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THE CHAPEL: A Vision of Intercession
Victoria Boyson
www.victoriaboyson.com
Years ago I struggled
through a depression for a period of time. Because of this, I cried out to the Lord for help. His answer came to me in a vision. I had recently gone through several traumatic events that left me feeling emotionally numb; I
felt overwhelmed by the reality of the painful events that had occurred.
I knew that this was a time for me to experience just a portion of the pain Jesus Himself had endured on the cross. The Lord did not allow me
to endure more than He knew I could handle, but it felt like much more.
The suffering I endured opened my heart and mind to experience so much more of God than I had previously known was available to me. I found
during this time that God is truly on my side! And His love for me didn't stop with salvation, but He continues to save every day. He is on my side, and He prays for me.
"If God is for us, who can be against
us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
"Who will bring any charge against those who God has chosen? It is
God who justifies; who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Ro. 8:31-34).
I had known from childhood
that Jesus loved me. I was raised in the church and cannot remember not knowing the song, "Jesus Loves Me." However, there is a difference between knowing love and feeling it. I knew God loved me, but during this time I could not feel His love for me. I cried out to the Lord to show me His love...He did.
My Vision
On this day the Lord opened the spirit realm for me and suddenly I saw heaven. There were rolling green hills with large beautiful trees that dotted the landscape. As I stood on top of one of the endless
hills, I saw nestled in the valley below a small ornate chapel. I knew in my spirit that I just had to be there, and suddenly I was there.
The chapel looked very old, but was obviously well cared for. Through the
windows of the chapel I could see a light glowing inside; I was compelled to go in. I opened the door at the back of the chapel and stood there for a while absorbing the warmth from the light inside.
The chapel was
empty except for one man who was praying at the altar. An amber glow filled the area where he knelt, and I had a forceful desire to see who it was. Instantly, I was at the front of the chapel looking at the man who was
kneeling there.
He was crying and seemed desperate to touch the heart of the Father with his prayers. He prayed with such earnestness, that I was curious to find out what he was praying for. He did not appear to know
that I was there, so I moved closer to him. As I saw his face streaming with tears in deep intercession, I heard him say, "Father, please help Victoria." I gasped. "He is praying for me," I
thought.
It was then that I recognized who this man was...it was Jesus.
The man praying in earnest was my Lord Jesus and I was the subject of His prayers. He was crying and interceding for me. I felt the love
He had for me and His desperate desire that I be pulled from the depression that had gripped my life.
I stepped back from the Lord to try and process all that I was seeing. I was completely stunned. Who was I that
Jesus would intercede for me and with such earnestness? Was I really that special to Him? Did He really love me that much? Why would He take all this time by Himself, just to pray for me? It was difficult for me to fathom that His love for me was that great? But it was.
I sat for a while at the back of the church, watching Him pray. Suddenly, He stood up and turned and looked at me. He saw I was there and ran to me. Falling at my knees, He reached to embrace me, but I was still in such shock; I did not return His embrace. He looked at me with such love, that I was finally shaken from my numbness and became fully aware of the love I was experiencing.
My eyes were opened and now I could see and feel His love for me. I
knew then that I was very precious to Him.
You are Very Special
Why is it that if you believe you are special to God, some accuse you of thinking too much of yourself? Are we not all precious in His sight?
If you were special enough for God to send His own Son to die for you, then you can believe that you are special enough for Jesus to intercede for. He gave Himself for you once in death, and He gives His life in intercession for you now. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?" (Ro. 8:32).
He is for you, NOT against you! He is the one trying to convince you that it is possible for you to do great things for His glory. And "if God be for us, who can be against us?" (Ro. 8:31). The answer is: NO ONE CAN!
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or danger or sword?" (Ro. 8:35). "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ro. 8:38-39).
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 7:25 emphasis mine).
He died for us that we might live, yet now He lives to pray for us that we would experience all of Him! He saves us completely, not just at our redemption, but He desires our complete transformation. He knows this is the only chance we have of truly living, to become one with Him in every aspect of our lives - giving our all to Him and watching Him transform us into His likeness.
That moment in my life when I was permitted to see Him interceding for me changed my life. And I hope that reading about this experience will also have an impact on yours.
You are very special to God and He wants you to know it. It is not presumptuous to think that you are special. You are not just another face in the crowd to Him. You are what He died for. You are His priceless treasure.
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NEW Book by Victoria Boyson