Chapter 2: All Power In Heaven And On Earth

"All Power in Heaven and on Earth Then Jesus came and spoke to them saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
(MATTHEW 28:18)

The year 1996, as pastor Larry Randolph had prophesied, became the most wonderful, exciting, meaningful and empowering year of my life. It all began on New Year's Eve 1995. The anointing of the Lord was so very real to me throughout the entire evening. In fact, His presence was literally so hot that I could hardly breathe.

I had experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit before, but this night was so different. It was a time of intense love and excitement, and I sensed that something uniquely wonderful yet mysterious was about to happen to me.

What I was experiencing defied reason and logic, but the presence of the Lord was so real that I felt like I could have reached out and held His hand tangibly. It was a spiritual reality, but it far exceeded anything I had ever experienced in the natural realm.

There was an expectancy in my heart. Somehow I realized that all I needed to do was to continue waiting in the presence of the Lord, and He would speak to me and show me wonderful things. Throughout that long, yet pleasant night, I held onto a verse from Jeremiah that contains a promise from our Father: 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know' (Jer. 33:3).

While I waited with eager anticipation, I could hear the firecrackers and other loud noises of revelers ringing in the new year. As 1995 turned to 1996, I continued waiting, and throughout the wee hours of the morning until daybreak I waited. Nothing happened, but I was determined to hear from God.

January 1, 1996, was a cold, damp day in the Northwest, but there was a precious warmth in my heart that no winter wind could chill. The Word of God spoke to my heart, 'Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!' (Ps. 27:14).

Waiting'one of the hardest things in the world to do, and yet it is the key to so much empowerment in the spiritual life. The Lord wants us to wait in His presence, because it is in this way that we develop the patience we need to grow and to serve.

Even though I had not slept at all the previous night, on New Year's Day I felt rested, happy and alive while my family and I celebrated the holiday. From 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. of New Year's Day the heat of the Lord's presence reminded me to keep the night watch once again. I slept briefly, then awoke refreshed, yearning to hear the Lord's voice speaking to me.

This almost sleepless schedule continued throughout the first half of January. Still I had not heard the Lord. By faith, however, I sensed that He was preparing me for a personal encounter with Him.

TREMBLING IN THE NIGHT

On January 19 I awoke at 3 a.m. My body was shaking. This had never happened in my sleep. Since Easter Sunday 1995, however, my body had been shaking during worship services at church and in moments of personal prayer.

There's something about the night'a time of quietness and few distractions'that affords a special opportunity for the Lord to draw close to His people. This was certainly the case with me.

Sometimes the anointing of God was so heavy on me that I felt as if I would faint. At other times it would leave me feeling dizzy and weak. Often I would lay in bed completely immobilized by the overpowering presence of God. It is all too wonderful to fully describe, but I will endeavor to show you what it was like.

The Bible is replete with examples of people quaking and shaking in the presence of the Lord. Sometimes this manifestation is accompanied by fear, but most of the time it is preparatory; God is about to do a great work through a yielded vessel. Certainly the latter was true with the prophet Jeremiah, who heard God's voice pleading with him: ''Do you not fear Me?' says the Lord. 'Will you not tremble at My presence?'' (Jer. 5:22).

The one who would become known as the 'weeping prophet' answered God's plea: 'My heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of the Lord, and because of His holy words' (Jer. 23:9).

The Word of God shows us that trembling and shaking are appropriate physical responses to the presence of the Lord. Other examples are found in Daniel 10:7;Psalm 99:1, 114:7;Habakkuk 3:16; and Matthew 28:4, as well as in Acts 4:31, one of my favorites: 'And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.'

'I WANT TO TALK TO YOU'

On the night of January 19, the Lord's presence was so intense in my bedroom that I shook, perspired and felt very weak for more than an hour. Then I heard something. Was it the voice of my Lord and Master?

I turned my head on the pillow to look in the direction of the sound, and there, all aglow, was a figure dressed in white garments. The radiance that emanated from this unknown visitor was so brilliant that I could not see His face, but in my heart of hearts I knew that I had been blessed with a special visitation from the Lord.

How could this be happening to me? I wondered, as I began to tremble even more violently and weep tears of love and joy. It was the Lord'the Lord of heaven and earth'and He had willingly chosen to visit me in this special way. I felt so humbled by His presence. I could not stop crying.

'My daughter, Choo Nam, I am your Lord, and I want to talk to you. You have been My special daughter for a long time.'

The impact of His voice, His words, His message hit me with a supernatural force that left me reeling. My body shook harder, and I felt my spirit rising within. The gift of tongues began to flow, followed by a clear interpretation.

I moved as close to the edge of my bed as possible so that I wouldn't waken my husband, Roger, asleep next to me. For a moment I wondered how he could possibly sleep with such brightness in the room and the incessant shaking that seemed powerful enough to make the bed collapse. But this was a special moment for me to receive from the Lord, so Roger continued to sleep.

The Lord spoke once more in His calmly reassuring yet very firm voice: 'Daughter, you are such an obedient child, and I want to give you special gifts. These gifts are going to serve Me greatly. I want you to be happy about these gifts.'

I knew at that moment God was choosing me to do an important work for Him and that this must become my single-minded purpose. I knew I had nothing to give Him except my heart and my life, and I was willing to do whatever He wanted, to go wherever He wanted. It was a night of commitment, challenge and purpose. My wonderful Lord was beginning to reveal His will to me.

I have known since then that when my body begins to shake from the inside out, God soon will be speaking to me. I also knew then that His words would be life and victory.

My body stopped trembling, and I fell into one of the most peaceful, restful sleeps I could remember having in years. Throughout the next day I felt so anointed and happy because I had met the Master face-to-face. That morning I asked Roger if he had felt or heard anything during the night.

He shook his head. 'I guess I'm just a deep sleeper,' he said.

God had chosen me for a specific work. It was too wonderful to imagine, and yet it was exciting beyond words. I opened my Bible to the book of John and read these stirring words that coincided with Pastor Randolph's prophecy: 'You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you' (John 15:16).

The Lord had chosen me to go and bear lasting fruit. This is what I wanted more than anything in the world. His Word, His presence, His anointing confirmed His calling in my life. I committed my heart to obeying the Lord from that moment on, no matter what the consequences.

Then my eyes fell to the preceding verses: 'You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you' (John 15:14-15).

God was confirming His rhema word to me'from Pastor Randolph'through His logos, the Bible. The pastor's words came back to me: 'God's going to tell you things about people that you'll never tell people. You'll pray for and intercede, and hold them up in prayer because you're going to be a friend of God'and that's a true prophet; it's just a friend of God. A friend of God. He's going to tell you secrets about other people's lives and about things He's doing in the earth. So, get ready in 1996 for a fresh anointing of the prophetic to come upon your life.'

Now it was happening, and I could hardly wait to discover what God would tell me next.

A PROPHECY FULFILLED

On January 20 I awoke between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. The anointing of the Lord's presence awakened me and was accompanied again by intense heat. I was half asleep, but suddenly the Lord's voice woke me completely, saying: 'Daughter, I am going to visit you many times before this work is done. Therefore, I want you to rest during daytime hours. I have many special plans for you. I will use you in a great way, but it will take awhile to get you ready for the work I've called you to do. You must write down what you hear during each of My visits.'

The whole experience stunned me, and I was amazed to think that He would visit me again and again. Surely one visit with the Lord should be enough. Yet He said He would be returning to me personally so that He could get me ready for the work He has for me to do.

Just as suddenly as He came into my bedroom, He departed. I could neither hear nor see Him. The shaking dissipated. His reassuring words, and His wonderful visit, left me feeling very happy, peaceful and certainly curious.

It was as if I had climbed a high mountain in my native land of Korea from which I could see clearly for miles and miles and as if I were breathing the rich, clean air of the mountain heights. My mind was focused, my heart was joyful, and I felt healthy and happy. I determined to obey the voice of the Lord by taking one step at a time, because I knew He would lead me each step of the way.

HOUR OF EMPOWERMENT

It happened again the next morning. Between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. I awoke suddenly. My body was shaking uncontrollably, and I was perspiring heavily. The anointing of the Lord's presence was upon me.

The Lord said, 'You are My precious daughter. I will be with you always, wherever you are. I love you just as you are.'

As I lay there, soaking in His every word, I was overcome by awe and adoration. He went on: 'I am giving you the power that you will need for the work I've called you to do. I am preparing you to serve Me. Your body shakes as the power flows into you. I am giving you all the spiritual gifts. I am releasing your spirit so you will be completely free to serve Me.'

A few days before this I had had a dream during which I had climbed a mountain. When I reached the summit I was able to touch the clouds. The Lord reminded me of that dream and explained its spiritual significance to me.

'You will go to that height as you minister in My name,' He said.

For the first time during one of His personal visits to me I raised a question.

'Lord,' I said, 'what do You want me to do? I don't really know anything about ministering.'

'I will guide You and show You what I want You to do.'

'What about my husband?' I asked.

'Don't worry about him. I will bless him and minister to him also.'

Once again His words were wonderfully reassuring, liberating and empowering. Truly I felt the power of His words unleashing power in my spirit. When He stopped talking to me that morning, the shaking stopped as well.

ON FIRE FOR GOD

These wonderfully new experiences were quickening my body with joy. My heart was soaring, and my mind was filled with childlike curiosity. Where I once had felt insecure, I felt completely free. I realized my new future would be entirely different because all my hopes and dreams truly depended on the Lord. I was truly alive, and it was a vibrant life beyond all my expectations.

On January 25 the Lord talked with me from 3 a.m. until 4 a.m. This time, I had awakened before He arrived on the scene, and while I lay silently in my bed, I anticipated another meeting with my Lord and Savior. The familiar shaking began precisely at 3:00. By now I had learned that this meant my Savior would soon be with me. I had learned to sense His presence, and when I turned in the direction where He usually stood, I saw Him.

His radiance, His strong voice, His loving presence always transport me into a different world. I'm sure it's the realm of eternity where time and space hold little significance, and physical and material things do not matter. It is a realm of the spirit'so bright and peaceful'a place where life takes on new meaning and purpose. It is a little bit of heaven on earth.

The shaking continued for twenty minutes. I began to view it as being like a spiritual transfusion. The power of the Holy Spirit was coursing through every nerve, sinew, muscle and organ of my body. It was setting me on fire with the power of God.

This must have been what the disciples experienced on the Day of Pentecost when the Lord baptized them with the Holy Spirit and fire. 'And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting' (Acts 2:2). When the power of God falls, strangely wonderful things begin to happen in our lives.

That night Jesus spoke to me in His inimitable way, 'I am your Lord, My daughter. I want You to hear and remember everything I tell you. When You write it down, use My exact words. You are sleepy, but do not miss any of the words I tell you. I will be visiting You many times in the future because I have important work for You to do. You are the child I am going to use to do this work for Me, so be prepared.'

ANSWERED PRAYERS

A few days later, on January 28, I awoke, shaking again. It was between 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning. I felt so overcome by the presence of the Lord that I was weak. My body was so hot that I was perspiring. It seemed as if I was dreaming, but I soon realized that this was no dream.

'I am your Lord, My daughter,' Jesus said. Then I glanced toward the window, in the direction of His majestic voice, and I saw His radiant figure standing there.

'I know You have been so hungry to serve Me, but You did not know how to serve Me yet. I know you do not want to be embarrassed when you come before Me. I know all your thoughts, and I love your thoughts.'

This message from my Savior spoke volumes to my heart. I now knew what once I had only believed'that Jesus hears and answers prayer. I had prayed that God would help me serve Him so I will not be embarrassed when I stand before Him. I had told Him, so many times, how much I wanted to serve Him, and I always told Him that I didn't know how.

It is for this reason that I always read the Bible both in English and Korean'to gain the deepest possible understanding of the Word of God so I can share it with others. Serving the Lord was my deepest desire after I learned what the Lord had done for me.

'Daughter, your prayers have been answered, and you will serve Me greatly. You will have much work to do for Me. What you will do for Me will please you. You are My faithful daughter, and that is why I am giving this important work for you to do.'

The shaking subsided, and the Lord departed from my room. My mind was drawn to His Word: 'Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him' (1 John 5:14-15).

I now know the truth of this wonderful prayer promise. It is an infallible premise of the Word of God that He does, in fact, hear us when we pray according to His will, and His will is revealed in the Bible.

It is His will for us to bear lasting fruit in His name. It is His will for us to minister to others. It is His will for us to believe when we pray. It is His will for us to spend time in His presence, to wait upon Him.

Therefore, when I pray according to these aspects of His will, as they are revealed in His Word, I know that He hears me. This is a very firm realization to me now.

The visitations from the Lord have given me the growing confidence that comes from spending time with God. He was there; He is always there. I know He will never leave me or forsake me. He is my friend, my constant companion, my Lord and Master. He is my loving Savior.

I now know, beyond all doubt, that God loves me and hears and answers prayer. He knows my thoughts and feelings, and He cares.

MANY CHURCHES TO VISIT

The next day, January 29, provided me with an inkling of God's plans and purposes for the ministry He was preparing me for. He came to me early in the morning, just before daybreak, and said, 'Daughter, I want you to look at something.'

In the spirit He transported me to an unknown church'a very large church filled with dark-skinned men. There were no women present in this particular assembly. Jesus explained, 'You will visit many churches as you do My work.'

Never had I experienced anything like this. It was as if I were able to fly with the Lord to a different time and place. It was an incredible sensation. He told me more.

'My daughter, I have many surprises for you,' He said, 'so expect to receive them all. I will be with you everywhere. You will never have to worry about anything while you are on this earth. I want you to be happy every day of your life.'

Then He disappeared. After this visit, I knew that each visit thereafter would provide me with new clues about my future. When the Lord told me that I would never have to worry again, I rejoiced because I had been prone to worry and insecurity since my early childhood. He was healing me on the inside while He was preparing me for ministry.

The sweetness of His presence can only be described as total peace. It enabled me to live and walk in the truth of His Word: 'Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid' (John 14:27).