Jesus in the Clouds

When I was a boy and would ride in the car, I would sometimes stare at the clouds in the sky at watch Jesus following us, watching over me. I used to not think much about it, and while I always enjoyed seeing Him on the clouds, I didn’t really connect it with the fact that He was actually there in the clouds. What I mean is that I think part of me recognized I was imagining it, but another part of me still enjoyed seeing him there.

*As a side note, while I am in no way saying this was the “2nd Coming,” I find it quite apropos that I saw Jesus in the clouds (see Mark 13:26, Revelation 1:7)

Likewise, when I was young I also used to see vampires outside the windows of our house–even up on the second and third stories, and especially at night. I always thought I was imagining them, even though I never watched vampire-related shows or movies–even while I was in high school! I never gave it much thought, although I was always creeped out when it would happen.

It took me until I was 22 before I discovered that when I saw Jesus and the vampires, they were both actually there. You see, growing up in the Episcopal church I didn’t know that I was having visions because I didn’t know that’s what visions were–and the Bible always made them sound so much more spooky, like there should be this “mystical feeling” associated with them. I suppose most fantasy books didn’t help because they always suggested the same thing–that supernatural experiences would be accompanied with some sort of significant fanfare. The truth is that’s simply not how it is.

Most visions and prophetic experiences are so mundane that they can go unnoticed if one is not paying attention, or does not realize what is happening. Little did I know, but the imagination is the backdrop God uses to give us visions, and if you don’t know that it will see to you (and others) like you have an overactive imagination. When I discovered that I was having visions of Jesus, I was in a church-based ministry school in Pennsylvania. One of the other students and I were talking about some of our life experiences and she began to talk about how she would always imagine Jesus flying in the clouds overhead. I was like “Me too!” We both discovered at that time we had been seeing Him for real, and were encouraged. Another time I was talking to the accountant on staff and I was telling her about the vampires I used to imagine–when I suddenly realized and said aloud, “Oh my god, they were real!”

It’s a bit of a shocker when you realized that imaginary creatures you used to see as a teen were actually REALLY there outside your window–and in some ways it makes it all the creepier. What were they doing there? What did they do that I don’t know about? The Lord was very kind to me because He used that revelation to help me go through some pretty intense inner healing and deliverance a few weeks later relating to that very subject, but to this day when I think about them it still creeps me out, so I suppose I have a little room yet to go. Not to mention that now I am better at seeing in the spirit than I used to, it can get pretty ugly when looking outside at night, so I often keep the curtains to our bedroom closed when we sleep.

The one major lesson I learned from this is that “real” and “reality” are sometimes a bit more unclear than we think. Visions are real–the experiences we have within them are reality. They aren’t made up or fabricated by our minds, but are the same as if we physically experienced them–and truth be told, our subconscious mind treats both the same way! If you have difficulty with the idea that visions are real, or aren’t sure if what you think you see is your mind making it up, I will be honest in saying that it is unlikely you are making them up. To this day I still see fairies, vampires, animals, angels, gnomes, elves, and all other manner of strange things in the spirit, and most people would think that I am making it up–unless they understand how visions work. And if you see that sort of stuff too, even as a Christian, you aren’t alone. I have spent a lot of time honing my ability to see in the spirit, and I have learned to tell when I am making something up versus when I am having a vision.

If you want to learn more about spiritual sight, I encourage you to find a friend who can perceive in the spirit along with you, and practice what you see.  Get a copy of Praying Medic’s book Seeing in the Spirit Made Simple or Michael Van Vlymen’s book How to See in the Spirit.  Blake Healy has a book The Veil that is particularly good and is really encouraging. Gary Oates’ book Open My Eyes, Lord has practical, down-to-earth advice on seeing angels and engaging the spiritual realms.  And who knows? Maybe one of these days you will write your own to help people like you and me who didn’t know what they didn’t know, so they too will know that they see. Be blessed.