Stephen Barret shares what it is like to evangelize in Japan. Signs and wonders confirming the word.
Show Notes with Time Stamps
02:05 Stephen went from no miracles to miracles 06:45 Jesus is not known in Japan 08:35 The Japanese think evangelism is for the Pros 10:08 God draws the right people 12:16 Stephen recounts a miracle in his ministry 16:15 an example of God drawing the hungry people 18:34 Japanese Mystics - Idolatry 20:38 Idolatry is a problem when new converts in Japan 21:43 Buddhism and Shintoism is prevalent 22:39 A Buddhist dreams about Jesus and then gets saved 25:38 The ones that follow you are the ones you disciple 27:49 The smart phone as a ministry tool 30:41 Japanese think Jesus is a historical figure among other gods; 34:58 Another miracle recounted 39:30 A terminal patient healed in Jesus Name 41:16 Commanding in the Name of Jesus 44:33 Signs accompany the gospel confirming the word 46:16 Dealing with Doubt and unbelief 48:25 Stephen was going blind from demonic attack 54:27 Running to the demons in dreams to attack 56:08 The devil tests believers 56:38 Don't seek sympathy get in agreement 1:02:53 Greater works than these 1:06:14 The devil circles about seeking whom he may devour 1:09:50 Acts is our blueprint for today - not leaven 1:11:54 Committing time for evangelism each week 1:18:17 Huddling after a spiritual encounter - discipling 1:20:12 Words of knowledge - spiritual discernment 1:27:03 Stilling the thoughts to be receptive to God 1:29:01 Learning from God directly 1:31:15 Stephen recounts a time he got healed 1:39:15 Stephen prays
One of the largest common denominators of near-death experiences is that people go out of their body and can observe their immediate surroundings. The New Age refers to this as astral projection. I've done this many times. I would wake up outside of my body just like the NDE testimonies. That is the major reason I decided to write this post.
How do we know that NDEs are not lucid dreams?
There is a significant difference between lucid dreams, or those dreams where one seems to be awake, and astral projection which is what the NDE’s profess..
One of the things that I check for in dreams versus reality is if my environment changes. I teach people to look at some writing somewhere in the room and then turn their head away, and then look back again. If the writing has changed they are dreaming. If it is not changed they are not dreaming. This tends to hold true for the most part.
In some dreams it can be a little tricky because sometimes the environment doesn't change. The tactile sensations feel so real they convince me that I am awake. I also have active thinking and reasoning faculties at that time. This is lucid dreaming. These dreams certainly do feel like I am awake and operating in a physical environment, but I am not. I grasp this after I wake up.
Astral projection is when a person is lucid, and out of their body. The environment doesn’t change. Time doesn’t fluctuate. A person can either be in observation mode, like when dreaming, or they can actively think with desires and goals.
I am leaning towards believing a lot of the NDE testimonies are not lucid dreams and they did in fact leave their bodies.
Here is a Video I did digging deeper into this post
The Silver Cord Solomon Wrote About
When I would leave my body I would wake up and my soul would be in a different physical location. I would sometimes be aware of my body being in bed somewhere else. The New Agers talk about this awareness as being the silver cord that connects the soul and body spoken by Solomon.
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
(Ecclesiastes 12:6-7)
People with NDE’s often talk about a choice to continue in paradise, or to go back to their body. This is breaking the silver cord and the body will return to dust.
Multiple Realms Occupying the Same Space
During these out of body excursions, I experienced when Paul talks about multiple Heavens. There are multiple heavenly realms that simultaneously exist in the same space.
The Bible refers to a chasm or division that cannot be passed from one realm to another. However people can communicate across these realms. This is found in channeling which new agers and psychics practice. Many people can hear demons or angels in their room. It's also how we can hear and talk to God. All of these realms exist in the same space. We can communicate across these realms however there are limitations of the physical bodies passing from one to another.
We find this in the Book of Luke.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
(Luke 16:22-26)
Notice that one person is in Hell and the other is in Abraham's bosom. They cannot physically pass through to the other realm, yet they are having a conversation. When a person is out of their body, they are more aware of these realms and the fixed gulf.
Many of the NDE experiences talk about either a place of paradise or a place of torment.
Angels Crossing Realms
There's a teaching in Genesis chapter 6 that says some of the Angels left their first estate (Jude 1:6) and they saw that the women were fair and they had daughters with them. This led to the creation of the Nephilim which prompted God to destroy the earth with a flood. Angels left their Heavenly realm and manifested as men in this physical realm we are experiencing now. They had children with women that became giants. Angels have the ability to leave from one realm to the other. I speculate that the reason they don't do it so much now is that the penalty is severe.
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
(Jude 1:6)
The reason we have NDE testimonies is because of the rarity of crossing realms. Only two people in the bible have gone to the kingdom of God alive in their physical bodies, and that was Elijah (2 Kings 2:11-12), and probably Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24). Of course Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts 1:9-12.
Crossing realms physically is near impossible without God. Crossing spiritually is rare, and the NDE’s appear to be engaging in a temporary spiritual crossing over into other realms.
Kingdom of God Realm - You MUST be born again
I'm familiar with these multiple Realms. In my book “Open Your Eyes My Supernatural Journey” I talk about another realm. It's called the Kingdom of God. I learned what it means firsthand to be born again and experience the Kingdom of God. You cannot experience or even see the Kingdom of God without being born again. Few there be that find it!
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(John 3:3)
Many of the people having these near-death experiences are not born again when they have them. They may think that they are born again and this leads to a big problem for truth seekers.
I wasn't first-hand aware of the Kingdom of God Heavenly realm from experience until I was born again. I talk about this in my book “Open Your Eyes: My Supernatural Journey”. Before being born again, I was familiar with the lower realms that the new agers experience. These are realms where you can go in close proximity right outside of your body and you can encounter spirits. In these lower realms I have encountered demons, spirits of people, and even animals. It seems like I've encountered animals in the spirit realm more than once. However, these animals may be witches and warlocks that take on a similitude of an animal spirit body.
Paul Talks about the Third Heaven
Paul talks about being in the third heaven in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12
It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
(2 Corinthians 12:1-4)
This passage written by Paul, is convincing about the different heavenly realms and the possibility of being out of one’s body as a believer. This is something akin to astral projection or near death experiences.
Speaking of the heavenly realms, I must mention there was a popular book that deceived many Christians about a boy that went to heaven.
The cover of The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven calls the book “a true story.” But the boy himself now says it was not true at all. Four years ago, Alex sent a letter to a conservative Christian blog dramatically renouncing the book. “I did not die. I did not go to Heaven,” he wrote. “I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. … People have profited from lies, and continue to.” Alex’s retraction also became a sensation, with reporters unable to resist the sudden, hilarious perfection of his last name: Malarkey.
The lesson here is that anybody can say anything. The more Sensational a claim is, the more likely it is to get clicks, shares,sell some books, and even make movies.
There are many people who claim they've had near-death experiences. They can't all be legit. However, these stories are certainly interesting.
Here's an interview I did with officer Ali Perez. He encountered Jesus in a near-death experience. This recount is amazing, and I am hoping it is authentic.
They Have Seen Dead Relatives. Or Have They?
One distinguishing aspect about near-death experiences is that people believe that they have seen their loved ones who have passed. From a biblical skeptical viewpoint, these could possibly be familiar spirits. These are demonic spirits that are assigned to the family to carry out the generational curses that the Bible talks about.
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
(Deuteronomy 5:9)
It's possible that these could be deceiving Spirits masquerading as dead relatives.
When I was out of my body I didn't see any dead relatives. I was young into my teen years, so I really didn’t know many dead people. I did see demons, people, witches. and warlocks that were astral projecting.
Regarding the testimonies of people that have communicated with dead relatives, I want to err on the side of caution here. Is it biblical?
King Saul conjuring up Samuel through the witch of Endor comes to mind (1 Samuel 28). Saul and his sons were killed the next day.
Near Death Experiences Should Be Approached with Biblical Skepticism
A lot of these testimonies of near-death experiences are very compelling. However, these testimonies could be a dangerous trap. Many people having these experiences are not born again. They are not familiar with the Kingdom of God from firsthand experience. They can only speak from their perspective and with their limited knowledge and experience. This leads to a huge amount of speculation from the one giving the testimony and also to those listening.
New Agers have supernatural experiences and they are convinced they are correct in their beliefs. They will go to the wall when pushed. I know, because I was a New Ager for years.
The New Agers are only experiencing the lower Heavenly Realms or the lower spiritual Dimensions. You have to be born again to see the kingdom of God. New Agers are not born again so they cannot see the Kingdom of God.
The entities that are channeled seem to have a certain amount of secret wisdom which is alluring. They even steal a lot of their wisdom from the Bible. But be aware, these are most likely deceptive beings masquerading as angels of light.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(2 Corinthians 11:14)
Trust the Bible more than a Near Death Experience
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
(Luke 16:26-31)
The person in this scripture is dead. He's in hell. He’s having a conversation with Abraham who is not in hell. There's a gulf that cannot be passed. He wants to send someone from the dead to convince his brothers to not come to the place of torment.
Abraham says that they have Moses and the prophets. If one was sent from the dead they will not believe even though they have Moses in the prophets. Who gives near death experiences testimonies? People sent from the dead!!!
This is important. This should be how we look at near-death experiences. Are they biblical?
The preceding biblical passage spells out that we should trust the scriptures even more than an account of someone that came back from the dead.
In summation
The bible talks about how the prophets prophesied from a deceit of their own hearts (Jer 14:14, 2326). They were fully convinced that they were prophesying from God's spirit. However they did not know God.
The people in Matthew 7.21:23 thought they were prophesying by God’s spirit, but they didn't know Jesus.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
(Matthew 7:21-23)
Investigating near death experiences for verification of what we believe, or to find new beliefs leads to a house that is NOT built on the rock of Jesus Christ (Matt 7:24-27). The bible is a more sure word than even an eyewitness account
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
(2 Peter 1:18-19)
If you decide to watch a lot of Youtube videos of near death testimonies, I would strongly suggest that you have a lot of bible under your belt beforehand. When I watched hours and hours of near death testimonies, I noticed a lot of contradictions, and I noticed a lot of similarities. The biggest similarity is the out of body experience. Since I have experienced that many times, not just one time like the NDE’s, I wanted to lend my perspective.
I also searched the scriptures to see if those things were so. I suggest you do the same.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
