THE GLORY CLOUD OF REVELATION & PROPHETIC MANTLES ~ PART TWO

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THE GLORY CLOUD OF REVELATION & PROPHETIC MANTLES ~ PART TWO: CONCLUSION
BY TODD BENTLEY, FRESH FIRE MINISTRIES
FLOW IN THE MIND OF CHRIST
The Glory Cloud of Revelation is coming! Walk in it and be healed, delivered, and restored. Walk with the canopy of God’s presence hovering over you, and live life abundantly. Flow in the mind of Christ and live in the ever-increasing flowing river of knowledge and revelation. We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that God has freely given to us (1 Cor. 2:12). Live in the reality of the supernatural world, in the glory cloud of prophetic revelation, which is God Himself.
LIVE AN ASTONISHING LIFE
We must understand the reality of the supernatural, the open heavens, and the heavenly glory. We must reach for revelation and for that place in the spirit where signs and wonders happen. This is the anointing that God wants to release upon His people today. Your life should be astonishing and filled with prophetic visions and encounters with the Lord! It can be so, if you live in the Glory Cloud of Revelation, which is God Himself. How do we reach for this?
As I wrote in Part One, I saw in a vision, the Glory Cloud of Revelation descending upon the church. It was also during this time of prayer that God took me in a vision to what I believed to be the Himalayan Mountains. I saw an Indian man with a turban on his head and heard the whisper of the Spirit say, “This is Sundar Singh. I am releasing anointing of revelation like this.” I had no communication with this old saint, nor did he say anything to me. The experience lasted only a moment.
Before we proceed with this teaching, I want to clarify that it is biblical for men and women of God to experience this type of vision, known as “translation.” Translation is a spiritual adventure where the spirit leaves the body, but the body stays where it is. It stays put. This is one of many ways that God “speaks” to us, or gives us revelation about something.
Elisha received supernatural knowledge of his servant Gehazi’s actions when he was translated in the spirit (2 Kin 5:26). Jesus had a visitation of both Moses and Elijah (Matt. 17: 1–13) Samuel returned to rebuke King Saul when he consulted with a medium for direction. (1 Sam 28:7–19).
It is important to remember the Lord brought the vision and I heard His voice. I did not pursue nor speak with the dead. According to the book of Hebrews, there is a great cloud of witnesses around us, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which so easily ensnares us, and let us run” (Heb. 12:1). This type of vision is referred to as a legal translation, and I cover this subject more in “The Levels of Prophetic Revelation”, in Chapter 2 of my book entitled, The Reality of the Supernatural World. For more info or to order: CANADA or USA / INTL of EUROPE
THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SUNDAR SINGH
Sadhu Sundar Singh was referred to by some as “the great Indian seer” or the “living mystic” and was born in 1889, the youngest child, into an aristocratic Sikh family in Patiala State, North India. Of mixed Sikh and Hindu stock, his early dislike of Christianity after his mother’s death when he was fourteen years old resulted in a symbolic burning of the Bible. Soon after, on December 18, 1904, followed a vision of Jesus Christ, and Singh was baptized in 1905. After his vision, he had just one passionate interest—loving and serving Jesus Christ.
Determined to become a Christian sadhu (holy man), he traveled and preached in the mountain regions from his center at Kotgarh. Stories from those years are astonishing. In 1912, it is said that he returned from the Himalayan Mountains with an extraordinary account of finding a three-hundred year old Christian sadhu who lived as a hermit in a mountain cave. Singh called him the “Maharishi of Kailas.” Sundar was said to have spent some weeks in deep fellowship with him.
1Throughout his twenties, he expanded his ministry and he became well-known throughout the Christian world. In spite of his fame, he reportedly remained unassuming and humble. He said he came not to preach but to witness to the saving power of Jesus. All he wanted to do was to come nearer and nearer to Jesus, to grow more and more like Him, and to live in His service. What he wanted to emphasize most was prayer. 2He attributed all he knew, did, and experienced, to prayer. “Prayer, prayer, and again prayer” was his motto. It is known that he was an awesome Christian witness, and people welcomed him all over the world. However, he suffered intense and sometimes horrific persecution and rejection, but incredible deliverance from his situations, too.
3Upon arriving in the Tibetan village of Lazar, Singh was beaten and thrown to die in a pit filled with rotting bodies. His arm was broken, the pit was sealed above him, and only the Grand Lama had the key. Three nights later, Singh heard the grate open. A shadowy figure lowered a rope and pulled him out. The next morning, he boldly showed himself again, preaching in the streets. The Grand Lama seized him. Furious questions followed. Who had helped him? Who had stolen the key? The Grand Lama pulled the key ring from under his robe, but the key to the pit still hung from it. Terrified, the Grand Lama freed Sundar Singh, but bade him never to return to the area.
Another time Singh claims he had been sewn into a wet yak skin and left to be crushed to death as it shrank in the hot sun. Once, he described how he was tied into cloths laced with leeches and scorpions that stung him, and sucked his blood. On another occasion, he was roped to a tree as bait for wild animals. At these, and other times in his walk, he was rescued by members of the “Sunnyasi Mission,” secret disciples of Christ wearing their Hindu markings, whom Singh claimed to have met all over India.
In 1918, he began to travel abroad and visited countries such as Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China, Europe, North America, and Australia. Several books document his life and ministry.
Singh disappeared in 1929 while traveling to Tibet on foot with no money and circumstances of his death are unknown. He was determined to travel there one last time, despite his friends counseling him against doing so. No one ever saw Sundar Singh again.
Sundar Singh suffered much for Christ, yet he wrote:
When we stand on the edge of a precipice and look down we feel dizzy and are afraid, though the depth may be only a few hundred feet. But we are never afraid when we gaze at the heavens, though our eyes may range over much greater heights. Why? Because we cannot fall upwards. There is, however, a danger of falling down and being dashed to pieces. When we look up to God, we feel that we are safe in Him and that there is no danger whatever. But if we turn away our face from Him, we are filled with fear lest we fall from reality and be broken to pieces.
As extraordinary as his life was in evangelism and persecution, Singh also had numerous extreme prophetic encounters.
VISIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF SUNDAR SINGH
The Lord himself regularly visited Sundar Singh. During these visitations, he would ask questions of the Lord and receive direct answers. ‘At The Master’s Feet’ is a record of these question and answer times with the Lord. Sundar spoke to the Lord as Moses did, face-to-face like a friend speaks to a friend. In his first vision, (recorded in At the Master’s Feet), 4Sundar describes how Jesus came to him. This was the beginning of regular visits from the Lord.
Once on a dark night I went alone into the forest to pray, and seating myself upon a rock I laid before God my deep necessities, and besought His help. After a short time, seeing a poor man coming towards me I thought he had come to ask me for some relief because he was hungry and cold. I said to him, “I am a poor man, and except for this blanket I have nothing at all. You had better go to the village near by and ask for help there.” And lo! Even whilst I was saying this he flashed forth like lightning, and showering drops of blessing, immediately disappeared. Alas! Alas! It was now clear to me that this was my beloved Master who came not to beg from a poor creature like me, but to bless and to enrich me (2 Cor. 8:9), and so I was left weeping and lamenting my folly and lack of insight.
In a second vision on the same rock in prayer, Satan came to him and sought to turn him to being a Hindu or Muslim since the relative impact of his ministry was still small:
On another day, my work being finished, I again went into the forest to pray, and seated upon that same rock began to consider for what blessings I should make petition. Whilst thus engaged, it seemed to me that another man came and stood near me, who, judged by his bearing and dress and manner of speech, appeared to be a revered and devoted servant of God; but his eyes glittered with craft and cunning, and as he spoke he seemed to breathe an odor of hell.
The man said, “But although in the Name of God you have sacrificed yourself body and soul for others, you have never been truly appreciated. My meaning is that being a Christian, only a few thousand Christians have come under your influence, and some even of these distrust you. How much better would it be if you became a Hindu or a Muslim, and thus become a great leader indeed? They are in search of such a spiritual head. If you accept this suggestion of mine, then three hundred and ten million Hindus and Muslims will become your followers, and render you reverent homage”.
I believe God wants us to walk in a similar pattern—that we become renowned for our utmost devotion to Jesus.
THE CHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATIVE TRADITION (LECTIO DIVINA)
Sundar Singh spent at least two hours daily in reading the Scriptures, meditation and prayer. He would arise at 5:00 am and finish by 7:00 or 8:00 depending on what his schedule was for the day. He often spent the whole day or night in prayer. His discipline was to read one chapter of the Bible, rapidly at first reading, then to return to reread passages or verses that were more suggestive to him. These he would linger with and meditate on for as long as it was fruitful for him to do so. Next, he would enter into a period of “recollection” for twenty minutes or so. This was a time of silence, in which he would allow the Lord to speak to him in some way. With his own mind and heart quieted, he opened his mind and his heart to hear what the Lord would have to say to him or just simply enjoy companionship with his Lord. Often this period of silence would extend into a deeper state called “contemplation” in which he enjoyed complete rest and refreshment in the love of God.
Often during times of contemplation, he entered into experiences of ecstasy. He regarded these experiences as the same as St. Paul’s entrance into the “third heaven”. During his latter years, they occurred frequently, as often as ten times a month. About these experiences he said, “I never try to go into ecstasy; nor do I advise others to try. It is a gift to be accepted, but it should not be sought; if given, it is a pearl of great price.”
Anyone who contemplates the heavenly calling of the apostle Paul and his being caught up into the third heaven, and again into Paradise, will lift up his voice to God and say: Glory to God who surely gives great gifts to men!
THE FOUR R’s OF THE CHRISTIAN DEVOTIONAL LIFE
This key is one of the most important tools if we are to see an increase of wisdom and revelation in our lives. In the western Christian tradition, meditation refers to thinking about or the use of the imagination around a passage of scripture, whereas, in India, traditional meditation refers to silencing one’s thoughts. The Christian tradition practices the silencing of thoughts and emotions, but it is called “contemplation” rather than “meditation”. This is one of those unfortunate twists of semantics, which has caused confusion when discussing the spirituality of East and West.
Sundar Singh practiced a sequence of prayer discipline that is identical to ancient Christian monastic disciplines: reading the scriptures, meditation on a passage of the reading (also called response of the mind and heart), recollection, and rest. This sequence is also called lectio divina in Latin. It means divine reading, or more precisely, divine listening, since few people in that day could actually read. When ordinary Christians attended church to hear the Scriptures read aloud, they’d memorize a passage or a verse, and ponder it for a week.
These are the four R’s of lectio divina or Christian devotional life:
1.       Reading (hearing) the Word.
2.       Responding to the Word with mind and heart.
3.       Recollecting oneself with an open mind and open heart to God’s will, and
4.       Resting in His Presence.
Christianity is a way of life, not a hobby, or a pastime. As such, we must treat it as serious business. Reflecting on God and His way should not be taken lightly. We must modify our schedules and make the time to meditate, contemplate, and reflect on His word.
Find a quiet place, away from noise or distractions. Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening (Genesis 24:63). King David lay on his bed to meditate: “When I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches (Ps. 63:6).
Reflect on “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Phil 4:8). Contemplate God’s instruction, be grateful for answered prayer. Recall the day’s events, reflect on them, analyze them, apply God’s law to them, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies” (Ps. 119:59).
Meditation brings wisdom and understanding: “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation” (Ps. 119:98, 99). Meditation on God’s Word brings prosperity and success: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Josh. 1:8).
Meditation brings hope, “Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall, this I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. They are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:19, 21, 23) and meditation brings great blessing “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Ps. 1:3).
Sundar Singh was a true example of a seer prophet, a powerful evangelist, of life in the Spirit, and holy devotion to Christ his Master. We need this anointing for effective evangelization today, in every corner of the globe.
Take the time to study and contemplate Sundar’s life, and the lives of other great generals of faith over the last five-thousand years, and learn what it truly means to be God’s friend. They were believers totally devoted to the Lord in holiness and consecration, and they remained in the tent of His glory and encountered Him in mighty ways. God spoke to them as friends and in plain sayings. Theirs were lives of commitment and prayer. They were real, and their lives have meaning for us today. David said,
I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah. And I said, ‘This is my anguish; but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.’ (Ps. 77:5–12).
Choose to live an astonishing life by choosing God’s presence over everything. Read His Word, Respond to His call, Recollect and remember His wonders, and Rest in His magnificent Presence amidst the cloud, the glory of the Lord.
REFERENCES:
1 Links In A Golden Chain: © Copyright 1996, by Kathryn Lindskoog
2 Heiler, 88.
3 http://www.consumingfire.com/sadhu.htm
4 Source: At the Master’s Feet, Sundar Singh, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/singh/feet.vii.i.html , accessed June 4, 2006
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