOUR MOUTH IS TRUTH” (1 Kings 17:23-24 RSVA – emphasis added).
Art reasoned, “If the word of God in the mouth of Elijah, a man who feared God, is the truth, then the word of God in the mouth of a man who lives a lie can be a lie!”
I read that and my mind went whirling!!! I asked the Lord for a confirmation and in a flash he took me to the temptation of Jesus by the devil in the wilderness… the devil used the words of the Bible to try and deceive Jesus! So, dear saints, beware of trusting all who use the Bible when they teach and preach… it is NOT an automatic guarantee that they are preaching truth! We MUST have the discerning power of the Holy Spirit in us and a good understanding of who Jesus is in the Father and “what the Spirit IS saying to the churches.”
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Amen, bro. 😉
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Dear Susanne,
Actually, I think what God is waiting for in each of us is for us to say from our hearts just as Jesus did as He was facing certain death, “Father, not my will but yours be done.” Satan has our number (as the saying goes). He spoke of man’s strong desire to save himself from pain suffering and death saying to God,
“Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life. But put forth your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” (Job 2:4-5 KJ2000)
This is true of all those who have not released their lives to God and HIS will. We kick and fight against His will when it involves something that comes upon us that is not comfortable or pleasing to our natural natures. It is encouraging to me that GOD had the power to touch Job with both affliction and blessing, NOT Satan. Satan might be an attack dog, but he is on a short leash that God controls at all times and he can only do those things in our lives that fulfills God’s purposes. AND the most important thing of all to remember is that GOD IS LOVE and that “ALL things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to HIS purposes.”
So, my dear loving sister Susanne, you are in a good place in your heart as you yield everything up to Him, even your blog and web presence. Sooner or later, God will ask for us to release back to Him our “child of promise,” the one HE gave us and we just might have to put the knife to its throat. The real test is, DO WE LOVE THE GIVER MORE THAN HIS GIFTS? Right after Peter and John hauled in the largest catch of fish in their whole lives which Jesus gave them, He asked him, “Peter, do you love me more than you love these?”
And Susanne, I KNOW you love Jesus and our Daddy, more than anything this world has to offer.
I love your dear heart for it is the heart of Christ in you and it has been a joy to be getting to know you,
Michael
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Dear Michael,
Thank you very much for your edifying words. 🙂
I was thinking about whether I’d love the Giver more than His gifts. Just being honest… I do not miss His gifts that much and I do not feel any love for the Giver at the moment, either.
But I think I am in a good place, though… am just waiting on what finally comes from Him – or not.
I think being “dead” to the old (wo)man means to no longer want anything, neither this nor that, just waiting and not knowing what lies ahead (although one might assume that resurrection comes after death 😉 ).
In a certain sense I miss feeling His LOVE the way it was in the past, that is true, and I cannot pray as I did before (always only feeling another pain cutting deep and weeping then). Okay, that is not the first time and I know some day it will work again. So, I won’t complain and let the Great Surgeon do what needs to get done in order to free me from the old creation.
It is interesting that you KNOW I love Jesus and Daddy although I cannot feel anything right now. Maybe, I am learning to walk by faith, not by my feelings. Also, that you perceive the heart of Christ in me is amazing; I cannot sense ANYTHING, only my extreme weakness and dependency on Him. If God does not change my spiritual situation, then – that was it. Period.
Nonetheless, I has been joy to be getting to know you too and you have been a great encouragement to me for more than a year now, Michael. Thank you for being YOU! ❤
Susanne
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This was wonderful to read. I have been listing to a book called heavenly man and he went through some major beatings in prison and yet was kept alive. I wonder if the lord also helped him with some of the pain. I know it was mentioned that he didn’t get sick like all the other inmates. Through your blog and that book I am starting to realize how wonderful our GOD is. I hope to continue learning more about him.
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Mmmhhhh…… That was a very encouraging response, dear Fred. I am so happy to hear that this article helped you to realize that God is indeed wonderful! 🙂
You do not know how much your continued input on my blog posts means to me. I see that the Holy Spirit leads you closely to Himself and that alone is something that makes me rejoice. But your edifying words mean a lot to me, too, because I feel your heart in your responses as well.
Thank you very much, Fred!
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