The Gates of Heaven

THE HEAVENS WITHIN

Yes indeed the heavens are real, though one does not find it by looking here or there. The heavens are discovered only by looking within. The Christ is only experienced by looking within. It is not irrelevant to say that heaven is a real place, but as reality unfolds from spirit to matter, from the inside out, so also are the heavens experienced from the inside out; so also is Christ experienced from the inside out.

Every man has heaven within himself, every man has Christ within himself; for Christ is not just a person but a dimension of existence, a state of being. This dimension, this state of being has been locked away in the subconsciousness of man; hidden behind a veil. This veil is none other than the darkness of ignorance of the Father. This veil is the carnal nature. The sinning "me, myself &I". It is impossible to cross through this veil without dying to one nature and becoming reborn into another. It is impossible to go through the veil without crossing the Jordan river of death and birth. It is impossible to return to the garden without being slain by the flaming sword of the Spirit.

One must die in order to be born. One must lay down the life of the flesh to pick up the life of the immortal Spirit. One must be born again. To be reborn, one has to first die. Oh, the mystery!

Many are they who have testified of a heavenly experience, but of all the accounts of heaven stories that have been made known to me, I must say that this bold declaration of Jesus surpasses by far all that have come to my hearing:

'No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. ' John 3:13

"The Son of Man who IS in heaven".

Growing up, the concept of heaven had always been presented to me as something beyond reach. It was presented as something I had no hope of experiencing unless my physical body perished. It was presented as something in space and silly young me, waiting to physically die to see the streets of gold, could not realise that heaven was within me all along. This immortal statement of The Lord Jesus Christ was the beginning of a lot of discovery for me. I asked myself the question, "how could it be that Jesus, who was physically present on earth, could declare to Nicodemus that he also IS in heaven?". Not "was", or "will be" but "IS" in heaven. "Wasn't heaven something that was supposed to come afterwards?", "How come Jesus was in heaven, whilst on earth?". Ahh.... and now the mystery begins to unfold. That imaginary chasm implanted in my mind by people who only taught me what they knew, causing a separation between my Father & I, began to dissipate.

At this point we must state boldly, and without fear, that it is impossible to find or penetrate through any external gate of heaven if one has not first found the gates of heaven within himself. I am at this very moment reminded of the words of Jesus which say that "the kingdom of God is within you". We are not afraid to state that heaven, before anything, is first of all a state of the heart and quality of one's consciousness. For how can one define heaven absent the characteristics which make it so majestic and splendorous? Is it possible to think of heaven and associate it with malice? How incongruent would it be to conjure up an experience of heaven in one's imagination and liken it unto the brothels of London's Red Light District?

Dear Lord, these look nothing like the onyx stone or topaz you told us about. Sweet Jesus, master of my soul, how can the sapphire and the emeralds you have spoken of be likened unto animal passion? Far be it from thee Lord! When we think of heaven, when heaven is described, it is not just spoken of as a dimension in the great beyond but it is spoken of as a land ripe with the virtues of the Spirit. The virtues of compassion, love, forgiveness, sacrifice, long-suffering and patience. "Let this mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus" declared the majestic Paul.

THE VEIL

Yes, heaven is first of all a state of the consciousness and quality of the heart. It must be said that true heavenly citizens are heavenly minded people. Yes, heaven is within us, though it is veiled and we are living in diaspora because of our ignorance of the Father. "What is this veil?" some might ask. Indeed this veil has a name and its name is "me, myself & I", it is a heart that has the boldness to ask "am I my brother's keeper?".

Blind leading the blind.

Jesus came, in the voice of the prophets, speaking of a people who have eyes but are unable to see; ears but unable to hear. A fallen man is one who is unable to see beyond himself and what he alone can profit. A fallen man considers himself separate from creation, he does not understand that the only success that matters is collective success. A fallen man takes pride in being the 'best in the room' and establishes his sense of value based on the inadequacies of others, instead of basing his value on his ability to transform an inadequate fellow into an adequate one. A fallen man is incapable of laying his life down for his brother. A fallen man does not understand the heart of love, which is sacrifice.

O foolish man, do you not know that who you feed today will be empowered to feed you tomorrow? If you take everything from everyone, who then can give unto you? Do you not know that nature is sustained upon the back of reciprocal nourishment of all beings? Can you receive oxygen if you don't give carbon dioxide? Can a farmer receive a harvest if he does not give his seed? How then can we take pride in the destitution of others without realising that it will ultimately return to render us destitute? The children we have left homeless and hungry in the streets, will they not come tomorrow to plague us with robberies and terrorism? Why, O foolish man, do you think that you are separate from everything around you? Why do you think that individual success is worth a penny if your brothers and sisters are failing?

It must be said in an unapologetic way that a man under the veil of "me, myself & I", the reasoning of Cain, cannot see the kingdom of God; the gates of heaven. How can he, when his gaze is set upon everything except the spirit of truth? Abraham could not perceive the promised land until Lot, which means "veil", left him and he "lifted up his eyes". At an opportune time we will venture much deeper into the Abrahamic story but at this point its necessary we understand that the promised land was always there, it was not in some far beyond. The problem was perspective, the problem was an unregenerate mind, the problem was having eyes that could see everything but the truth, the problem was the veil of "me, myself & I". The veil of Lot.

The great apostle Paul said: 'But when it pleased God........ to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles...' (Gal 1:15). Oh my, the son was revealed IN Paul, heaven was revealed IN Paul. Not "to" him or "on" him but "in him". All the while he was executing the saints, heaven was within him, the son was within him but veiled. All the while he was condemning the gospel of the son of God, the son was within him but veiled. Unrevealed, unknown, hidden and concealed until the son rent the veil within him in twain.

It has been taught by many, including myself at one point, that the veil which separates us from the light are the 39 books of what King James named the 'old testament'. This is true but only in a figurative sense. It is true but only to a degree. It must be said that if heaven is found within, if Christ is found within, then most assuredly the veil which blinds us is also found within. We must say boldly that this veil is naught but the sinful nature, the carnal mind, the nazareth within where 'no good thing' comes out of. The veil is a 'darkened understanding', a 'darkened heart' which perceives God through a clouded glass. The veil is the nature of the flesh which refuses to submit to the will of God because it cannot understand it. The veil itself is the old man of the earth who must pass away for the man of heaven to be enthroned.

We must say that this veil, this old nature is not torn simply because we have read 27 books of what King James named the 'new testament', no. The veil is torn only by the revelation and progressive unveiling of Christ on the inside of us. It is torn by the dawn of the light in our hearts. It is torn by the continuous submission of our will to the will of Christ, it is done by picking up the cross daily and dying on it. Sadly, when many hear the word 'death' they tremble, simply because they do not understand that without dying there is no resurrection. They don't understand that without descending there is no ascension. "Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die" said a wise man once.

Many don't realise why the famous river "Yaarden", transliterated as "Jordan" literally means "to descend". Many don't realise why the baptism, which is a dying and resurrecting place is symbolised as the gateway into the kingdom of God. Many don't realise that the famous "mother's womb" for the heavenly man which Paul Spoke of in Galatians 1:15 and Jeremiah spoke of in Jeremiah 1:5 is also a "tomb" for the carnal man. It is also the selfsame waters of baptism, the descent; River Jordan. Why do we think Paul said:

'Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' Rom 6:4.

The drawing out of Moses from the water is a symbol of baptism.

Its unfortunate many think just because they can recite this scripture the reality of the death and resurrection is already established within them. Listen, O children of God, the gospel is not preached in word only but in power. Power over what? The serpent of lust, the scorpion of anger, the black widow of greed, the hydra of pride. How can one claim they are dead and resurrected yet find themselves powerless daily before the face of fear or shame or lust?

There is a work to be done O' children. This work is one of daily obedience to the spirit, daily lifting up of the cross of the will of God which brings death upon the will of the flesh. Listen, it is not possible to preach the resurrection without preaching the death. Its not possible to preach the death without preaching the resurrection. To do so will be to adulterate the message, to polarise that which was designed to be an unbreakable paradox. From the death of pride comes the resurrection of humility and it is a daily process until completion. From the death of lust comes the resurrection of chastity and it is a daily process until completion. There is a process to becoming, there is a pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem. It is not an instantaneous transmission, it is not word of mouth.

John declared with boldness that 'He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.' 1 John 2:4-5.

The evidence that one knows the Christ, that one is in union with the Christ is the exhibition of the Christ nature. It is not a claim of mouth, it is not because we have read this or that book. Indeed it was said by the Saviour that "by their fruits you shall know them", not by their claims or by their doctrines. Our fruits reveal to us what we are united to. Our fruits make us know who's children we are. John the Apostle further stated that 'He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ' I John 2:6,9.

On this note, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let me ask the same question that God asked Adam in the garden: "WHERE ARE YOU?"

There is a substance to this walk with God, there is a substance to knowing God and encountering heaven and it begins within. It is a journey and it is a transformative process. It is not an instantaneous transmission as many believe. Its unfortunate many have not understood the spiritual significance of the exodus story and the progressive journey into the promise land. Its unfortunate that many have not understood the spiritual significance of all the wars fought in Canaan. Its unfortunate that only few have dared to asked why the temple of Solomon was not built until all wars were won, until peace, Shalomo (Solomon), was established. Its unfortunate many discredit and declare redundant the writings of the prophets as though Jesus did not say " Do not think I have come to abolish the law and the prophets. I have come to fulfil it".

Its unfortunate that many in this time believe that Christianity is simply about saying the words "I believe" and all is settled. As though true belief is without substance. As though belief or faith is not something that is progressive. As though heaven is not an internal reality we ought to experience NOW, not claim. Can one say I believe in 'this' but express 'that'? No. Heaven is not a claim of mouth and neither is it far away, heaven is right here and now. Heaven ought to be experienced on the inside of us. As long as we are conscious in and experience life through the lens of pride, interpret every encounter through the lens of our lust, as long as our eyes are not 'lifted up', heaven will continue to appear 'far away'.

This then produces the question "how?". "How can I lift up my sight?", "How can I truly experience heaven firsthand?". I will invite you to join us on this literary journey and see what God unveils along the way. I am aware that a lot that would be unveiled on this platform will be embraced by many. I am aware that a lot that would be unveiled on this platform will be rejected by many. Acceptance and rejection mean nothing to me as my writings do nothing but point to THE WAY. The way must be experienced and known firsthand. We don't need your acceptance or rejection, we only need you to take a peek for yourself and return with your firsthand testimony. This we must say, is our goal.

From here onwards we will build from the foundation. We must confess that at this point in time we do not see a greater foundation to lay than that of Christ crucified. For this reason we will begin an in depth series on 'The Cross'. We invite peoples from all nations and cultures and religions to come and drink from the eternal well which is Christ Jesus. The time has come. Now we begin.....