Others like taking the land - part one Features >>
When The Many Are One
Getting Anger Under Control
7 Things The Holy Spirit Will Do For You
Faith And Patience
Right And Wrong Thinking
Breaking The Threefold Demonic Cord
Slaying The Giants In Your Life
Exposing The Accuser Of The Brethren
Following The Path Of The Eagle
Invading Babylon - The 7 Mountain Mandate
About the Book
"Taking The Land - Part One" by Rick Joyner is a spiritual allegory that follows a group of Christians as they embark on a journey to take possession of their promised land. Through their trials and triumphs, they learn valuable lessons about faith, courage, and obedience. The book serves as a metaphor for the Christian journey towards spiritual growth and victory in the face of spiritual warfare.
Jack Coe
Jack G. Coe was born on March 11, 1918 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His father, George, was a gambler and an alcoholic. His parents, although having been Christians, did not attend church. His grandparents, on his father's side were Christians but they were not able to influence their son's behavior. The couple had seven children in all. When Jack was five his father gambled away all their furniture and their house, leaving his mother Blanche destitute with seven children. They were devastated. His mother tried to make a new life by moving to Pennsylvania, but it was too hard. When Coe's father came to her house promising to change she agreed to reunite. The change did not last, however, and George went back to gambling.
Blanche left George for good, but only took her daughter with her this time. The boys were left with their father, which meant they were essentially left on their own. Often they did not have food to eat. Blanche did return to claim them, but could not care for them on her own. When Jack was nine he and his twelve year old brother was turned over to an orphanage. His older brother ran away, but was hit by a car and died. Jack struggled with rejection and abandonment. At seventeen he left the orphanage and began to drink, becoming an alcoholic like his father. He drank so much he had ulcers and his heart became enlarged. The doctor told him that if he didn't quit drinking he was going to die. Not knowing where else to go he moved to California to be near his mother. When he thought he was near death he promised God he would turn his life around and he was healed for a while. The family moved to Texas and he was drinking again. This time he heard God's voice "This is your last chance". The following Sunday he went to a Nazarene church and accepted Christ. He was radically changed. He went to church meetings almost every night, prayed, and read the Word constantly. After a year and a half he went to a Pentecostal meeting and was filled with the Holy Spirit and had a vision of Jesus.
Jack felt called to the ministry and went to and Assembly of God school called Southwestern Bible Institute, led by P.C. Nelson. He left in 1941 to join the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was so committed to God's purposes that he went to church every night. His sergeant sent him for psychiatric evaluation This happened several times while he was in the army. One day he was reading a book by P.C. Nelson on Healing when he fell asleep. He had a dream where he saw his sister close to death in a hospital but he saw a bright light come into her room and she was healed. He left immediately to see her and everything was as he'd seen it in a dream. She was healed and he was changed forever.
In 1944 Coe became ill with malaria. He was sent home because the doctors felt they could not help him. He sought the Lord who told him "preach the gospel". God healed him. He went out to preach and three people were saved. That year he was ordained as an Assembly of God minister. His healing experiences caused him to seek God about the gifts of healing. In 1945 he felt God called him to have a healing meeting. He went to Texas and announced in a church that God was going to heal the sick, cause the blind to see, and the deaf to hear. Those were bold words indeed! A woman received her sight that night. His ministry was launched. He began traveling over the country.
In 1946 God spoke to Coe and his wife Juanita to sell their house and start an itinerant ministry. They purchased a beat up truck and a ministry tent and began to live on the road. In 1948 God spoke to Coe to go to Redding, California. A woman, whose leg was about to be amputated, was healed and the news spread throughout the city. God blessed the couple and for the first time had enough money to be ahead on their finances. Healings and miracles regularly occurred in his meetings.
There were some very controversial things about Jack Coe. He believed that he should have a larger tent than other evangelists and went and measured Oral Roberts tent, then he ordered one larger. His style was dramatic and he often hit, slapped, or jerked people. He also would pull people out of wheelchairs. His speaking style was aggressive as he challenged people to believe God. He suggested that people who stood against him would be "struck dead by God". He was anti-medicine and told people not to go to doctors. He also encouraged interracial meetings.
In 1950 Coe began publishing the Herald of Healing magazine. Within six years it was being sent to over 350,000 people. God began to speak to Coe about opening an orphanage. He collected money for the project at every meeting. He sold his own home and began to build the children's home. His own family moved into the partially finished building so they would have a place to live. Coe eventually bought 200 acres outside of Dallas and built four dormitories and established a home farm. They could support 200 abandoned children.
In 1952 Coe began a radio ministry, which eventually was carried on over 100 radio stations. He also began having trouble with the Assembly of God organization. Although initially responsive to suggestions, he felt their goal was to limit the ministry. He suggested that the Assembly of God leadership had lost the belief in the miraculous and felt that they should be replaced. Needless to say this aggravated the situation. In 1953 Coe was expelled from the Assembly of God church. They felt that he was independent, extreme, prone to exaggeration, and they weren't sure about his ministry style. Coe felt that it was an attack against his success. He told people that "one of the officials made the remark to me that he would not rest until every man that was preaching divine healing in a deliverance ministry, separated from the General Council of the Assembly of God."
In 1953 Coe started his own church in Dallas. It was called the Dallas Revival Center. God spoke to him that it was important for those not getting healed to receive teaching about healing from the Word. In 1954 Coe opened a faith home, where people could stay for extended periods of time to receive prayer for healing. Teaching and prayer were given daily. 1956 was a pivotal year. While Coe was preaching in Miami he was arrested for practicing medicine without a license. This brought national attention to him and the ministry, both positive and negative. He was acquitted of practicing medicine without a license when the trial went to court.
At the end of 1956 Coe became ill. He had pushed himself night and day for years. He had poor eating habits and was overweight. He thought it was exhaustion but it was bulbar polio, a form of polio that affects the nerves. He became paralyzed, developed pneumonia, and died December 16, 1956.
"Do You Ever Think About Heaven"
Do you ever think about Heaven? The beauty, and how it will be to live in eternity with Jesus? No one knows all about Heaven. And I believe even if we were to see it in person it would be like attempting to define God; overwhelmingly magnificent in so many ways that it would be beyond description. However, some fascinating information about Heaven is in the Bible. So, with the Holy Spirit's prompting, I began to search the scriptures. What I found was a captivating spiritual glimpse of Heaven that I would like to share with you.  Mansions I genuinely believe God has provided a home for us in Heaven “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you,” (John 14:2). There were "many mansions" in Heaven when Jesus made this statement, and He promised to create more. I believe there will be a place prepared for every child of God. Giving up this body will be painful only so far as it pertains to our earthly life, and even that is not as fearful as is typically portrayed, at least not for Christians. The answer is to have absolute belief in God. Having full confidence in His Word brings freedom, and a new dimension to life, and allows us to look forward to whatever He has for us on this earth and for the rest of eternity. The Beauty of Heaven The earth is beautiful with flowers of every color, and symmetry beyond imagination; beautiful fishes in the sea, and the mountains, valleys, rivers, a fantastic variety of animals, birds, seasons of the year, and yes, people, and they are all beautiful. Sunrises and sunsets, so many things we take for granted. But the beauty of the earth cannot compare with the magnificence of Heaven. When we think of Heaven, gates of pearl often come to mind. Pearls can consist of every color. The streets in Heaven are gold, and there is a crystal river flowing from the Throne of God. Biblical descriptions and experiences of those who have visited or received visions of Heaven report a scene of unimaginable beauty. Colors conveying incredible spiritual sensations, and music of another dimension. Heaven will not be a strange experience, but more natural than life on earth; because our citizenship is in Heaven. This earth is not our home. Our home is in Heaven with our Father and our brothers and sisters, with whom we will spend eternity. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ," (Phil 3:20. NKJV). The Father and Son will be there, and our family members and friends who have passed on. There will be Bible people and prophets and Apostles of the Old and New Testament, angels, and other heavenly beings gathered around the Throne of God, (another beauty beyond description). How Will it be to Live in Heaven? I see death as a door we pass through and on the other side a beautiful new way of life beyond comprehension. I believe when we begin to experience the glory of God, we will surely say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor 15:55). I believe we will have a real lifestyle in Heaven, a home, and that we will know one another: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known," (1 Cor 13:12, NKJV). There will be no sickness, heartache, pain, or tears because: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,” (Rev 21:4). Although no one can say with certainty how we will spend our time or what our responsibilities will be, we know that both Jesus and God work, so I believe we will have exciting work: But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working,” (John 5:17). I am sure we will not be sitting on clouds with our feet dangling. I believe we will be busy, and that we will worship God alongside the angels. "And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God," (Rev 7:11-12). There are many things the Bible does not tell us about Heaven. But I am convinced that our lifestyle will be like the other Gifts of God, far beyond anything we can ask or think, and that the parts we have not been told will be the best of all. New Heaven and New Earth "For here we have no lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come," (Heb13:14). At some point, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. We will have much to do, and I believe it will be enjoyable and that we will remain young and energetic forever. “In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells,” (2 Pet 3:13). “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.” (Isa 11:6). The Apostle Paul's Heavenly Visit The Apostle Paul, speaking of himself in 2 Cor 12, said: "And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter." "And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure," (2 Cor 12: 3-4, 7) Later, the Apostle Paul said that he was torn between leaving and staying; and that his only desire for remaining on earth was to tell others about the good news/Gospel, so they could also be with the Lord. "But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake, (Phil 1: 23-24, AMP). Thoughts of Heaven should persuade those who hope for eternal life to follow God’s plan of salvation, and to do everything possible to bring their loved ones and others with them to a Heavenly Home prepared just for them. Jesus is With Us All the Way It is impossible to understand eternity. Even a thousand times ten thousand years will hardly be a mark in eternity. God considered it so valuable that He sent His only begotten Son to give His life so that anyone who was born-again would spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Like John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," the Christian journey to Heaven, except for the Holy Spirit, would be extremely challenging. However, we are not without the Holy Spirit, and Jesus promises to be with us all the way. “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt 28:20). The sorrows, hardships, disappointments, and pain suffered on earth will be of little importance when we receive the first glimpse of our heavenly home. I often visualize my time of transition into Heaven as an experience so beautiful, fantastic and life-changing that it is difficult to think or concentrate on the troubles that plague humanity. I see my life as a journey, or time of preparation for a big event, the greatest adventure of my life. Although Jesus told us it would be a difficult journey, He also said we should continue and that someday we would hear these beautiful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” (Matt 25:21, NLT). Samuel Mills
