Hey, I've been a Christian for all my life, but it was not until the age of 16 that I got really certain that God existed, and that I would follow Him. (I will divide this post in distinct parts, starting with an intro, and going on to 5 basic parts, and eventually add a conclusion).
I hope that you will enjoy it, and that it can be inspiring for you.
------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
At the age of 15 I bought my own Bible and I read through the NT from May 1999 to April 2000. (I signed dates at the end of the chapters, starting with Matt 1 18.05.99 and finishing with Rev 22 06.04.00).
After reading through the NT for the first time, in April 2000, many strange things started to happen to me. The first strange happening occured later in April 2000.
------------------------------------------------------
1. For Many are called, but few chosen
When I was asleep I had a strange vision. I saw myself standing inside the church reading the Bible. I read the verse (Matt 20:16) saying: "For many are called, but few chosen". I didn't understand exactly what it meant, and so I wanted to ask my pastor. But then I remembered that he was on vacation at this time, so I couldn't. (He was on vacation at that time in "real" life.) Again the same happened; I read, but couldn't understand. This time I wanted to ask our former pastor. But I didn't get an answer from him either. A third time the same happened. I was reading the verse, but I couldn't understand the meaning. Then I looked up an saw a glimpse of a man in the air above me, and then the vision faded away.
I never got an explanation on the verse in that vision, but God encouraged me to think about it, and to search the bible for a way to understand it. Today I think that this led me on toward Him, and that He really said to me that I was both called and chosen.
------------------------------------------------------
2. If you trust in Jesus
Later the same year, in July, I had another strange vision. I was at a Christian summer festival, and I was sleeping.
Suddenly I saw myself standing in a strange place, like someplace high above. Quite far from me I saw another place, that I for some reason really wanted to go to. The problem was that a wide gap was between where I stood and where I'd like to go. I had to jump to get across the gap. Then suddenly someone spoke to me, and said: "If you trust in Jesus, you will manage that jump". I thought about it for some moments, and I decided to trust in Jesus and follow Him. I then made the jump. (I didn't even care to run to the edge). Just as I was reaching the other side, I suddenly woke up - my clock alarm rang!
I never saw the end of that jump. But while asleep and having this vision, I chose to follow Jesus and to trust in Him. This inspired me in "real" life to put my faith in Him, and it led me on in my life with God.
------------------------------------------------------
3. Jesus is Lord
In the later summer the same year, about early September, I experienced something strange once again. This time it happened when I was awake, studying the Bible in my room.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and I had decided to sit down for a private Bible-study. The original cause was that I wanted to find the verse that says; "King of Kings and Lord of Lords". (Which is, as it turned out later, to be Revelation 19:16.) I started out just reading some random pages, like parts of 1 Corintians. Among other verses, I read 1 Cor 12:3: "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." I didn't think much about it at that time, but I would so later, as we shall see.
After reading randomly in the NT, I decided to read through the Revelation of John, which was my primary intention for this study, (as I wanted to find the King of Kings verse). I read through most of the book, observing the sometimes scary and shocking contents, like the mass tribulations etc. After reading to about the end of the 16th chapter, (that about the seven cups of wrath), I felt quite odd, almost ill. And I thought that I heard a voice saying to me; "accursed is Jesus". Then I remembered the verse I had read earlier this afternoon, 1 Cor 12:3, saying: "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." I felt really bad at this moment, as this voice just continued to say "accursed is Jesus". I felt that the voice tried to make me say it to, and then I got really scared - that my life with God would be lost. I wanted to get out of this frightful situation, and the only way I thought of was to call for The Holy Spirit by saying - "Jesus is Lord" - the complete opposite of "accursed is Jesus". (Both these statements are stated in 1 Cor 12:3, reflecting what can be said in the Holy Spirit, and what can be said without the Holy Spirit). When I spoke these words; "Jesus is Lord", the Holy Spirit came to me, and He cast away the evil voice. I thanked God at that moment (and later) continuing to say "Jesus is Lord", praising Him for what He had done for me. A while later I finished reading through the Revelation, and I actually found the verse I was looking for, being Rev 19:16: "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
This event marked an important step in my life with God. I had really experienced His power and salvation in my own life, not only through reading the Scriptures. When I look back to it today, I realise that God used my interest in finding a verse (Rev 19:16, King of Kings), to reveal greater parts of Himself to me. He also used a verse that I "incidentally" read, (1 Cor 12:3) to teach me the absolute difference between the Holy Spirit - and everything else. I'm not sure who or what was saying those evil words (accursed is Jesus) to me at that day. It might have been the Devil, or a deamon, I'm not sure. But as it turned out - the Devil blew his chances in taking me away from God. I believe that if the Devil reveals his true self to people, those people will get frightened and seek God. That's why the Devil covers up, and tries to seduce us - through money (mammon), hatred, sexual immorality etc.
------------------------------------------------------
4. God has written something above your name
A while after that last event, I was at a (youth)-meeting in my church, and towards the end of it, the opportunity rose to be prayed for by some elders at the (youth)-meeting. I wanted that someone should pray for me, and a well grown man prayed for me while the worship songs went on. After a while he told me that God had given him a message to me. He told me that: "God has written something above your name - great power and great strength". I thought about it and wondered what it meant.
A few days later I decided to check the meaning of my name. My name is "Magnus", it is originally latin, and it means "the great one", or "the mighty one". (Charlemagne, the great Frankish emperor of the 8-9th centuries was among the first to get that name, as he was called "Carolus Magnus" in latin.). I also checked the Norse language, finding that Magni, a norse name, meant "strenght". (The name of Magnus is common in Norway and Sweden, and several of our medieveal kings had this name.)
I was quite surprised when I found out that the meanings of my name Magnus, was the mighty and the great, and strenght. Because that was just what the old man at the church meeting had told me that God had written above my name. "Great power and great strength" it easily corresponded to the original meaning of my name. When I next time met the man that had given me this message, I asked him if he really knew the meaning og my name - but he didn't, and he too was astonished that the message he had gotten, so clearly corresponded to the real meaning of my name. I still believe that this message was from God - I can't believe that it was just an incident. Later I often think about it - and I know that I just have to seek God as a simple Christian, and do His will - and then someday, I might see these words come true in my life.
------------------------------------------------------
5. It will not harm you
Later in the autumn of 2000, about October, I once again had some strange visions while I was sleeping. A Tuesday night (to wednesday) I had a vision. I suddenly saw a great, shining, rising sun. It was just a glimpse, then it faded away. The story behind is this: A couple of days before I was searching through the Bible, looking for a verse saying something about a sun of justice and healing. I couldn't find it, although I searched through the Bible back and forth. I also asked some Christian friends at school, but they told me that I probably just made it up, and that the Bible did's say anything about that. But just as I was on my way to give it up, I suddenly stumbled across the Prophet of Malachi, the last book of the OT. I found the verse on the very last page. Malachi 4:2 says: "But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves."
When I found it I was really happy. And just after I had that vision, when I thougth that I saw that great sun rising. To find that verse I searched through the whole of the Bible, starting with the NT, and finishing with the last book and chapter of the OT. You can really say that God made me work for Him to fulfiull the promise in Matt 7:7 ("Seek and you will find").
---------------------------------------------------------------
But the main event of this part was about God giving me a guarantee that He is in control, and that I should stop worrying about the future, and what could harm me.
The day just after I had had that strange vision of the sun, I had another vision. I could see myself standing in a broken and shady landscape. I thought that I just might be in the world in the end of days. As I just stood there, a voice suddenly spoke to me, saying: "When this really happens, it will not harm you." After that, the vision faded away. I knew all the time that it was a dream, and also the voice told me that this hadn't happened yet, but that it would.
At the time when this happened, I had read through the NT several times, and also through greater parts of the OT. I knew the parts that told about the end of the world quite well. Like the Revelation, or Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, or even Daniel. I also felt very insecure about what would happen to me, and to a Christian. I was afraid that I might loose my faith if I was put on too great tests, or that I would be killed in the disasters that are prophesised. God wanted me to stop worrying about that. I think it was the reason why he gave me this vision, to calm me down, and to give me a guarantee that He would protect me and keep me. After I had this vision, I stopped worrying about these things in that way, and I have felt secured that nothing can take me from the Father, other than myself - if I so choose.
And as the Scripture tells us: John 10:28-29: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion
Well, this was a short story of some of my experiences with God. I also realise that I've met the Trintarian God through all this, as well as been into the Bible and prayer.
- "1" was a nightly vision, and the Bible played an important role. I learned that I had been called and chosen.
- "2" was also a nightly vision, and Jesus played an important role. I decided to follow Jesus, and to put my trust in Him.
- "3" was a Bible study, and both Jesus and The Holy Spirit played important roles. I experienced the saving power of The Holy Spirit, and in the Name of Jesus.
- "4" was a prayer at a meeting, and God played an imortant role, as well as prayer. It gave me interaction with other Christians, and thought me that God communicates with me through prayer.
- "5" was a nightly (two) vision, and God played an important role. It thought me that I should feel secure, and that God would keep His hand over my life.
------------------------------------------------------
Well, that is all this time. I really hope that you have seen the work of God in these things, and that it may have inspired you to continue your search and life with the Master, Jesus Christ.
your brother in Christ
Disippelen
I hope that you will enjoy it, and that it can be inspiring for you.
------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
At the age of 15 I bought my own Bible and I read through the NT from May 1999 to April 2000. (I signed dates at the end of the chapters, starting with Matt 1 18.05.99 and finishing with Rev 22 06.04.00).
After reading through the NT for the first time, in April 2000, many strange things started to happen to me. The first strange happening occured later in April 2000.
------------------------------------------------------
1. For Many are called, but few chosen
When I was asleep I had a strange vision. I saw myself standing inside the church reading the Bible. I read the verse (Matt 20:16) saying: "For many are called, but few chosen". I didn't understand exactly what it meant, and so I wanted to ask my pastor. But then I remembered that he was on vacation at this time, so I couldn't. (He was on vacation at that time in "real" life.) Again the same happened; I read, but couldn't understand. This time I wanted to ask our former pastor. But I didn't get an answer from him either. A third time the same happened. I was reading the verse, but I couldn't understand the meaning. Then I looked up an saw a glimpse of a man in the air above me, and then the vision faded away.
I never got an explanation on the verse in that vision, but God encouraged me to think about it, and to search the bible for a way to understand it. Today I think that this led me on toward Him, and that He really said to me that I was both called and chosen.
------------------------------------------------------
2. If you trust in Jesus
Later the same year, in July, I had another strange vision. I was at a Christian summer festival, and I was sleeping.
Suddenly I saw myself standing in a strange place, like someplace high above. Quite far from me I saw another place, that I for some reason really wanted to go to. The problem was that a wide gap was between where I stood and where I'd like to go. I had to jump to get across the gap. Then suddenly someone spoke to me, and said: "If you trust in Jesus, you will manage that jump". I thought about it for some moments, and I decided to trust in Jesus and follow Him. I then made the jump. (I didn't even care to run to the edge). Just as I was reaching the other side, I suddenly woke up - my clock alarm rang!
I never saw the end of that jump. But while asleep and having this vision, I chose to follow Jesus and to trust in Him. This inspired me in "real" life to put my faith in Him, and it led me on in my life with God.
------------------------------------------------------
3. Jesus is Lord
In the later summer the same year, about early September, I experienced something strange once again. This time it happened when I was awake, studying the Bible in my room.
It was a Sunday afternoon, and I had decided to sit down for a private Bible-study. The original cause was that I wanted to find the verse that says; "King of Kings and Lord of Lords". (Which is, as it turned out later, to be Revelation 19:16.) I started out just reading some random pages, like parts of 1 Corintians. Among other verses, I read 1 Cor 12:3: "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." I didn't think much about it at that time, but I would so later, as we shall see.
After reading randomly in the NT, I decided to read through the Revelation of John, which was my primary intention for this study, (as I wanted to find the King of Kings verse). I read through most of the book, observing the sometimes scary and shocking contents, like the mass tribulations etc. After reading to about the end of the 16th chapter, (that about the seven cups of wrath), I felt quite odd, almost ill. And I thought that I heard a voice saying to me; "accursed is Jesus". Then I remembered the verse I had read earlier this afternoon, 1 Cor 12:3, saying: "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." I felt really bad at this moment, as this voice just continued to say "accursed is Jesus". I felt that the voice tried to make me say it to, and then I got really scared - that my life with God would be lost. I wanted to get out of this frightful situation, and the only way I thought of was to call for The Holy Spirit by saying - "Jesus is Lord" - the complete opposite of "accursed is Jesus". (Both these statements are stated in 1 Cor 12:3, reflecting what can be said in the Holy Spirit, and what can be said without the Holy Spirit). When I spoke these words; "Jesus is Lord", the Holy Spirit came to me, and He cast away the evil voice. I thanked God at that moment (and later) continuing to say "Jesus is Lord", praising Him for what He had done for me. A while later I finished reading through the Revelation, and I actually found the verse I was looking for, being Rev 19:16: "And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
This event marked an important step in my life with God. I had really experienced His power and salvation in my own life, not only through reading the Scriptures. When I look back to it today, I realise that God used my interest in finding a verse (Rev 19:16, King of Kings), to reveal greater parts of Himself to me. He also used a verse that I "incidentally" read, (1 Cor 12:3) to teach me the absolute difference between the Holy Spirit - and everything else. I'm not sure who or what was saying those evil words (accursed is Jesus) to me at that day. It might have been the Devil, or a deamon, I'm not sure. But as it turned out - the Devil blew his chances in taking me away from God. I believe that if the Devil reveals his true self to people, those people will get frightened and seek God. That's why the Devil covers up, and tries to seduce us - through money (mammon), hatred, sexual immorality etc.
------------------------------------------------------
4. God has written something above your name
A while after that last event, I was at a (youth)-meeting in my church, and towards the end of it, the opportunity rose to be prayed for by some elders at the (youth)-meeting. I wanted that someone should pray for me, and a well grown man prayed for me while the worship songs went on. After a while he told me that God had given him a message to me. He told me that: "God has written something above your name - great power and great strength". I thought about it and wondered what it meant.
A few days later I decided to check the meaning of my name. My name is "Magnus", it is originally latin, and it means "the great one", or "the mighty one". (Charlemagne, the great Frankish emperor of the 8-9th centuries was among the first to get that name, as he was called "Carolus Magnus" in latin.). I also checked the Norse language, finding that Magni, a norse name, meant "strenght". (The name of Magnus is common in Norway and Sweden, and several of our medieveal kings had this name.)
I was quite surprised when I found out that the meanings of my name Magnus, was the mighty and the great, and strenght. Because that was just what the old man at the church meeting had told me that God had written above my name. "Great power and great strength" it easily corresponded to the original meaning of my name. When I next time met the man that had given me this message, I asked him if he really knew the meaning og my name - but he didn't, and he too was astonished that the message he had gotten, so clearly corresponded to the real meaning of my name. I still believe that this message was from God - I can't believe that it was just an incident. Later I often think about it - and I know that I just have to seek God as a simple Christian, and do His will - and then someday, I might see these words come true in my life.
------------------------------------------------------
5. It will not harm you
Later in the autumn of 2000, about October, I once again had some strange visions while I was sleeping. A Tuesday night (to wednesday) I had a vision. I suddenly saw a great, shining, rising sun. It was just a glimpse, then it faded away. The story behind is this: A couple of days before I was searching through the Bible, looking for a verse saying something about a sun of justice and healing. I couldn't find it, although I searched through the Bible back and forth. I also asked some Christian friends at school, but they told me that I probably just made it up, and that the Bible did's say anything about that. But just as I was on my way to give it up, I suddenly stumbled across the Prophet of Malachi, the last book of the OT. I found the verse on the very last page. Malachi 4:2 says: "But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves."
When I found it I was really happy. And just after I had that vision, when I thougth that I saw that great sun rising. To find that verse I searched through the whole of the Bible, starting with the NT, and finishing with the last book and chapter of the OT. You can really say that God made me work for Him to fulfiull the promise in Matt 7:7 ("Seek and you will find").
---------------------------------------------------------------
But the main event of this part was about God giving me a guarantee that He is in control, and that I should stop worrying about the future, and what could harm me.
The day just after I had had that strange vision of the sun, I had another vision. I could see myself standing in a broken and shady landscape. I thought that I just might be in the world in the end of days. As I just stood there, a voice suddenly spoke to me, saying: "When this really happens, it will not harm you." After that, the vision faded away. I knew all the time that it was a dream, and also the voice told me that this hadn't happened yet, but that it would.
At the time when this happened, I had read through the NT several times, and also through greater parts of the OT. I knew the parts that told about the end of the world quite well. Like the Revelation, or Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, or even Daniel. I also felt very insecure about what would happen to me, and to a Christian. I was afraid that I might loose my faith if I was put on too great tests, or that I would be killed in the disasters that are prophesised. God wanted me to stop worrying about that. I think it was the reason why he gave me this vision, to calm me down, and to give me a guarantee that He would protect me and keep me. After I had this vision, I stopped worrying about these things in that way, and I have felt secured that nothing can take me from the Father, other than myself - if I so choose.
And as the Scripture tells us: John 10:28-29: "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."
---------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion
Well, this was a short story of some of my experiences with God. I also realise that I've met the Trintarian God through all this, as well as been into the Bible and prayer.
- "1" was a nightly vision, and the Bible played an important role. I learned that I had been called and chosen.
- "2" was also a nightly vision, and Jesus played an important role. I decided to follow Jesus, and to put my trust in Him.
- "3" was a Bible study, and both Jesus and The Holy Spirit played important roles. I experienced the saving power of The Holy Spirit, and in the Name of Jesus.
- "4" was a prayer at a meeting, and God played an imortant role, as well as prayer. It gave me interaction with other Christians, and thought me that God communicates with me through prayer.
- "5" was a nightly (two) vision, and God played an important role. It thought me that I should feel secure, and that God would keep His hand over my life.
------------------------------------------------------
Well, that is all this time. I really hope that you have seen the work of God in these things, and that it may have inspired you to continue your search and life with the Master, Jesus Christ.
your brother in Christ
Disippelen
