Hell and Back

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden…. Let your light shine before men.’ (Matthew 5:14-15)

Last Thursday night I had a dream in which Jesus came to me to tell me that he wanted to take me to hell to see a sample of what it was like. At first I was very reluctant to go! In my own life I guess I haven’t thought much about hell.

Perhaps I thought hell was like the last, cheapest hotel on Highway 5; dirty linens, no trees and very hot sunshine.

There is a popular saying that hell is paved with the road of good intentions. I have never quite understood what that meant; all I knew was that it wasn’t good .I think it is something that angry parents tell their children when the kids don’t do their homework.

Jesus assured me that he would stay with me so we went for a brief visit to a place no one wants to see in person. On this evening Jesus took me to a strategy session of hundreds of demon warriors sitting around a campfire. Their faces were distorted and each demon wore a mask similar to what you would see actors wear in a Greek play. The masks had bizarre shapes and represented sinful emotions: greed, lust, anger, selfishness etc. I could feel my heart beating faster as I looked back and forth at the bizarre, twisted demeanor of the group. The air was putrid and I felt like I could barely breathe. I grabbed onto Jesus tighter than before.

One of the masked creatures was complaining loudly with gross distorted gestures while the others were agreeing as they swayed back and forth to the tempo of the speaker’s words. They were talking about me! What breath I did have dried up inside my body when I heard the demon mention my name. The demon was complaining that the Sozo I had been involved in that very night that had set a young man free. The demons brazen comments were stating that he couldn’t take it anymore; he was losing his rights to people because of Sozo.

Jesus leaned over and whispered to me, “Isn’t it wonderful what you and I did today? They’re mad at us and it’s great. Keep it up Son.”

In a moment I was back in bed in the cramped little shoebox (RV). Katy stirred slowly as I leapt up in the bed. I had been to hell and back!

What I learned that night is that Hell is no one’s place of destiny. To get there is a road of speed bumps, pot holes and unresolved life issues. Hell is not a path of promise and it is much worse than Highway 5!

I realized my little ministry efforts had made a dent in the plans of the demons of hell. Never underestimate what your prayers and daily efforts to minister to the world can do when you co-operate with Jesus.