I awakened way too early for a work-day. Only barely able to breathe, I had chills running down my arms and back. Just able to barely gasp for breath, I got up, took a cold pill, had hot tea, reset my alarm clock...then climbed back into bed.
I lay there praying, partly in English, partly in my usual prayer language, which often seems to be a combination of French and Spanish...maybe Portuguese? In my prayer language, the Holy Spirit seemed to be praying through me, as the scriptures describe:
"In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us..." NIV Romans 8:26
I have always taken that to mean that when intercessors/prayer warriors pray in their languages they have not learned, yet speak through the Holy Spirit, that it is the Holy Spirit who is leading the prayer and actually praying through us, by-passing our intellects.
Reverend Sonja Teaches About Speaking In "Tongues"
Because when I prayed for the "Gift" of "Speaking in Tongues" I also prayed for the gift of "Translation" that many people have, sometimes I am able to "translate" what I am praying about.
I love languages, so this is of particular interest to me. Usually, in a formal church setting the "Gift" of "Translation" is to for a church member to "translate" what someone else has either prayed or prophesied. But as you mature in these gifts over a period of years, you will see the Lord use them in a number of astounding ways.
One of my teachers in Bible College, at Christ For the Nations, named Larry Garlock had a father who was a missionary to West Africa, in an area called "The White Man's Grave". He was preaching to a tribe of cannibals there. The tribal chief told Henry that he had better heal the tribal chieftan's sick son, or he would kill my teacher's father and eat him. I heard this account straight from Henry's son, Larry.
This favorite teacher of mine explained to the class how his father suddenly started speaking in "tongues" and was able to communicate with the chief and the tribe, and explain the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them in their own language. The son was healed, and the story had a happy ending.
My wonderful teacher has since passed away, but his wife Ruth wrote a book about the adventures of Henry Garlock including this account. It is called "Before We Kill And Eat You". See link below.
Therefore I have prayed for that "Gift" of translation many times. So far, it hasn't enabled me to speak to others whose language is different than mine, but it does help me be able to sometimes translate what the Lord is having me pray for, which is comforting, especially when I recognize the names of countries in my prayers, like Russia, only in a slightly different form. I frequently hear a word very close to "Russia" when I am praying "in the Spirit". I often wonder if I am praying that Russia and America do not enter into war since tensions between the two nations seem to be high.
I do often pray about world events, nations, groups of people like our military, policeman, doctors, truck drivers, etc. Because our country needs the light of God so desperately right now.
But at this particular moment, while lying sick in bed, I heard myself praying, "Es Dios Sante'?" Immediately I thought that I was praying "Is God Holy?" I remember praying this question more than once. I always have answered in English, "Yes Lord. You are Holy." So I assumed that Sante' meant "holy" in Spanish or Portuguese.
I felt that the Lord wanted me to focus on His Holiness. I remembered a song that goes:
"He is high and lifted up and His train fills the temple, He is high and lifted up and His train fills the temple. The angels cry "Holy". The angels cry "Holy is the Lord".
Having felt pretty much abandoned by family and friends who never call, and being sick and alone all weekend, I had to keep reminding myself that at least God cared about me. That I wasn't truly alone, but the Lord was with me, even though He just reigns silently in the background.
But here He was trying to communicate with me - making a point about His Holiness. I know that He commands us to "Be ye holy, even as I am Holy," in I Peter 1:15 & 16, and also Leviticus 20:7.
But truthfully, there are many times I don't feel very "holy". In fact most of the time I don't feel holy. Honestly, I think my behavior at times in my past was more upright than it was now. For example, once in a while I let slip a word that I was taught never to say. It would seem a very mild word to most people, but I was raised never to use foul language, so to me, it makes me feel bad on the few occasions it does slip out of my mouth.
Also, I get angry at people far more than I ever did when I was younger. Guess I used to have the attitude "Live and let live". However, I am at the point in my life where I do take offense when someone wrongs me, though I know the Bible says we should not. But I never used to. I used to let others walk over me like a doormat. I believe I have gotten stronger now that I am more mature. In fact, I have experienced more anger in my life in the last five years than I did probably in most of my life. I only used to be able to defend other people, never myself. Finally I have gotten more courage.
I know that the Word of God says to overlook offenses. But I have a hard time doing that now. I guess we all have areas of personal, spiritual growth that we have to work on.
I reflect back on the time around 1990, when I went with some friends to a "School of Prophets" in Lambertville, New Jersey. We all received ministry there. While the prophetic students were standing around me praying, a man with a British accent said, "Do you believe you are holy?"
"You ARE holy, because God has made you holy. Don't let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough!" I realized while standing there with the students around me that he was referring to I Corinthians 5:17.
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away.; all things are become new." KJV
And also, I Colossians 1:30:
"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
I knew those things, but guess I had to be reminded. Because "being holy" is a tall order.
Anyway, focusing on the Lord's holiness, and worshipping Him in my heart, as I lay in bed, thinking about Him being "high and lifted up" zoomed me right into the throne room. Or a vision thereof.
The throne room was enormous, a huge wrap around, biggest arena you can ever imagine. It stretched in all directions...kind of like the Galactic Senate scene in Star Wars, but with much more shining light, in case you have ever seen the movie and remember the scene. (Link below.)
The arena-like area stretched as far as the eye could see, and had raised tiers all the way up and down and around, in a very wide circle, except for the platform upon which God's throne sits.
There were beings, whether angels or the spirits of people who have died and gone to heaven, I don't know. But they were all worshipping Him. There was a huge bright light like the sun emanating from behind His throne that shone so bright I could not actually see Him. But I knew He was there.
A feeling of awe and hush fell over the place. The Sea of Glass in front of His throne was a glowing blue, so smooth. Then He spoke.
He said: "Live!"
As He said this, His voice thundered and caused reverberations across several universes at once. I could feel the ripples of vibration going out from the throne room. The Sea of Glass became frothy, throwing up aqua ripples that hung, almost suspended in time.
After that, the vision was finished. I wondered why He had sent out the command "Live!" Was our world dying? Some would think so. Was I dying? Well slowly but surely we all do. However I was sick in bed. Feeling miserable. Yet God spoke the command to LIVE!
When I looked up "Sante' later on an international translator, I found that the word means "health" in French. I had forgotten that.
For the last month, I have been focusing on scriptures for healing because of some health issues I have been facing. I have also been reading a book called "Healing Through Spiritual Warfare", and writing and memorizing Bible verses on the topic of healing.
HEALING THROUGH SPIRITUAL WARFARE By Peggy Scarborough
Knowing that the Lord is my Healer, just as He says in His Word in Exodus 15:26, I acknowledged that perhaps I was praying, instead of "God is Holy", that "God is Health". I know that reading the Bible brings healing to my soul, and also it says that it brings healing to the marrow of our bones, which means physical healing, even to the depths of our bones.
"It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones", speaking of the Word of God, in Proverbs 3:8.
So regardless of whether I was praying "Is God Holy?" or "Is God Health?" the answer to both questions is "Yes". By focusing on God's Word and spending time alone thinking of Him, focusing on Him, we can not only become more "Holy" but we can also receive HEALING, which many of us need desperately!
We can enter His throne room through worship. Others have done it. There are accounts in the Bible of people having done so. Also in modern times I have heard many testimonies of brothers and sisters in Christ who either had visions of the throne room, or who felt that they had been "translated" out of their bodies, directly into the spiritual realm, in God's real throne room.
Keep worshipping Him, trusting Him...and most of all "LIVE!" with the Resurrection Power of Jesus Christ!
"The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, LIVES IN YOU. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead He will give LIFE to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." NLT Romans 8:11.
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