My dad is a priest, and one Sunday during the service, he saw one of his parishioners slumped over and “not doing well,” as he said it. He interrupted the service to check on the man. There were two nurses present in the congregation and neither one could find a pulse (and for some reason neither found it appropriate to begin CPR). My dad called 911 and instructed the congregation to begin praying. By the time the EMS arrived, which was at least ten minutes later, the man had recovered from being dead.
Yes, recovered. From being dead. Which, medically speaking, isn’t a thing. Let me explain. My dad sees this guy breathing strangely, and from what my dad described, it was apparent to me that this is agonal breathing, something that typically occurs as someone is dying. It can last for a few minutes or up to a few hours, and in the case of cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock, it can last for a few minutes after the heart has stopped. In cardiac arrest a person only has a few minutes to try to reverse the heart’s failure to pump, and this is done primarily through CPR and defibrillation, neither of which happened here. In cardiogenic shock there is more time to treat the problem, but it requires medical treatment that is generally only available in a hospital and the patient almost never spontaneously recovers without medical intervention. If we keep in mind that this man had passed out and had no pulse, combined with the agonal breathing, he was either dead or moments shy of it, and CPR and rapid deployment of a defibrillator are the only things that medically would help bring him back at that point. No one present did either in spite of the presence of two nurses who probably should have known what to do.
In review, a man was agonal breathing with no pulse, the only thing my dad did was call for help and then lead the congregation in prayer. By the time EMS arrived the man was alert, speaking and moving spontaneously, and was unaware of what had just transpired. The only reason he went to the hospital with EMS was at my dad’s urging. Two kids were there during this event and my dad overheard them the next week as they walked into church saying to one another “do you think someone else is gonna die this week?” Even the kids knew what had happened. My dad mentioned that he didn’t realize the gentleman was dead at the time, and only figured it out upon thinking about the situation after the fact—which means my dad raised the dead by accident..
Raising the dead isn’t meant to be the pinnacle of spirituality, nor should it be. In fact, as my dad demonstrated, it can be the result of simply stepping out in faith even when you don’t actually know what the problem is, and in this case, even when you don’t know the man is dead.
Jesus raised multiple people from the dead, and after He died and rose again, He gave us power and authority to do the same. In Matthew 10:8 Jesus said “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” and again in Matthew 28:19-20 He gave the command to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Teaching us to obey everything Jesus have commanded the disciples to do includes raising the dead. In fact, Hebrews 6:1-2 tells us that raising the dead is a basic teaching of the faith, not special advanced-level spirituality.
A friend designed a shirt, of which I have one and quite enjoy wearing and it says “Raising the dead is not a suggestion—it’s a command.”
To learn more about raising the dead, consider the following resources:
In the last blog post I explored teleportation in Scripture.
We looked at how it has happened on many occasions throughout Scripture by the Spirit of God and, if you choose to believe the reports of believers who have experienced it, teleportation continues to happen today at (I believe) an ever increasing rate!
“Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”
11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.” Matthew 4:6-11 NLT
So the devil teleports Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple and tempts him to test God by jumping off. Apparently this is a very real temptation for him? And then the devil teleports him to the peak of a very high mountain and gives him supernatural vision to see all the kingdoms of the world. Worship me, he says, and it’s all yours. He was tempting Jesus to circumvent the cross. As if to say, you don’t have to suffer and die to reclaim this lost world, just worship me.
Jesus responded to the attack both times with Scripture (as the Father gave to him in that moment).
It’s SO important to know God’s Word if we are to survive the testing of the enemy (the written word of Scripture AND knowing the Living Word which is Jesus himself!) I encourage you, as I have many times before in my blog, to be a good “Berean”:
“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:11 NASB
Receive the word with great eagerness, search out the Scriptures for yourself!
Have you ever considered that when Moses was sent to rescue Israel from Egypt that for many of the miracles that Moses did, the Egyptian sorcerers could do the same? See Exodus 7!
Aaron, Moses brother, threw down his staff and it became a serpent. The sorcerers threw down their staffs and they became serpents. Somehow it wasn’t all that persuasive to them that Aaron’s snake then ate theirs? The ultimate showdown of power moves begins.
Moses and Aaron use the same staff to turn the waters of the Nile into blood. But, the Egyptian magicians then turned water into blood also. Next a plague of frogs, “But the magicians were able to do the same thing with their magic” (Exodus 8:7).
But listen to what happens next:
“When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats. 18 Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike.
19 “This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.” Exodus 8:17-19
From then on, the sorcerers could not do as Moses did and when the plague of festering boils came:
“Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the Lord had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.” Exodus 9:11-12
In the end times Jesus warns that the Antichrist and his false prophet will perform great miracles to deceive if possible even the elect.
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25″Behold, I have told you in advance.” Matthew 24:24
So… my point in sharing this is to say that a show of power isn’t everything and to alert you to the fact that we ought not to simply be searching for power. The devil can offer you a measure of that. We ought to be searching for the person of God Himself and to be endued with his power to turn the world upside down as the apostles did in the first century for God’s kingdom of love.
The Scripture predicts that people in the last days will have a form of godliness but deny it’s power. I don’t want that to be me. I don’t want that to be you.
How do we foster and protect a childlike heart that receives the things (or power) of God? How do we continue to walk in faith and freedom and the power of God?
This is your inheritance as a child of God and his promise to you, see Joel 2 below – Which has found its ongoing fulfillment since Acts 2:
The Lord’s Promise of His Spirit
28 “Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants—men and women alike.
30 And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth—
blood and fire and columns of smoke.
31 The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red( of course we don’t see this kind of thing happening do we?)
before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.
32 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved,
for some on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will escape,
just as the Lord has said.
These will be among the survivors
whom the Lord has called. Joel 2:28-29 NASB
I urge you, as the apostle Paul does, to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts (but most of all Love – PLEASE read 1 Corinthians 13!) in your walk with God just as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:
“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy…”
I was blessed years ago to read these angel’s words in regard to prophecy:
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 NASB
Or, “For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” NLT
It’s all about Jesus! HE is everything!
“God is love… in whom we live and move and have our being.” (from 1 Jn 4 & Acts 17)
My position is this:
“For the believer, there is not more than Jesus to discover and experience, BUT, there is more OF Jesus to discover and experience!”
Now, I must admit, I got just the tiniest bit of flak for my post on teleportation and spirit travel. I can understand why this would freak people out.
When I was exploring visions in Scripture I was seeing that sometimes their spirits were leaving their body! Many would call this “astral projection” (I have no history, as some of my readers might, that would cause that word to be a negative trigger – I mentioned it once which I will refrain from using from now on. I realize now that it is needlessly provocative. I am SO sorry for my carelessness and recklessness of some of my wording.)
So when I was teaching people to prepare their hearts and minds for a vision from the Lord Jesus, I was strongly suggesting – and kind of geeking out over the fact – that this just might mean you have an out-of-body experience! And to realize that as you seek the Lord it’s ok and not automatically “from the devil” if that were to happen!
“Oh no! Daniel is teaching people how to astral project!”
That’s what some likely heard. But, that was not my intent at all. This is what the Bible actually says happened to so many saints and prophets and apostles! (Ezekiel, Paul, and John)
What a sad state the church would be in if it were to reject and judge people for believing the Bible! Thank God that isn’t the case! Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought that most people (even other believers) will find what you had just read as simply unacceptable? Sometimes we can’t wrap our minds around the reality what the Bible is actually saying. This has been true about me for most of my Christian life until the Lord started to open my eyes.
God has made me to be an writer. I know that. He has gifted me in this and in my desires and interests in the supernatural as well. I am glad for who he made me! I am happy to be who I am! I feel his smile and favor upon me. He has made me confident in my relationship – my friendship – with him. If you want to know how to arrive at that place of confidence I would be delighted to share my journey with you! Much of that journey is captured right here in this seven-year long blog.
I didn’t give myself my first life altering vision. I wasn’t seeking a vision. I was just seeking and loving Jesus, fresh back from a life of backsliding and going the devils way. The visions (and mostly dreams – night visions) have helped me immensely along the way however and so I don’t belittle them as some do and I don’t believe it’s wrong to seek them. I think we need to. I often ask for dreams from God and that I would remember them.
It is hard being here on this planet. The Lord is the master at striking a balance between keeping you grounded and present for your mission here AND giving you just enough of heaven along the way to keep the smile always on your face. I was beaming yesterday as this thought crossed my mind.
At the age of eighteen I came back to Jesus because he gave me a dream and showed me my life in five or so years time. The corruption and pain from remaining on the devils path that I saw was too great to bear and so I called up my mom who had been praying for me and asked to go to church with her!
God used a dream/vision of my future to bring me back to himself! Six months later I had an extraordinary supernatural experience with the Lord. It seemed to me that he took my spirit on a time travel. At least that’s my geeky way of interpreting what I experienced. The experiences of and with the Lord continue and I’m SO thankful for each and every one!
Stay tuned. Keep seeking Jesus with all your heart! Stay immersed in His Word and in fellowship and in prayer! And be free!
Don’t forget to read Part 1 here, and also the original Part 3 of his blog will be found here next week!
On August 3, 1979, Rev. Howard Pittman, realizing that he was about to die, prayed that he would be permitted the privilege of going before the throne of God to ask for an extension on his life.
He was granted this privilege and much about the nature of demons, God, as well as the condition and future of humanity was revealed to him during his journey through the spirit realm.
The following is a reading of Howard Pittman’s NDE Testimony as Recorded in Placebo (YouTube):
On October 20, 2006 Jeff Markin collapsed from a massive heart attack after driving himself to the Palm Beach Gardens Hospital emergency room.
The emergency medical workers and supervising cardiologist Dr. Chauncey Crandall followed standard procedure using defibrillator pads more than a dozen times trying to shock Jeff’s heart back to working order. With each passing minute their chances of successfully resuscitating the heart attack victim plummeted dramatically. After they had worked feverishly for 40 minutes trying to bring Jeff’s heart out of a flatline they had to finally call the time of death and walk away from the corpse.
That would have been the end of a disappointing but not terribly unusual heart attack case. But as Dr. Chauncey Crandall was walking away after filling out some paperwork he sensed the Holy Spirit’s voice saying that he should pray for the now officially dead heart attack victim.
By this time Jeff Markin’s body was being prepared for the morgue. Dr. Crandall walked in there and began praying for Jeff Markin. Another doctor walked in and Dr. Crandall persuaded him to once again apply the defibrillators and see if the body could be shocked back to life. Despite the utter hopelessness of the situation the protesting doctor did as he was asked out of respect to his colleague. Miraculously, Jeff’s heart responded beautifully with a perfect heartbeat and Jeff began breathing again.
He was brought back to life by faith, prayer, and one more try using conventional medicine. Thus he would live to tell about his experience while physically dead. Miraculously Jeff not only came back to life but also did not sustain any brain damage.
In his book, Raising the Dead, Dr. Crandall tells all about this and other cases of raising the dead and healings and what brought him to the place where he has joined his medical expertise with prayer for each of his patients.
I have also found a number of reports and interviews that will fill in more details about this case. I hope you find all these resources and this amazing story to be a great inspiration as you remember the declaration of Jesus Christ: I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. ~ Revelation 1:18
Now, with modern medicine’s improved resuscitation techniques, we have many near death experience stories. But today, I want to share an NDE that occured over 40 years ago.
I recently came across the amazing testimony of a sky diver named Mickey Robinson. Back in August 15, 1968 tragedy hit. The airplane was making a sharp ascent when the engines stopped and the plane crash landed. The pilot was burned alive.
Most of the sky divers were able to get out of the plane without much damage. But Mickey was stuck in the plane because his harness was caught on something. By the time he was rescued, he was severely burned over 35% of his body. He would spend 167 consecutive days in the hospital and go through years of hospital treatment and endure over 50 surgeries.
At one point, the hospital called his sister and said if you want to see your brother, you better see him this morning because he may not be here this afternoon. It was that day, that Mickey’s spirit left his body and he experienced eternity.
Or you can watch this Sid Roth interview done 3 years ago. This is also a great interview because, in addition to his near death experience, Mickey shares how his blind eye was restored and how God healed him of damage that was considered incurable by the medical community. And then there is another surprising miracle healing that Mickey reveals in this video — but I don’t want to ruin the surprise…
Both of those interviews are a summary of his near death experience and won’t take much time to watch.
If you would like Mickey Robinson’s book telling his story, check out his book ‘Falling Into Heaven‘.
Jennifer Perez became a Christian under the ministry of Nicky Cruz. She walked faithfully with Christ for two years. But then she went into high school and fell in with the wrong crowd. Soon she was being controlled by drugs.
One night she snuck out of her parents’ house to hang out with friends and landed in big trouble.
This is her testimony of what happened, including her visit to heaven and hell and how she was sent back again to give the world a message from God.
You can either listen to her testimony in English or puede oirte al testimonio en Espanol.
A transcript of her testimony along with audio and video options are available at Divine Revelations or you can listen to the YouTube videos below. Puede leerla el expediente en Espanol tambien por Divine Revelations.
In the last post, you met Ian McCormack who died and visited eternal places and even met God. God sent Ian back to his body saying that if Ian goes back he must see in a new light.
Now, I would like to share with you what Ian saw after his eyes were opened to the spiritual world around him.
This is an amazing testimony and I hope you find it as encouraging and empowering as I did…
Ian was given freedom by God’s power. In the testimony you just listened to, you learned how Ian learned what he was freed from and how to stay free.
The story starts with a grown man terrified of what he has seen in the dark. I wish we taught children how to protect themselves from the monsters they see in the dark. Instead, parents tell the children it’s okay and send them back to bed. The parents tell the kid, ‘See? Nothing is here’ and the kid is thinking, ‘Of course you can’t see them now that the light is on! They don’t like the light. They are probably hiding in that dark closet now.’
If parents would try teaching their children how to defend themselves from dark spiritual forces instead of saying that they don’t believe the children, maybe the children could have the confidence they need to protect themselves from the monsters.
If you have children, then please listen to the above testimonial so that you can learn how we can all protect ourselves from the monsters of the dark.
Near death experiences are particularly fascinating to me. By hearing these stories we get a chance to see through another person’s eyes what we may one day see when we pass from this life to the next. I say may because there seem to be two kinds of afterlife experiences: one is positive and the other is negative. So, we don’t all experience the exact same thing after life.
The story I want to share with you today is the story of Ian McCormack. This surfer from New Zealand has a close encounter with a group of box jellyfish (yes, the same kind of sea animal in the movie ‘Seven Pounds’). These extremely poisonous animals sting him and he struggles to live as the poison spreads through his body.
He eventually drifts into the afterlife…
You can see the TBN interview and broadcast here, with the full testimony below.
Here is a video of Ian telling his story for himself. By watching I believe you will really get a sense of how much this experience has touched his heart.
You have to see this…
Thanks for watching.
If you are interested in learning more, you can find more about Ian and his ministry on his website, A Glimpse of Eternity
Thanks again for watching. If this video touched your heart, I hope you will share a comment.
Chronicling today's miracles, signs, wonders, visions, and supernatural encounters
