Heaven

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus The Christ!

I would like to share some things with you in relation to "HEAVEN". I was taught as a child that "heaven" was up yonder beyond the blue. That's all I heard preachers say. So I believed it and thought that you had to die to go there, but now that my Heavenly Father has taken the scales off my eyes, I realize that I can be in "heaven" right here and right now! Isn't that good news!! For Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1, 5, 6: "And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead (past tense) in trespasses and sins; by grace are ye saved; And hath (already now is) raised us up together, and made us sit together in HEAVENLY PLACES in Christ Jesus"!

This sounds to me like one has to be ALIVE to accept Jesus Christ, and once you've done that you have moved into heaven in Christ Jesus!!

It doesn't matter whether you define it in the dictionary, hebrew, or greek, it is always a place above all else; a lofty place; elevation (in condition or character); the abode of God; happiness; power; eternity; specifically the Gospel! Briefly said, it is a HIGH PLACE!

To get into this place we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds! We must put on Christ's mind! (1Corinthians 2:7-14) Please read these verses. But verses 12-14 states: "Now we have received not the spirit of the world (arrangement of religious order), but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which MAN'S wisdom teacheth, but which the HOLY GHOST teacheth; comparing SPIRITUAL THINGS with SPIRITUAL. But the NATURAL MAN receiveth NOT the things of the Spirit of God: for they are FOOLISHNESS unto him: neither can he know them, because they are SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED."

Now that God has and is revealing Himself to me, the new heaven and the new earth that Revelation 21:1 speaks of is happening for me and others the world over right now! Thinking with Christ's mind; learning to do things God's way and not my way or doing things your way; or presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God! When we do this, the first heaven (the one painted in my mind that I thought was beyond the blue) and the first earth (old man, old nature) pass away. If therefore any man be IN CHRIST, he is a NEW creature; OLD THINGS are passed away; behold, all things are BECOME NEW!!

(St.John 8:23)Jesus said to the Jews: "Ye are from beneath (downwards; under; hades or hell); I am from above (over; upon; top; on high): ye are of this world; I am not of this world." So you see, you don't have to be down in the center of the earth (ground) to be in HELL. It is a state or condition one is in. Just not be in HEAVEN, and you're in HELL!! Ignorance is HELL! Torment of the mind is HELL! A bad marriage can be HELL! Deliverance from it is HEAVEN!!
Now you can understand (Genesis 1:6-9) when God said "Let there be a FIRMAMENT in the midst of the waters (peoples, nations, multitudes, and tongues) and let it divide the waters (people) from the waters (people). (vs 7) And God made the FIRMAMENT, and divided the waters (people) which were UNDER the FIRMAMENT from the waters (people) which were ABOVE the FIRMAMENT: and it was so. (Vs 8) And God called the FIRMAMENT HEAVEN! "

The FIRMAMENT (raqi'ah) being an expanse: a "firm" place! That which is solid, unyielding to pressure or touch; steadfast and constant, strong and sure!! A place where we become unmoveable in our faith in the TRUE LIVING GOD!

In this place you're ABOVE everything that pertains to the flesh or that which the natural man yields to! (1 John 5:18) "Whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten (regenerated or regened) of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not"! The devil can't fasten or attach himself to you because you don't have anything in you that belongs to him! Jesus was all that God was in that flesh body! We, the body of Christ, must become all that Jesus was and function as priests and kings in the earth NOW! (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). Jesus said, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me" (St.John 14:30).

HALLELUJAH!! Jesus was in heaven (a high place) walking around on the earth, in a FLESH BODY! But his spirit, soul, and body had been brought into complete agreement, unison, harmony, or one unit because of his MIND set! He knew who he was! We must come to know who we are! We are not just mere men, we are SONS OF GOD!! God became a MAN! He ordained that MAN become GOD in the earth! Jesus was God, God was Jesus! "As he is, so are we in this world"! (1John.4:17).

When we let the mind (phrone'o) that Jesus had be in us, we can be in the same place he is in, HEAVEN, right now! This happens when we exercise our mind in relation to entertaining it with and thinking on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report! (Phil.4:8). When we do these things, we are RAISED up into HEAVEN, "in Christ Jesus," not by the rapture, but IN CHRIST!! You don't have to sail off any where to go to HEAVEN. It has been made available to you right here and right now IN CHRIST JESUS!!

You can now understand why in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning (Christ), God created the HEAVEN (spiritually - a high place) and the earth (natural man). Because the FLESH MAN OR NATURAL MAN must be conquered by the SPIRIT MAN and brought into the high place so he can LIVE!! That's the NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH! Because the "old heaven" [one beyond the blue] and "old earth" [the body you think you'll have when you get up yonder] has passed away. You know that you can have it right now!! That's HEAVEN!! Elevated in condition, character, authority, thinking, power, dominion, knowledge, wisdom, understanding!! Hallelujah!!


- Pastor Gracie Perry