MARVIN FORD - SAYA PERGI KE SORGA / MARVIN FORD - MY VISION OF HEAVEN

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Oleh : MARVIN FORD

pada 1 Januari 1972, Marvin Ford berada 30 menit di Surga. Ini adalah sebagian dari kesaksiannya. Diambil dari pesan rekaman “I went to heaven” yang disampaikan pada Reserve Church

Malaikat Maut

Bukannya melawan, saya berkata pada Tuhan saya tidak mampu menanggungnya lagi. Saya tidak peduli nabi-nabi, saya tidak peduli pekerjaanku, saya tidak peduli mobilku, saya tidak peduli rumahku, saya tidak peduli semuanya. Saya harus melepaskan dari sakit ini…. saya tidak tahan lagi. Lalu saya mengingat apa yang Tuhan Yesus katakan saat dia tergantung di atas kayu salib. “Bapa, ke tanganMu kuserahkan nyawaku.” Dan saat aku lakukan itu, cahaya menghilang. Dan sepertinya rohku meninggalkan tubuhku dan tiba-tiba… sekarang saya tidak melalui lorong hitam panjang yang seperti ditulis Dr. Moody pada “Life after Life”, … tidak saya tidak mengalaminya. Saya bergerak sangat cepat dan membawa cahaya pada 45 derajat ke utara. Anda menyanyikan lagu itu, Mazmur 48:!-2, “Besarlah TUHAN dan sangat terpuji di kota Allah kita! Gunung-Nya yang kudus, yang menjulang permai, adalah kegirangan bagi seluruh bumi; gunung Sion itu, jauh di sebelah utara, kota Raja Besar.” Itu adalah arah ke mana aku pergi.

Penglihatan Kota Surga

Dan kemudian saya melihat ke bawah pemandangan yang paling menakjubkan yang pernah saya lihat atau impikan atau imajinasikan dalam hidupku. Keindahan, kemegahan, dan kebesaran kota itu sungguh-sungguh membuat napas saya tertahan!Warna emas yang keluar dari padanya, lalu pancaran sinar yang datang dari kota sungguh terang sehingga seperti membutakan bagi mata. Hanya saja bukan mata biasa, mata roh ku lah yang melihatnya. Mataku sebenarnya ada di tempat tidur di bawah sana. Saya tidak tahu apakah mata tersebut tertutup atau terbuka.

Tetapi saya melihat pada hal ini… saya melihat dinding dari batu mulia. Baca hal ini pada Wahyu pasal 21.

Mungkin Anda sudah membacanya dan mempelajarinya, tetapi bila belum, bacalah bila Anda di rumah. Dinding ini 1500 mil panjangnya dan 1500 mil lebarnya, 1500 mil tingginya, dan sepertinya memiliki ketebalan 50 mil.

Coba bayangkan hal ini dalam pikiran Anda! Dan bayangkan, tidak ada bayangan sama sekali, di luar dan di dalam kota. Dinding ini transaparan secara sempurna karena sinar dari dalam kota sangat terang sehingga tidak ada yang dapat menahannya. Saya melihat fondasi dari dinding tembok ini juga terdiri dari batu yang berharga.Saya melihat berlian yang besar, lebih besar, dan mungkin 10 kali lebih besar dari gedung Empire State. Rubi, mutiara.Gerbang mutiara tampaknya memiliki diameter kurang lebih 100 mil. Saya melihat 12 daripadanya, 12 gerbang ini, tiga pada tiap sisi.Saya melihat rubi, safir, sardonyx, beryl, topaz dan zamrud, batu-batuan yang berharga dengan variasi tingkatan nilai batu tersebut.

Dan saya melihat dari dinding ke dinding, jalan-jalan, berjuta mil panjangnya jalan-jalan dari emas murni. Tidak diaspal dengan emas seperti yang ditulis seorang penulis lagu, tetapi jalan-jalan ini terbuat dari emas murni, seluruhnya dan transparan sempurna.Oh begitu megah dan indah dan pancaran cahaya yang keluar dari jalan-jalan itu! Dan saya melihat pada tiap sisi jalan emas tersebut, rumah-rumah. Saya melihat rumah-rumah yang besar dan saya melihat rumah yang kecil dan saya melihat banyak rumah dengan berbagai ukuran di antaranya. Dan karena seorang pembangun rumah, saya tertarik dalam hal gedung dan saya dapat mengenali suatu gedung. Saya tidak peduli apakah itu rumah anjing yang diremodel, saya dapat mengenalinya, kamu tahu, meskipun turun ke jalan-jalan. 

Dan saya melihat sekeliling kota, di seluruh kota untuk melihat rumah yang sedang dibangun. Dan Anda tahu? Saya tidak dapat menemukannya. Semua rumah itu telah selesai dibangun. 

Tuhan Yesus berkata pada kitab Yohanes 14, “Di rumah Bapa-Ku ada banyak tempat tinggal. Aku pergi ke sana untuk menyediakan tempat bagi kalian. Aku tidak akan berkata begitu kepadamu, sekiranya itu tidak demikian. Sesudah Aku pergi menyediakan tempat untuk kalian, Aku akan kembali dan menjemput kalian, supaya di mana Aku berada, di situ juga kalian berada.” Dan Tuhan Yesus telah menyelesaikan hal ini. Dia sedang menunggu kita untuk melakukan bagian kita. Dia menunggu kita untuk memenuhi bagian dari perjanjian yang Dia buat dengan kita. 

Sekarang, saya yakin bahwa rasul Paulus telah melihat hal yang sama. Saya yakin ini hal yang kurang lebih sama, karena dia telah menulis di surat 2 Korintus 12, “Aku tahu tentang seorang Kristen; empat belas tahun yang lampau–entah di dalam tubuh, aku tidak tahu, entah di luar tubuh, aku tidak tahu, Allah yang mengetahuinya–orang itu tiba-tiba diangkat ke tingkat yang ketiga dari sorga.Aku juga tahu tentang orang itu, –entah di dalam tubuh entah di luar tubuh, aku tidak tahu, Allah yang mengetahuinya–ia tiba-tiba diangkat ke Firdaus dan ia mendengar kata-kata yang tak terkatakan, yang tidak boleh diucapkan manusia.

Sebenarnya tidak ada yang bisa menggambarkan hal ini.Absolut tidak ada kata-kata yang mampu! Dan cara satu-satunya Yohanes yang mendapat Wahyu menggambarkannya, seperti berikut “Ini seperti pengantin wanita, yang dihias dan didandani untuk suaminya”. Ini tidak seperti wanita, ini tidak seperti seorang wanita dengan baju putih. Tetapi kemurnian, kemurnian dan keindahan kota tersebut secara absolut tidak terkatakan. Tidak ada cara untuk menggambarkannya. Tetapi saya berpikir Paulus mulai menggambarkannya ketika dia berkata, “Tuhan akan memenuhi segala keperluanmu menurut kekayaan dan kemuliaanNya dalam Kristus Yesus! dan itu adalah cara Tuhan memenuhi kebutuhan kita. Dan saya di sini memberitahu Anda bahwa Tuhan adalah sangat,sangat,sangat super royal! Semua tembok batu mulia, jalan dari emas, merupakan hal-hal yang berusaha didapat oleh manusia, bahkan membunuh satu sama lain, bahkan berperang antar bangsa. Emas, merupakan hal yang murah di Surga. Itu adalah bahan tempat kita berjalan! Itu adalah bahan yang akan sering kita lihat! Saya melihat sekeliling dan ke semua tempat cahaya bersinar, berkilau-kilau gemerlapan, di seluruh kota. Dan cahaya tersebut bergerak dengan keanggunan dan seimbang, dengan penuh martabat dan keindahan. Dan mereka semua bernyanyi! Ya Anda benar ini tentang lagu! Anda bicara tentang lagu! Mereka bernyanyi, menyembah Yesus Domba Allah yang menanggung dosa dunia! Mulia Anak Domba yang telah dikorbankan di dunia! Hanya saya, mereka tidak menyanyi dalam bahasa Inggris, mereka menyanyi dalam bahasa surga. Dan saya tidak perlu mempelajarinya! Saya bergabung dengan mereka, menyanyi persis seperti mereka dan semuanya dengan satu irama, dan dalam harmoni. Dan saya sedang berbicara pada Dr. Richard Eby, yang pernah memiliki pengalaman yang hampir sama dengan saya. Dan dia seorang musikus, saya musikus dan dia mendengar nyanyian.

Dia mendengar musik! Dan dia menanyakan padaku pertanyaan. Dia berkata, “Marvin, biarkan saya bertanya padamu, apakah itu musik vokal atau instrumental?” Wah saya tidak memikirkan hal ini sebelumnya! Saya berkata, “Dr. Eby, saya mengatakan sejujurnya, saya tidak tahu!” Saya tidak pernah mendengar musik vokal seperti itu sebelumnya dan saya tidak pernah mendengar musik instrumental seperti itu sebelumnya.” Dia berkata, “Ya itu sangat benar! Saya tidak dapat membedakannya. Ini datang dari roh.” Yah sekarang apakah vokal atau instrumental, itu bukan poin utama, jangan membuat doktrin daripadanya. Tetapi yang penting Anda tahu. Dia bertanya padaku mengapa.. Anda tahu dia melihat hal-hal yang tidak aku lihat dan dia melihat hal-hal yang tidak kulihat sedangkan Dia melihat hal-hal yang terkait dengan hidupnya. Anda lihat bahwa Tuhan yang saya layani adalah cakap dalam berbagai hal sehingga Dia melayani pada tiap orang sesuai kebutuhan masing-masing. Sesuai personalitas dan semuanya. Anda tidak dapat menempatkan Tuhan di kotak dan saya tidak dapat menempatkan Tuhan di sebuah kotak karena Tuhan adalah sangat kreatif. Dan dia berkata, “Kalau begitu Marvin, mengapa Anda berpikir bahwa semua orang … mengapa semua orang tidak melihat hal yang sama?”. Saya berkata, “Begini Dr Eby, saya dapat mengerti. Saya dapat menemukannya, karena bila ada tiga orang melihat hal yang sama, mereka akan membuat doktrin baru dan memulai denominasi baru. Sekarang satu hal yang sama kita alami adalah mengalami pengalaman keluar dari tubuh, saat kita pergi bersama Tuhan. Kita melihat warna-warnya yang tidak dapat engkau gambarkan! Jutaan daripadanya! Tetapi oh sungguh megah dan indah warna-warna tersebut membuatnya tidak dapat dimengerti. Sungguh banyak warna di dunia roh, kamu tahu itu. Itu menggambarkan betapa kreatifnya Bapa kita!

Menemukan Tahta

Dan karena kita menyembah Yesus, saya berkata, “Oh, saya belum melihat Yesus”. Saya mengutip dari Ibrani 1:3 di mana setelah Dia menebus dosa kita, Dia duduk di sebelah kanan Tahta Allah. Dan saya tahu bila saya menemukan tahta di tempat tinggi, yaitu Allah Bapa, saya akan menemukan Tuhan Yesus. Dan saya dapat berkata padaNya seberapa saya mengasihi Dia dan menghargai Dia. Dan saya sedang melalui aliran -aliran warna tersebut ada proses perubahan. Saya tidak tahu kenapa, saya tidak dapat menggambarkannya atau memberikan ayat untuk hal ini. Tetapi ada proses perubahan. Dan saat itu saya berubah menjadi cahaya paling terang, paling putih, paling bersih, paling murni dan paling kuat yang pernah saya imajinasikan dalam hidupku. Oh saya sedang melihat hal-hal yang tidak pernah terpikirkan. Dan di situ, di mana saja saya melihat di bagian atas dari kota berukurang panjang dan lebar 1500 mil ini, dengan pelangi atau kubah oval yang menjadi atap kota ini, di situ ada tahta Allah.

Di tiap arah yang aku lihat, Dia ada di sana! Saya tidak dapat menemukan tubuh fisik, Anda tahu, saya tidak melihat tubuh fisik karena kemuliaanNya memenuhi tahta. Tetapi saya tahu, saya tahu bahwa Yesus sedang duduk di kanan Allah Bapa karena Firman Tuhan berkata.

Pada saat itu, saya melihatNya. Suatu sorotan yang besar, sungguh besar. Dan saya tampak sangat kecil dibandingkan Yesus. Saya menyembah Dia. Dan saat saya berkata melihat Yesus, saya tahu bahwa itu Yesus. Saya tidak menemukan bentuk fisik. Dr. Eby dapat melihat bentuk fisik, walau dia menyebutkan bahwa bentuk fisik tersebut tidak memiliki otot. Tidak memiliki tanda-tanda yang membedakan pria atau wanita. Dan tubuhnya transparan tetapi dapat dilihat secara fisik.Saya tidak melihatnya, cahayanya sungguh terang sehingga saya tidak melihat sosok fisik.Yah intinya cahayanya sangat terang sehingga saya tidak bisa melihat fisik Yesus, tetapi saya merasakan adanya Kasih, Belas Kasihan, Kelembutan, Kemurnian, Kuasa dan Kemuliaan tetapi begitu lembut. 

Saya merasa ada pandangan yang diarahkan padaku.Apakah Anda pernah menyadari begitu saja saat ada seseorang menatapmu? Dan Anda menari dan melihat mereka menatapmu. Dan bila mereka sedang melihatmu, Anda tidak dapat menghentikannya, bahwa mereka ada di sana? Itu yang saya rasakan untuk kehadiran Yesus.Dan saya jatuh pada kaki saya dan menyembah. Saya tahu apa yang Yesus maksudkan saat Dia berkata dari dalam perutmu, atau dari dalam dirimu sesungguhnya akan mengalir aliran air hidup.Ada pancaran menyembur yaitu pujian, pujian dan kemulian dan hormat pada Yesus yang tidak dapat saya hentikan, saya sedang memuji Yesus Domba Allah, yang telah menebus dosaku, yaitu alasanku berada di sana.Kemuliaan dari Yesus membanjiri hati dan jiwaku dan saya sedang menyembah.

Yesus Berbicara

Dan saya mendengar Dia berkata, bukan pertukaran kata-kata, tetapi secara pengetahuan dari roh ke roh. Dia mempersilakan aku ke hadiratNya. Dan dia berkata pada ku untuk berdiri.Dan di sana saya berdiri muka dengan muka dengan Yesus. Yesusku, Domba Allah, Raja segala Raja, dan Tuhan segala Tuhan.Saya di sana dalam hadiratNya. Saya mulai menanyakan padaNya beberapa hal setelah menyembah Dia untuk waktu yang lama.

Dan pertanyaan pertama adalah, “Tuhan, Engkau tahu pandanganmu tidak pernah meninggalkan aku sedetikpun. Tuhan, bagaimana bisa terjadi bahwa ada jutaan roh di surga, milyaran orang di dunia dan ada orang yang datang ke hadiratMu terus menerus, tetapi bagaimana pandanganMu tetap tertuju padaku terus menerus. Saya mendapat perhatianMu yang tidak terbagi.” Dan dalam kelembutan, dan dalam kasih dia berkata, “Mengapa kamu tidak tahu bahwa ada cukup diriKu untuk berada bersama siapa saja.?” 

Untuk tiap individu, tidak peduli seberapa penting kamu berpikir tentang dirimu. Tidak peduli betapa rusak, betapa kecil, betapa lemah kamu berpikir kamu bukanlah siapa-siapa, biarkan aku mengatakan padamu, jangan anggap dirimu remeh. Kamu sungguh-sungguh sangat penting di hadapan Yesus. Karena Dia tidak pernah memalingkan pandanganNya darimu, 24 jam tiap hari. Itulah Yesus yang kita layani. 

Oh Haleluya, Haleluya! Dan teman, saya tidak tahu, bila saya berhenti, Anda perlu memaafkan saya. Kadangkala saya melakukannya bila berpikir tentang Yesus dan siapa Dia, dan siapa kita. Dan kamu tahu, bagaimana Dia mengasihi kita, dan bagaimana aku mengasihi Dia.

Pertanyaan berikut yang aku tanyakan, “Tuhan, bagaimana tentang nabi-nabi? Apakah aku menganggap mereka nabi sesat yaitu orang-orang yang berkata bahwa aku akan pergi ke seluruh dunia dan berkotbah pada jutaan orang. Apakah mereka nabi yang sesat? Jawaban Yesus, “Aku mendapati semuanya dalam kontrol yang sempurna. Aku tidak pernah kalah dalam peperangan, atau pertempuran kecil sekalipun.” 

Haleluya! dan aku menemukan bahwa ada satu hal yang tidak dapat dilakukan Yesus! Dia tidak dapat kalah! Kita sebagai individu, kadangkala, kita kalah dalam pertempuran kecil sini dan sana. Kita berpikir begitu, tetapi Yesus menempatkan semua dalam kontrol yang sempurna.Kita mengamankan diri dan memulihkan diri kemudian kita memukul setan tepat di antara mata. Dan dia harus taat pada kita. Saya tidak peduli seberapa besar dan seberapa banyak. Saya tidak peduli seberapa berkuasa dan saya tidak peduli hal lain. Ketika gereja datang bersama dan menambil otoritas yang menjadi hak penuh kita, tidak ada cukup iblis di neraka, setan di neraka yang dapat bertahan melawan orang Kristen terlemah sekalipun.

Puji Tuhan! Karena lebih besar Dia di dalammu daripada yang ada di dunia ini! Dan mereka harus tunduk padamu! Mereka harus tunduk padamu! Mereka taat padamu dan mereka taat padaku! Hanya ada 2 kasus yang pernah aku tangani untuk orang yang kerasukan setan yang tidak terbebaskan. Itu hanya dikarenakan orang tersebut tidak mau dibebaskan. Tetapi bila orang itu ingin dilepaskan, mereka pasti dibebaskan karena otoritas Anak Allah yang telah diberikan pada kita.

Semua otoritas telah diberikan padaNya, di surga dan di dunia dan dia memberikan otoritas yang dari Allah beri pada Yesus kepada gerejaNya.Ambil otoritas itu! Hidup dalamnya! Berjalan dalam otoritas itu! Haleluya! Haleluya! Engkau jauh lebih kuat daripada yang kamu pikirkan! Haleluya! Karena engkau memiliki Yesus yang hidup di dalammu. Hidup dalammu! Tubuhmu adalah bait Rph Kudus! Dan engkau benar memiliki otoritas tersebut. Otoritas yang diberikan pada Gereja! Puji Tuhan! Saat gereja akhirnya bersatu bersama dan bangun! Saya berkata tentang orang-orang yang menarik diri kepada sisi lain aku punya berita untuk mereka. Seperti yang aku katakan pada waktu lain dari kebaktian ini. Mereka perlu masuk, atau keluar atau melampaui batas!

Ada banyak orang berpikir mereka akan melakukannya, tetapi akan kehilangan hal ini sehingga tidak akan melihat hal ini terjadi.Ketika orang itu berdiri di hadapanNya dan berkata “Ya Tuhan, bukankan aku mengusir setan dalam namaMu, bukankah aku melakukan banyak hal hebat dalam namaMu? Bukankan aku melakukan ini itu dan yang lain? Apa yang Yesus katakan pada mereka? “Jauhkan dirimu dariKu hai pelaku kejahatan” Dia tidak berkata Dia pernah mengenal atau melupakanmu, dia berkata Dia tidak pernah mengenalmu. 

Oh terima kasih Tuhan bahwa aku mengenal Dia dan Dia mengenal aku! Kamu tahu dia dan Dia mengenalmu. Haleluya! Itulah dirimu! Itulah Gereja! Dan ketika gereja datang bersama dalam keharmonian. Aliran Roh Kudus akan bergerak seperti Pentakosta, dan seluruh dunia akan tahu bahwa Yesus adalah Anak Allah, Raja segala Raja, dan Tuhan segala Tuhan. Dan Dia menempatkan segalanya dalam pengaturan dan kontrolNya.Saya bertanya padaNya pertanyaan lain. Saya bertanya, “Tuhan, kapan engkau datang kembali?”Kamu tahu bahwa eskatologi adalah satu dari topik favoritku. Saya mengetahui semua jawaban, terutama saat aku keluar dari sekolah Alkitab. Huh! Semakin tua aku, semakin kurang tahu diriku! Tetapi akui tahu semuanya pada saat itu!

Tuhan Yesus berkata, “Sebelum aku datang bersama GerejaKu, Aku sedang datang untuk GerejaKu, dalam lawatan yang belum pernah terjadi sebelumnya. Suatu lawatan kuasa, lawatan kemuliaan, lawatan otoritas, lawatan untuk membawa semua bersama, lawatan mujizat, yang bukan dipindahkan besok atau minggu depan atau kemudian … Saya membaca pasal terakhir! Yaitu sekarang! Dia sedang datang ke GerejaNya, sekarang ini. Dia di sini untuk menemuimu malam ini! Dan dia akan menemuimu sesuai tingkat pengharapanmu.Apakah Anda sedang mengharapkan sesuatu dari Yesus..., Anda tidak akan dikecewakan!.Karena Dia berkata apabila ada 2 orang berkumpul bersama di dalam namaKu, di situ Aku berada di tengah-tengah mereka. Dan kita berdiri di atas janji bahwa Tuhan akan memenuhi segala, segala kebutuhan kita. 

Roh, jiwa tubuh kita sesuai kekayaan dan kemuliaanNya dalam Kristus Yesus.Dan Yesus di sini, dengan gelisah. Bila Yesus memiliki kegelisahan, semua hal ini akan menjadi kegelisahan dan kerinduanNya, yaitu keinginan untuk menolong dan mencukupi kebutuhan kita. Kerinduan menyembuhkan tubuhmu, memenuhi keinginan hatimu yang terdalam.

Haleluya! Semua kemuliaan bagi Tuhan! Itu adalah Yesus yang aku layani!

Saya sudah menanduk pada pre millenialis, pada post millenialis, juga a-millenialis. Dan mereka telah memiliki semua ayat kitab suci, dan mereka … Saya dapat berargumen pada siapapun di satu meja. Tetapi saya beritahu apa yang telah saya lakukan, saya telah memulai gerakan keempat. Saya telah menjadi pan-millenialis! Saya memutuskan Yesus untuk mengatasi segalanya, dan semuanya akan terjadi. Ha-h, haleluya! Apakah itu doktrin Pendeta? Bagus, Puji Tuhan. Semuanya akan terjadi. Tetapi Dia berkata, Saya datang untuk gerejaKu, sekarang ini. 

Kami bicara banyak hal, tentang kerajaan, tentang kerajaan yang akan datang, tentang kapan kita mengambil otoritas, otoritas lengkap yang Tuhan inginkan kita ambil. Kamu lihat. Kita akan kembali pada kondisi sebenarnya saat Tuhan inginkan untuk dimiliki Adam saat dia diciptakan. Hal pertama yang dikatakan pada saat Dia menciptakan Adam, Dia membuatNya, Anda tahu Dia menciptakannya dari debu tanah. Dia menghembuskan nafas ke dalam lubang hidungnya nafas kehidupan dan dia menjadi jiwa yang hidup. Dan hal yang pertama, Dia berkata “sekarang berkuasalah”. Berkuasa. Hal kedua yang Dia katakan adalah beranakcucu dan berkembang-biak.

Tetapi hal pertama adalah Taklukkan. Ini adalah alasan mengapa Yesus meninggalkan Gerejanya di bumi saat ini, yaitu untuk berkuasa. Haleluya! Haleluya! dan Dia sedang datang pada Gereja jam-jam ini. Dan Yesus berkata, “Datang, Aku ingin engkau melihat Gereja sebagaimana aku melihatnya”. Dan dia memberiku kesempatakan melihat Gereja, perhatikan yaitu melihat gereja melalui mata seorang arsitek master. Dia melihat Gereja meskipun bumi belum diciptakan. Itu adalah dalam pikiranNya, dan ada di dalam mataNya. Saya melihat satu Gereja, dalam kesatuan Roh, saya melihat Gereja yang kuat, tanpa cacat dan cela, atau semacamnya. Saya melihat Gereja yang sehat, saya melihat Gereja yang militan. Yang memerintah, dalam kasih, dalam kuasa, dan dalam kemuliaan! Haleluya! Itu yang saya lihat! Dan itu adalah apa yang akan kita lihat. Tidak semua orang yang berseru “Tuhan, Tuhan” akan masuk ke dalam kerajaan, tetapi yang melakukan kehendak Bapa.Dan saat kita bergerak bersama dalam kesatuan roh, kita akan melihat hal-hal ini terjadi.

TUHAN YESUS Memberkati

GEREJA TUHAN - TUBUH KRISTUS DI AKHIR ZAMAN

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My Vision of Heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaj20WTl8qM

Marvin Ford

On Jan 1 1972, Marvin Ford spent 30 minutes in Heaven. Here is a portion of his testimony. Transcribed from a taped message "I went to heaven" given at Reserve Church in 1978.

Marvin Ford is in the hospital after having a severe heart attack, and suffering intense pain, when he comes face to face with the angel of death.

The Angel of Death

Instead of rebuking it I said Lord I can't take it any more. I don't care about the prophets, I don't care about my job, I don't care about my automobiles, I don't care about my home, I don't care about anything else. I've got to get this pain off…I can't take it any more. I had gotten so weak…I could not fight it any longer. So I remembered what Jesus said when he was hanging on the cross. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." And when I did that the lights went off. And just like that my spirit left my body and immediately …now I didn't go through that long black tunnel that Dr. Moody writes about in his "Life after Life",…no I didn't. I passed by so fast those bright lights at about a 45 degree angle toward the north. You sing that song, Psalms 48:1,2, "beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the Great King". That's the direction I was going in.

A View of the Heavenly City

And just like that, I was looking down on the most dazzling sight I had ever seen or even dreamed or imagined in my entire life! The beauty, the splendor, the magnificence of that city was absolutely breathtaking! The golden hues that were coming out from there, and the rays of light that was coming from that city were just blinding to the eye. Only they weren't my eyes. My spirit was seeing that. See my eyes were on the bed down there. I don't know whether they were closed or open….

But I was looking at this…. I saw the walls of jasper! Read it in the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation. Maybe you've already read it and you've already studied it; but if you haven't read it when you get home. They are 1500 miles long, 1500 miles wide, 1500 miles high, and they looked like they were at least 50 miles thick. Now picture that in your mind will you? And picture this, there were no shadows, inside or out. The walls were perfectly transparent because the light from inside that city was so bright that absolutely nothing could withstand it. And I saw in the foundation of those walls precious and semi precious stones. I saw diamonds larger, much larger, maybe 10 times larger that the Empire State Building. Rubies. Pearls. The gates of pearl they look like they were at least 100 miles in diameter. I saw twelve of them; twelve of those gates; three on each side. I saw rubies and sapphires, sardonyx, beryl, topaz, emeralds; the various precious and semiprecious stones.

And I saw from wall to wall, streets, millions of miles of streets of solid gold. Not paved with gold as one songwriter wrote, but those streets are solid gold, completely and perfectly transparent. But Oh the splendor and the beauty and the rays of light that were coming from those streets!

And I saw on each side of those streets of gold, mansions. I saw huge mansions; and I saw little bitty mansions and I saw mansions of all sizes in between. And being a builder, I'm interested in building and I can pick out a building. I don't care if its a dog house that's being remodeled, I can pick it out, you know, going down the street. And I looked all over that city, all over that city to see what those mansions were being built of you know. And you know what? I couldn't find one! They were all finished. They're all finished! Jesus said in the 14th chapter of John "In my fathers house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I'll come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, there ye may be also." And Jesus has done his thing. He's waiting for us to do ours. He's waiting for us to fulfill our part of the bargain He made.

Now I'm sure that Paul the Apostle saw the same thing. I'm sure it's something equal, cause he was writing to the Corinthians in the 12th chapter of 2nd Corinthians. And he says "I knew a man fourteen years ago, whether in the body or out of the body, I know not, and he was taken up into paradise and he saw things that were unutterable, or unlawful to write. Actually there were no words to describe it. Absolutely no words! And the only way John the Revelator could describe it, it says, "It looked like a bride, as a bride adorned for her husband". It didn't look like a woman; it didn't look like a woman with a white dress.

But the purity, the Purity and the Beauty of that City was absolutely unmentionable. There's no way. But I think Paul began to kind of spill the beans a little bit when he started writing to the Phillipians in the 4th chapter and the 19th verse when he said "My God shall supply all your need according to" your brownie points that you marked up? No he didn't write that, he didn't say that. He says "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus" And that is the way God supplies our needs! And I'm here to tell you that God that I serve is very super extravagant! All those walls of jasper, the streets of solid gold, the very thing that people work their fingers to the bone to try to attain; men kill each other over, countries go to war over; … Gold; that's the cheapest thing in Heaven. That's what we walk on! That's what there's the most of, there, you see! Except, I saw through, in, around, and about, and all over that place millions of bright shining, shining shimmering scintillating lights; glistening lights, all over that city. And they were moving with such grace and such poise, and such dignity and with such beauty.

And they were all singing. Ha-ha, you talk about a song! You talk about a song! They were singing, worshipping Jesus the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world! The only thing, they weren't singing in English, they were singing in a heavenly language! And I didn't even have to learn it! I didn't even have to learn it! I joined them, singing exactly what they were singing and everybody was with one accord, and everybody was on tune.

And I was talking to Dr. Richard Eby, who has had an experience somewhat similar to mine. And he's a musician, I'm a musician and he heard singing. He heard music! And leave it up to a doctor to ask an impossible question. He said "Marvin, let me ask you, was that music vocal or instrumental?" Well I had never thought of it before! I said "Dr. Eby, really to tell you the truth, I don't know!" I had never heard anything vocal like it before. I had never heard anything instrumental like it before! He said, "Yes, that is absolutely true! I could not distinguish it. It was coming from the spirit." Now whether that's vocal or instrumental, that's beside the point, don't make a doctrine out of it. But that's the way it was, you know. He asked my why…. You know he saw things that I didn't see and I saw things that he didn't see. He saw things that were relative to his life. That were pertinent to his disposition, to his likes and to his dislikes. I saw things that were pertinent to my likes and dislikes; and to my disposition. You see the God that I serve is so versatile that He ministers to the individual according to that individuals need. According to your personality and everything. You can put God in a box! And I can't put God in a box! Because god is very, very, very diversified, see! And he said "Well Marvin, why do you think that everybody… why doesn't everybody see exactly the same thing?" I said, "Well Dr. Eby, I can figure that out. I can figure that out, why if any three saw the same thing, they'd try to make a doctrine out of it, and start a denomination. Now that's one thing that we all have in common that have these out of body experiences, when we go to be with the Lord. We see colors that you cannot describe! Millions of 'em! But oh the splendor and the beauty of those colors are just absolutely overwhelming. Even in your fondest thoughts or fondest imaginations! And there were just as many colors as there were spirits, you know. That's as diversified as our father is!

Finding the Throne

And since we were worshipping Jesus, I said, "Oh, I haven't seen Jesus yet!" I quoted to you Hebrews 1:3 when he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. And I knew if I found the majesty on high, which is God the Father, I would find Jesus. And I could personally tell him how much I love him and how much I appreciate him. Now I was going through this maze of colors there was a changing process. I don't know why, I can't describe it or even give you any scripture for it. But there was a changing process. And presently I came out into the brightest, whitest, clearest, cleanest, purest, most intense light that I had ever even imagined in my entire life. Oh I was seeing things that I had never dreamed of. And there, anywhere I would look in the upper level of this city 1500 miles square, with that rainbow or that oval type dome for a roof of this city, in there was the throne of God. In any direction I looked, there He was! I could not make any physical being, you know, I couldn't make out any physical being because Hs Glory filled the throne. But I knew, I knew that Jesus was sitting at his right hand because the word of God said so.

Presently I saw him. A massive, light, shaft of light. And I seemed so small in comparison to Jesus. I worshipped Him. Now when I say I saw Jesus, I knew it was Jesus. I could not make (out) any physical form. Now Dr. Eby could see the physical forms, although he noticed that the physical forms didn't have any muscles. They didn't have any marks where you could tell male nor female. And their bodies were completely transparent, but they were physical. I couldn't see that, the light was so bright that I could not make out any physical being. The only way I could describe that, if you were to take an about 3 million candle power search light, one of these arc lights, you know, that you shine way up into the heavens to advertise the grand opening of a place. During the war particularly when they were searching for planes in the heavens. (That) went way up there for miles it seemed like, in the heavens. Those same lights if you would turn one of those down on a dark night and get out there in front of it, and look at that searchlight, at that 3 million candle power arc light and try to distinguish the filaments in that light, you would have the same success in trying to distinguish the physical being of Jesus But there exuded from that being Love, Compassion, Tenderness, Purity, Power, Glory but yet so tender. There was a gaze that I sensed. Have you ever just felt somebody just gazing at you? And you looked and you saw them gazing at you. And even while they were gazing at you, you couldn't stop it, they were there all the time? That's the way I sensed the presence of Jesus.

And I fell down at his feet and worshipped. I know what Jesus meant when he says out of your bellies, or out of your innermost being, shall flow rivers of living water. There was a gusher of praise, and adoration and glory and honor going to Jesus that I could not stop. Nor would I have stopped it had it been possible. I was praising Jesus the Lamb of God, the one who died for my sins, the cause of my being there, the reason for my being there. The preciousness of Jesus just flooded my heart, my soul. And I was worshipping.

Jesus Speaks

And I heard Him say, now it was not a verbal exchange, it was a spirit to spirit knowing, He welcomed me into his presence. And He told me to stand. And there I was standing face to face with Jesus. My Jesus, the Lamb of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. I was there in His presence. I began to ask Him questions after I worshipped Him for a long time. And the first question I asked Him was "Lord," You know his gaze never did leave me one bit, not one second. I said "Lord, how is it that there are millions of spirits here in heaven, there are billions of people on earth and there are people that are coming into your presence continually, how is it that your gaze remains continually on me. I have your undivided attention." And in that tenderness, and in that love and compassion he says "Why don't you know that there's enough of me to go around?" For every individual, regardless of how insignificant you might think you are. Regardless how undone, regardless how little, regardless how puny… You know you think you're nobody, but let me tell you something, but don't sell yourself short. You are very, very, very important to Jesus. Because He never takes His gaze from you, 24 hours a day. That's the Jesus that we serve. Oh Hallelujah, Hallelujah! And folks, I don't know, If I break up, you'll have to forgive me. Sometimes I do when I get to thinking about Jesus and who he is, and who we are. And, you know, how He loves us, and how I love Him.

The next question I asked His was "Lord, what about those prophets? Did I make false prophets out of all those people that said that I'd be going' around the world and preaching to millions of people. Are they false prophets?" The answer Jesus gave was this. "I have everything under complete control. I have never lost a battle, nor have I ever lost a skirmish." Hahaha Hallelujah! And I found out then and there, the Jesus that we serve, there's one thing that he cannot do! He cannot lose! We as individuals, sometimes, we lose a skirmish here and there. We think we do, but Jesus has everything under complete control. We back up and recoup and we hit the devil right between the eyes. And he's got to obey us. I don't care how big, I don't care how many. I don't care the power, I don't care anything else. When the church comes together and takes the authority that rightfully belongs to us, there are not enough devils in hell, imps in hell, or demons in hell that can stand against the weakest Christian. Praise God! Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world! And they've got to obey you! They've got to obey you! They are subject to you and they are subject to me! There are only two cases that I have ever come against a demon possessed individual that they weren't delivered. That's because they didn't want to be delivered. But when an individual wants to be delivered, brother they've to be delivered because of the authority Son of God that He's given us!

All authority is given unto Him, in heaven and in earth and He transferred that authority that God gave Jesus to the church. Take that authority! Live in that authority! Walk in that authority! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! You're a lot stronger than you think! Hallelujah! Because you have Jesus living in you. Living in You! Your body's a temple of the Holy Spirit! And you do have the authority. All authority is given to the Church! Praise God! When the Church finally comes together and wakes up! I'm talking about the people that kind of pull themselves off to one side I've got news for them. Just like I said at the onset of this service. They've either got to get in, get out, or get run over! There are a lot of people that think they are going to make it, that are going to miss it so far they wont even see it. When people will stand before him and say 'Well Lord, didn't I cast out demons in your name, didn't I do these mighty works in your name? Didn't I do this, and didn't I do that and didn't I do the other? What did Jesus say to them? "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity"…He didn't say that I knew you and forgot you, he said I never knew you.

Oh thank God I know him and he knows me! You know him and he knows you. Hallelujah! That's who you are! That's who the Church is! And when the Church comes together in one accord. That gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit will break into a holocaust of Pentecost, and the entire world will know that Jesus is the son of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And he has everything under complete control.

I asked him another question. I asked, "Lord, when are you coming back?" You know eschatology was one of my favorite subjects. I knew all the answers, particularly when I first came out of Bible school, you know. Huh! The older I get, the less I know! But I knew all the answers then! I had everything lined right up, point after point after point. Until I asked the Lord, I said, Jesus …. Now he hasn't changed dramatically these things but there is one thing that I didn't realize and possibly you don't realize. Jesus says "Before I come with my Church," that's the last step, he comes back with his Church, "I'm, coming for my Church", but he says, "before I come for my Church, I'm coming to my Church, in an unprecedented visitation." A visitation of power, A visitation of glory, a visitation of authority, a visitation of bringing together, a visitation of miracles, and that is not relegated for tomorrow or the next week, or the next…. I read the last chapter! That's now! He is come to his Church, right now. He's here to meet you tonight! And he will meet you according to the level of your expectancy. Are you expecting something from Jesus tonight, huhuh, you're not going to be disappointed! Because he says where any two are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst. And we are standing on the promises that my God will supply our, all our needs. All our needs. Spirit, soul, and body according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus. And Jesus is here, just anxious. If Jesus could have any anxiety at all that would be his anxiety; just anxious to supply that need. Anxious to heal your body, anxious to supply what ever your hearts desire. Hallelujah! Glory to God! Glory to God! That's the Jesus that I serve! Now, I've locked horns with the pre millenialists, I've locked horns with the post-millenialists, I've locked horns with the a-millenialists. And they've all got verses of scripture and they …. I could argue any one of them under the table. But I'll tell you what I've done, I've started a fourth order. I've become a pan-millenialist. I decided to let Jesus take care of things, and everything's gonna pan out. Ha-ha, hallelujah! Is that good doctrine Pastor? Good, praise God. Everything's gonna pan out. But he says I am come to my Church, right now.

We talked about a lot of things, about the kingdom; about the coming kingdom; about when we take authority, the complete authority that God intends us to take. You see. We will come back to the true state that God intended for Adam to have and to be in when he created. The very first thing he said when he created Adam, he built him, you know made him out of the dust of the earth. He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and he became a living soul. And the very first thing, he says 'now take dominion'. Take Dominion. The second thing he says is be fruitful and multiply. But the first thing is take dominion. And that is why Jesus is leaving his Church on the earth today, is to take dominion. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! And he is come to his Church this very hour.

And Jesus says, "Come, I want you to see the Church the way I see it." And I had the privilege of seeing the Church, you notice I said The Church through the eyes of the master architect. He saw the Church even before the foundation of the world. It was in his mind; and it was in his eye. I saw one Church; in the unity of the Spirit; I saw a strong Church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. I saw a well Church; I saw a militant Church. That's ruling, in love, in power, in glory! Hallelujah! That's what I saw! And that's what we're going to see. It's not everyone that says 'Lord, Lord' is going to enter into the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of the father. And as we go together in the unity of the spirit, we are going to see these things.

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The Story Of Marvin Ford, USA

Some people would have described me as shy, but that did not come anywhere near it. If I had to stand up in front of just two or three people I could not even stutter, because I could not say a word. I played in a jazz band in the clubs. I always stood at the back of the group, because of my fear of people. One night, however, the band got me very drunk. To their astonishment, and mine, I became the band's entertainer. If I was drunk I could entertain and talk. I could do anything, even laugh at my own jokes! Without the drink, I was the silent, back-row guy.

Not too long after this I gave up the drink because I became a Christian and I did not want that kind of life-style any more. I was still the silent guy at the back of the singing groups. After marrying Olive, who was a wonderful classical pianist, I became even more involved in music. But I was still at the back. In the late sixties there was a big convention in our church. Many of the men told Olive and me that they believed we were going to be involved in a world-wide ministry. They believed that we would be travelling to countries we had never heard of, preaching about Jesus. Although I did not want to say it a the time, I thought they were wrong!

On 29 December 1971, I was certain that they were wrong! That day I had a heart attack. My doctor told me it was an acute inferior myocardial infarction. I was taken to hospital. That night I started praying very hard! It seemed that almost everybody I knew came into the hospital to pray for me, but I still felt as if I had an elephant sitting on my chest. Later the pain in my chest greatly increased. It seemed that the elephant on my chest had gone out and fetched the rest of the herd! It seemed that they were all jumping on my chest !

At that point I could not take any more. I remembered the last prayer Jesus made on the cross, 'Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.' Just at that moment, my spirit left my body.

The medical profession calls it a cardiac arrest. Your heart stops, and the blood no longer flows through your brain. As soon as my spirit left my body, I saw the 'City of the Great King', which we read about in Psalm 48:1-2. I did not go through a long tunnel. I was looking down on the most dazzling sight imaginable. The dazzling sight was beautiful, splendid, picturesque, colourful, and magnificent. But these adjectives are totally inadequate to describe this place. In the book of Revelation, chapter 21, it gives some idea of the size, which is over half of size of the USA. It is some 1500 miles square, and surrounded by walls of solid jasper except for the 12 openings. The walls are as high as they are long, and those openings were 12 gates of solid pearl. Each gate has one single pearl. The walls were very thick. Yet not one shadow was on the outside or the inside of the walls, because the brilliance of the light was so intense, and nothing could cast a shadow.

In the foundations of those walls I saw precious and semiprecious stones like rubies, sardonyx, beryl, amethyst, emeralds, and many others. They were massive stones. I saw 12 columns studied with these same stones. There were 12 different columns, each representing one of the apostles. There were three levels in that city, and seemingly millions of miles of streets. There were avenues of solid gold, not paved with gold, but solid and yet at the same time, transparent. It was the purest, cleanest and brightest gold imaginable, and looked like ribbons of magnifying glasses. Everywhere, through the streets, and as far as I could see, were millions of mansions.

In John chapter 14, Jesus said that He was going to be prepare a place for us. I thought the Lord had called me to be one of His building superintendents, because that was my main occupation at that time. As I looked over the streets on all three levels, to try and see what materials they were using, I realised there was not one still under construction. They were all finished. Jesus spoke those mansions into existence, and He is ready.

Another thing I saw were millions of shining, sparkling, shimmering, scintillating lights that I recognised as the spirits of departed saints, all in the presence of Jesus. I knew everybody, including the prophets, the apostles and the disciples. And they all knew me. We did not need introductions. There are people I know who have gone to Heaven and seen individuals they knew. But what I saw was their spirits, just like I was. The spirits were a reflection of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

What I could see was a family of God, with no denominations. I could see the spirit bodies of the sons and daughters of God himself, who has no grandchildren. I joined in with the songs they were singing. No one was off key, or out of time. Everyone was singing and worshipping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Having gone through all these wonderful scenes and rainbows of colour, my first purpose was to see God the Father. That was absolutely imperative.

In my early life I had family problems which prevented me developing a close relationship with my own human stepfather, who I hated. I have heard preachers preach on Romans chapter eight about how God is, 'Abba Father', indicating an intimate relationship. But I could not understand this.

When I went into the presence of God the Father, I can only describe this as like going into the most massive receptacle filled to the top with the most powerful cleansing agent. This agent cleansed in such a way that it made everything pure and clear, like crystal without a flaw. It was as if my spirit was covered in scar tissue that had never been erased. Although God had forgiven me, and I had later asked my own stepfather to forgive me, the scar of hatred remained until I went into the presence of God. That cleansing agent seemed to dissolve those scars, and for the first time in my 52 years I was able to say, 'Abba, Father'. Romans 8 is now one of my favourite chapters. God has complete and total charge of my life because I trust Him.

Then I wanted to see Jesus and thank Him for dying for me, so that I could have eternal life. I know it sounds strange that we believe Jesus can be up in Heaven and on the Earth, but that is because He is omnipresent - everywhere. Jesus was seated at the right hand of God the Father. He was not any more brilliant than God, yet was distinguishable from Him. I cannot describe His looks or clothes, because He was surrounded by light, like those brilliant arc lights which shine into the Heavens for two or three miles. Each arc light seemed to have enormous power.

Imagine taking several hundred thousand or millions of these arc lights, and collecting them together in one bunch. Imagine that you then tried to look straight into them and distinguish the different filaments. That might give some poor indication of the brightness of Jesus. There is absolutely nothing that can compare with the brightness of Jesus, and I found myself looking and worshipping.

Something else that amazed was that I had Jesus' entire, undivided attention. Remember, I was a bashful, timid person, an infinitesimal speck of nothing. Yet I was the focus of His glory and love. Jesus then welcomed me into His presence, and I asked him some questions. First of all I wanted to know how it was that there were millions of people constantly demanding His attention, and yet I seemingly had His undivided attention. Even before I could finish asking, Jesus said, 'Surely you know that there is enough of Me to go around?'

My next concern was concerning the church members. Some of them were my best friends. Jesus told me that He had everything under control. He had never lost a battle, or even a skirmish. He was the victor.

Another question of mine was concerning His coming back to the Earth. Jesus told me that, before He came back, He was going to send an unprecedented visitation of power and glory, the greatest ever move of the Holy Spirit upon the world. I knew I was going to part of this great move of God. I had to return and fulfil the words spoken about me.

I looked back through those streets of gold and though the levels of that great city. Then I saw my body in the hospital, just as if someone had opened up the roof of the building underneath me. I glanced outside the hospital. There speeding towards the hospital it was my pastor, Dr. Ralph Wilkerson.

That day God had spoken to my pastor, not in an audible voice. He felt such a compulsion to get to the hospital and pray for me that he left his study before the morning services - at great speed! He got out of the car and started running towards the hospital. He went up to the Intensive Care Unit, and knocked on the door. He walked over to the bed, and pulled the curtains around. The corpse on the bed was the most grotesque thing you ever saw. It was ash grey, with green and purple mixed in. He did not put his hands on me, but clasped them together and looked up. I heard him quoting the verse about the thief coming to rob, to kill and to steal, but that Jesus had come that we might have not only life, but abundant life. Then he quoted from John chapter 11 where Jesus told Martha that He was the Resurrection and the Life. Then Dr. Wilkerson quoted from Romans 8 that if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in us, He would give life to our mortal bodies. At that point he took hold of my cold, clammy, lifeless hand and began to rebuke death. He commanded my spirit to return to my body.

I asked the Lord what I should do. His response was, ' What do you want to do?' If I had my choice, I told Jesus, I would rather stay up in Heaven. Then I thought I could make the biggest deal that was ever made. 'Lord, I will go back, if You will go with me.'

The Lord stopped me right there. 'Do you not know what I have told you in My Word? I will never leave you nor forsake you. I am with you until the end of the age. Since you gave your life to me I have never left you for one split second.'

I quickly changed my 'if' to 'when'. I knew He wanted me to come back. I knew He had called me to a ministry. 'When I go back Lord, will you give me a token?' He was gracious enough to tell me that if I went where He asked me to, and preached what He asked me to, then people would always come to know Him as their Lord and Saviour.

My spirit came back into my body with an impact. It was cold, and I was shaking. Pastor Ralph started patting my face, and then slapped me. He pulled the covers up around my neck, then began rubbing my limbs to help the blood circulate around my body.

I have never been sorry I came back. God did three miracles that day. Firstly, He spoke to a man who obeyed and came to pray for me. Secondly, my spirit, which had left my body and gone to be with the Lord, came back into my body. The third miracle was that whatever happened to my brain, I liked this new one a whole lot better.