“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
He will dwell with them, and they will be His people,
and God himself will be with them as their God.” Revelation 21:3
Maui, the New Jerusalem and a Strange Visitor
Enthusiastically, my sister and I flew in from LAX to Maui to visit our favorite aunt. Smiling, happy faces greeted us at the Kahului airport.
The scenery was beautiful! Refreshing greenery and ancient Hawaiian ferns adorned the Maui roads. Breath taking scenery with sweet fragrances filled our nostrils as we took in the fresh air. As legend goes, the island is shaped to resemble the demigod Maui, who pulled the island from the sea to lasso in the sun on Haleakala that rests on the east side.
Mama’s Fish House was always a tradition, so we stopped there for a meal. We laughed at the tab for our dinner.
We probably wouldn’t be purchasing any souvenirs. After our sumptuous meal, we headed to
Huelo Point. On our way we noticed the crashing waves and the many surfers on the beach. As we headed toward the teahouse, brilliant orange colors of the Maui sunset captured the sky. As the sunset faded, darkness encamped the small village with sinister shadows. Tired from our flight, we decided to turn in early.
The Winged Creature
Fierce winds thrashed wildly that night. While trade winds converged, a battle waged. Ancient Hawaiian legend says that La’ama’oma’o causes windstorms to arise.
Could it be the “Gourd of constant winds” (Lpu-makani-a-ka-maumau) had decided to arise in order to fly the kahuna Kaleiiolu’s large kite? “Where did that come from?” I asked. As I looked up, an ancient Hawaiian mask glared at us. That moment my sister grabbed the mask and quietly hid it from
sight. Determined to sleep, we turned off the lights. Falling into a deep slumber, a new dimension came to life. Dark winged creatures brooded over us in a menacing fashion. As a woman of prayer, I could take authority, but I felt paralyzed as these creatures hovered over me muttering strange words. As I gazed upward, a giant flying creature with outstretched arms reached for my throat. It had the body of a giant bumble bee and a dark distorted face. It had ugly wings and giant elongated arms with dark fingers and claws.
As these ugly claws reached for my throat I began to yell. “Command this beast to go to the pit of Hell” I quipped as I gasped for air. I was caught between two realms and couldn’t breathe. I shouted again, “Please command this creature to go to the pit of Hell in the name of Jesus!” Finally, my sister began to pray, and I was able to slowly come out of the grip of the ugly winged creature. As I gasped for air, my sister asked, “What just happened?” While I recounted the experience, her expression was telling. She didn’t know what to believe. Accustomed to spiritual warfare, I’d never experienced anything quite like this.
As the morning sun began to rise, we sat on the deck of the cottage. As I opened my Bible and the Purpose Driven Life, I pondered the strange encounter. For the moment, I attempted to push it out of my mind and focus on reading and prayer. As we prayed, I began to feel a great peace, joy and a special presence of the Lord. The anointing to pray for the land, the lost and the people was strong. (I’d learned over the years great spiritual battles always ensued before a blessing or break through occurred).
Right behind the teahouse cottage stood a very tall Buddhist monument known as a Stupa. It resembled a giant white crown with a gold tip. Natives would come there to pray, offering incense and fruit to Buddhist deities. The spirit of the Lord would not allow me to go there without feeling oppressed.
A Vision and the New Jerusalem
That evening, another dimension came to life as I beheld a powerful vision. This time, I was taken to an entirely new earthly realm. No longer was the physical presence of the island of Maui present. Instead, a new creation like Maui existed. In this vivid and vibrant vision, I saw heaven and earth joined together. I saw my aunt from a distance walking
through a canopy of trees in a tropical jungle, through an ancient pathway. I knew she was saved, in Christ and no longer Buddhist. Everything in this vision was charged with a white, pure and heavenly light. I saw beautiful Hawaiian ferns, rocks, trees and water. They were all one accord with the Holy Spirit. I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speak softly yet distinctly that the flora and the fauna were of one accord. While I was in the vision, I was aware I was wearing one of my favorite faded green sweatshirts. Feeling light and free of earthly concerns, I was so happy to see my aunt walking freely in the tropical jungle, knowing she was now in Christ.
The island of Maui I was told, and all the surrounding islands were also of one accord with the Holy Spirit and had become an earthly-yet heavenly realm. The scene soon shifted to an entirely different scenario. Instead of light, peace and joy, a more terrible scene unfolded. A lightning bolt from heaven split the white Stupa in half.
Soon the voice of the Lord impressed upon me all other idols and false gods would soon be destroyed. I wanted to jump and shout and clap my hands, but I couldn’t move. The Lord was angry, and I felt a foretaste of His wrath. As the scene unfolded, I was profoundly aware of this new dimension as being our new home, minus false idols and demons. It was highly encouraging and uplifting.
Upon rising the next morning, I was exhilarated and couldn’t wait to share this incredible vision with anyone that would listen. I wanted to shout to the rooftops and to all the islanders that “Jesus Christ was Lord of Lord’s, King of Kings!” I had just beheld one of the most significant visions of the New Jerusalem. I had many questions after this vision. When would this occur? Would I be alive to see it come to pass? When would my aunt be saved? This was one of many visions the Lord brought to bring encouragement for the difficult days ahead. The adventures of a Christian warrior are always exhilarating, tedious yet highly rewarding. As I pondered on the clash of the spiritual reams, the vision and the Lord’s presence, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
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