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CITY IN THE SKY - Chapter Fourteen

 

THE DARK VALLEY EXPERIENCE

(The earth will be literally dark just before Jesus appears)
 

What do people experience who pass through the valley of the shadow of death?  Many have returned to tell us about it, and from their experiences we have made the following report:

1/  Illness, accident or pain make the physical body unfit for habitation by the soul (spirit).

2/  In some cases the spirit person senses when he/she is leaving the physical body.  Some are surprised to discover that they are still alive and even have supernatural powers.  The body looks the same, it can still see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think, but it is a spiritual body;  it communicates by thought and is not subject to the physical laws of gravity, heat, cold, time or distance.  The spirit may see the physical body from which it came, but does not sense anything that is done to that body.

3/  The spirit person goes through an experience described variously as 'the valley of the shadow of death' (Psa.23:4), a dark and misty way, a forsaken feeling, a sensation of fear or falling, a dark tunnel or dark waters.  To those with complete trust in Jesus, this may happen so quickly as to scarcely be noticed, or be like a dream.  My mother thought at first that she was dreaming.

4/  The spirit person sees a bright shining being, or loved ones, or both.
    4/A  To Christians the bright being is an angel, or Jesus, and saved loved ones appear by the power of God.
    4/B  To those not saved the bright being is satan, the deceiver (Rev.12:9)  who appears as an angel of light (2Cor.11:14).  The 'loved ones' are impersonated by 'friendly' evil spirits.
    4/C  There are cases where unsaved people visit the spirit world and are met by an angel of God instead of an evil spirit.  In these cases the angel is ministering to a person who will become a Christian upon returning to earth. (Heb.1:14)

5/  The spirit person's past is reviewed in a flash.  Christians want to do better.  The sinner's evil deeds are a delight to satan.

6/  The spirit person comes to a 'halfway point,' but is called back by the pleas of loved ones, and returns reluctantly to the body.

7/  Christians who pass the halfway mark are carried by angels to Paradise (Lke.16:22) to be with Jesus and loved ones.
    Sinners who pass the halfway mark are carried by 'friendly' evil spirits to a place of living death, from where there is no returning or seeing people on earth.
    The first death is the spirit leaving its physical body. (Jms.2:26)
    The second death is the spirit (with all its senses) in the lake of fire. (Rev.20:14)

NOTE;  JESUS appears (at His coming) to give His saints glorified spiritual bodies, and to translate them from the darkness of this world to His marvelous light in the City in the Sky.

Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His saints.
Psa.116:15

God has no pleasure
in the death of the wicked.
Eze.33:11

Even if I walk through the shadow of death,
I will not fear,
because Your Presence and Your Words comfort me.
Psa.23:4

Righteousness delivers from death.
Pro.10:2

Lazarus died and was carried
by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
Lke.16:22

A materialistic man died, was buried,
and lifted up his eyes in hell's torment.
Lke.16:22

There is a natural body
and there is a spiritual body.
1Cor.15:44

We shall not all sleep (die),
but we shall all be changed.
1Cor.15:51

(For saints) to be absent from the body
is to be present with the Lord.
2Cor,5:8

Paul's spirit went out of his body
to Paradise, and returned.
2Cor.12:1-4

A trumpet said, 'Come up here,'
and imediately I was in the spirit.
Rev.4:1-2

NOTE  The earth will be dark just before Jesus returns to give His saints glorified, spiritual bodies, and to translate them from darkness to His marvelous light in God's City in the Sky.

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