Now some other thoughts. Other arguments that people have. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” That’s a great one. People always ask what was Paul’s thorn in the flesh? Now it’s a great question because there’s so much debate and confusion about it but it’s actually kind of a silly question     because the Bible actually says what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Did you know that? It says “There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan sent to torment me.” Now that’s pretty clear. In fact the Greek word for messenger is “angelos” which is the word translated “angel,” an angel of Satan. And there’s only two other places that mention angels of Satan. Like the dragon and his angels were thrown down to the earth. Right? And I don’t remember what the other one is but only two places and it’s always referring to demons. So pretty simple. A demon of Satan was given to him.

A messenger of Satan was given to him to keep him humble. Now what did that demon do? That’s the part that’s a debate. Okay? It was just a demon. Now some demons can cause a physical problems. Sure. I’ve seen a whole lot of that happen. But in this case I’ve walked through all these questions. You know some of the popular theories like Paul having an eye problem. I mean I’ve written about this extensively. There’s no way to make that work. In fact if you want to read a classic book that’ll teach you that, F.F. Bosworth wrote one and thoroughly dismantled the idea that Paul had an eye problem. It’s kind of ridiculous when you see the logic of it especially looking at the fullness of the New Testament. But, yeah, I personally believe that it was a demon inciting persecution everywhere Paul went.

Cause he faced more persecution than anybody. In fact he said it was sent to buffet me and that word “buffet” means repeated blows [sounds of his fists hitting] as with a fist. Now furthermore some people question maybe this is my thorn in the flesh or something like that. I say, no. Throw that away. Because you know you’re telling me that you— Smith Wigglesworth. Actually if you know who he is. He was a minister back in the early 1900’s. And he— a woman came to him and said that and if I remember right he said something like are you so prideful that you think you’ve had such an abundance of revelations as Paul did that you need a thorn in the flesh? Be healed in Jesus name and the woman got healed. (laughs)  

AUDIENCE: (LAUGHTER)

ART: Yeah. So separate yourself from that thinking. Set aside the thorn in the flesh thing. That’s not for you. If you’ve had all kinds of crazy revelations of heaven that are too wonderful to share then sure you’re allowed to have one if you want to. It’s okay?  

AUDIENCE: (LAUGHTER)

ART: But until you’ve had that I’m not letting you claim it. All right? So that’s the deal. Now another one. Jacob’s limp. What about Jacob? He limped for the rest of his life and it was a blessing. Did you know that’s nowhere in the Bible? Did you know that? I searched backwards and forwards could not find anything that said Jacob limped for the rest of his life. What I did find the reason we believe it is because Jacob wrestles with that angel. Right? And some believe that is was actually a pre-incarnate Jesus that he wrestled with and he wrestles with Him until I want that blessing. Right? And then the blessing was a dislocated hip or something like that, we think. But whatever happened it says that as the sun rose over Peniel, Jacob stumbled. He limped or halted says the King James.

The Greek word there literally means “stumbled” in fact everywhere else that it’s used in the Old Testament to describe an action it’s translated “stumbled” but to describe a person it’s translated “lame.” Okay? And then the other verse we have is that at the end of his life at 140 years old it says he leaned on his staff and blessed his sons. And people say well he leaned on his staff. That meant he must have limped his whole life. Moses had a staff. We don’t think he limped. Elijah had a staff. We don’t think he limped. It was a sign of authority. And if you’re 140 years old I expect you to be leaning on a staff. Right?

SID: In other words, if you knew where they were, you could get your prayers answered, you could accomplish everything the Bible says you’re supposed to, but you have to know where it is. So what did you see?

JAMES: I saw that covering, and I prayed to the Lord to break the power of the enemy to cover the open portals. And it was then that I came to understand that these were portals for prayer. And as soon as I asked the Lord and I stood with him to rebuke them, all the dark clouds went away. All the portals were suddenly open. Now these are not little tiny little openings. They’re huge. And immediately, the prayers of the people were going through.

Now, the Lord told me that he was showing it to me that way, but actually the prayers were never stopped. It’s a delusion that the enemy has to try to bring doubt into our lives, to make us afraid and think, “Well, heaven’s closed. My prayers are not being heard.” And I hear that from people all the time, “The Lord is not hearing my prayers.” Yes, he is. He’s hearing your prayers. And even if you’re seeing the dark cloud, that’s something that’s dark within us. And what we need to do is to rebuke that, to get rid of that so that we can see it and we have the confidence to know our prayers are getting through to the Lord.

SID: You wrote an entire book on spiritual preparation. And if I was God, I would have picked a Colonel to do a manual on how to survive in the last days. Give me a couple of the steps. I happen to really like this step called, let go of excessive baggage.

JAMES: Well, that one also began with a vision. That’s a surprise, right? But anyway, I was walking on this really beautiful road up a mountain, and it was, the road was going around the mountain so you’re constantly getting closer and closer to the top. It was smooth, it was easy, which is a little unusual, but that’s what I was experiencing. And I suddenly came to a barrier, and the barrier blocked the whole road. And there was a sign there that said, to proceed, leave all unnecessary baggage behind. And I saw several bags there that other people are left behind. So I dropped everything I had, it opened, and I moved up. And so I began to pray for understanding about those bags. What is it that we really need to drop? And the Lord showed me that there’s some spiritual baggage that we need to get rid of.

You know, it’s hard enough to carry physical stuff, but if you’re also weighed down by spiritual things, and the Lord was saying that one of the things we need to get rid of is all unresolved sin. He’s already created a process to do that. All we have to do is repent and ask Jesus to forgive us and to come into our hearts again. He also said get rid of all the doctrines of man. Get back to my doctrine, but unload all that baggage, stuff that you learned all through your life that’s just really not biblical.

He said, get rid of false guilt. Now, false guilt is when we feel guilty about something we had absolutely no control over. That’s false guilt. You’re not guilty for what you couldn’t do or couldn’t have control over. But a lot of people carry that baggage, and we see it across the country now. We’re being told to feel guilty about things that happened in the past that we had no control over. We weren’t even alive when some of these things happened.

JOHN: Okay, some of you aren’t getting this, some of you are. Okay, all right. All of you know me as John Bevere, speaker, some of you know me as John Bevere, author, but there is a lady, and she is a lady, her name is Lisa, Lisa Bevere. She knows me as John Bevere, husband, she knows me as John Bevere, best friend, she knows me as John Bevere, Dad, she knows me as John Bevere, Gee Daddy, that’s grandpa because I’m way too young to be called grandpa, she knows me as John Bevere, athlete, she knows me as John Bevere, lover. Now can I say this û none of you will ever know me as John Bevere, lover!

AUDIENE: (LAUGHING)

JOHN: That is a facet of my personality you will never know. Only Lisa knows it because she’s the closest person to me on this earth. God just revealed a facet of His personality to Abraham that nobody had ever known before because he’s my friend. Now if you look at the relationship between God and Abraham it’s amazing. One day God makes this statement: Should we do what we’re planning on doing with Sodom and Gomorrah without first talking to our friend Abraham about this? So the Lord comes down by the terebinth tree, has a meal with Abraham and He and Abraham leave the two angels and everybody else, all the servants and they go over to the cliff and they look over the plains of Sodom and the Lord looks at Abe and says, “Abe, we’re thinking about blowing up these two cities. What do you think?”

AUDIENCE: (BIG LAUGHTER)

JOHN: And Abe goes SODOM! And the Lord goes yeah, yeah, yeah, Sodom, and Gomorrah, too. What do you think? And Abe goes “think, think, think— Okay, okay, wait! You wouldn’t like blow up these two cities if there was 50 righteous people, would you? And the Lord goes, “Excellent idea, excellent idea! Okay, we will not blow up the cities if there’s 50 righteous people.” Glad we talked to our friend, Abraham. Abraham goes what if there isn’t 50.  He goes wait a minute, wait a minute, what about if there was 45 righteous people? Would you blow up the cities if there’s 45? The Lord goes “another good idea. Okay, we will not blow up the cities if there’s 45.” So Abraham talks Him all the way down to ten. He figures there’s got to be ten, I mean I got Lot’s, one, all I need is 9 others. Right?

AUDIENCE: (LAUGHTER)

JOHN: But you know there’s not. Now this is what is amazing. The Bible says Sodom and Gomorrah’s buying, selling, trading, marrying, giving in marriage, planting and harvesting. What is all that in today’s vernacular? Life is great, the economy is booming, and if there is a God, He doesn’t mind our lifestyle. They’re 24 hours from being obliterated and they’re clueless. That is not what’s scary. This is what is scary! Everybody say ‘lot”!

AUDIENCE: Lot!

JOHN: Who the Bible calls righteous. Okay, let me put it to you in today’s terminology. Saved, born again, Christian.

AUDIENCE: Right, uh, huh, c’mon now. JOHN: Lot’s 24 hours away from being obliterated. He’s as clueless as Sodom and Gomorrah. It takes two messengers of mercy, two angels, because Abraham prayed, thank God Abraham prayed, to get him out. And his wife was a little too attached, that’s why she became a pillar of salt and Jesus says in the New Testament ‘remember Lot’s wife” in speaking about the fear of the Lord.