Hebrews 1:14 - Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
As I strapped myself into my seat I felt the hot tears welling up again. I turned and looked out the plane’s window to hide the emotional flood that was assaulting me. I was reeling from the news of my mom's death.
When Death Came
Just a few days ago, the Lord woke me up at 4:00 in the morning. I sensed a spirit of death was coming against my mother. I phoned and found her in tremendous pain. I called several friends and asked them to pray and visit her. Over the weekend she did get better, but Monday morning she admitted herself into the hospital. Her left lung collapsed and she was put on a respirator.
Everything inside of me was screaming. I’m on the other side of the world in New Zealand. Please Lord, keep her alive until I get home! I knew there was nothing I could do and there was a church full of people waiting for me. I began to cry. Then I remembered Mom had told me that no matter what happened to her I should keep ministering. I did the meeting with tears streaming down my face. The Lord moved powerfully.
As soon as the meeting was finished, I called the hospital and was surprised to talk to Lillian, an old friend of mine, who had pushed through hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic to pray for her. This Hispanic pastor from East L.A., who lived and ministered in the barrio, had never met her before.
My mom had been a medical doctor who worked for over 30 years at the L.A. County Hospital in the midst of a sprawling barrio. She loved the poor, the outcast and the broken and even reached out to her patient’s families. The Lord brought Lillian as a wonderful picture of how my mom had poured her life out to thousands of homeless and destitute people. Now, alone on her death bed, she was attended by this Hispanic woman.
“Lillian, I’m so relieved you’re there. Quick, break the spirit of death. Tell my mom to wait for me to get back from New Zealand. Tell her to fight for life.” Suddenly a realm of eternity opened. I saw a vision. In the distance a glorious man was emerging. White light illuminated Him. He was getting larger as He quickly approached. His face was radiant and His fiery eyes penetrated my soul. I knew He was coming for my mom.
Startled, I cried out, “No, wait Lord! I need to get home to be with her.” But even as I spoke the words, I knew nothing would deter Him. He came closer. I could feel His unstoppable determination and love. It was her time. Urgently, I said to Lillian, "He’s coming for her. I see Him now. Quickly get right down to her ear and pray the prayer of repentance.” I hung up the phone and prayed until I felt a release in the Spirit.
Later Lillian told me that when she entered the hospital room it felt lonely and depressing. My mom was in a coma and had been unconscious for hours. As she prayed the atmosphere began to change. She was aware of angelic activity moving throughout the room. The darkness was displaced by a glorious light.
Lillian continued, “I told her about the Lord and to my surprise your mom sat up, laughed and said, “Now I know what Jill meant.” Then I said, “Betty, your womb has brought forth a prophetess, so now you can have the prophet's reward. Just run to Him.” She literally laughed herself right into the arms of Jesus. Lillian told me, “I felt Him come for her. She went peacefully into His arms. And do you know what? She sounded just like you when she laughed.”
Angel in a Business Suit
As the plane lifted off from Christchurch, New Zealand, I prayed through my tears, "Lord my whole world is falling apart. Because I left to minister to thousands, I wasn’t able to comfort the most important person in my own life.” Waves of pain rolled over me as I was trapped in a cocoon of grief wondering if I’d made the right choice.
My sister was already at the family home, where I had been living with my mom. She had told me that mom didn’t want a funeral or memorial service. I opened my Bible and was surprised to read, "A man may have a hundred children and live many years… but, if he does not receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3-4).
The last thing I wanted was to talk to anyone. I was embarrassed that I was so unglued in a public place. I just wanted to disappear. I was overwhelmed and distraught. The comforting voice next to me invaded my space by tapping my Bible and saying, "I know the author of that book."
Through my swollen eyes I saw a slender business man in his mid-40’s with slightly graying hair. My heart began to tremble as a spiritual energy enveloped us. I felt a heightened sense of the Lord's presence and He whispered, “Don’t be afraid.” Revelation came to me that this man was a divine messenger, an angel of the Lord. I knew then that it was all right to share the grief that was engulfing me.
I said, "I have a question for you. My mom just died and my family tells me that she did not want a funeral or memorial." I showed him the passage and asked what it meant. He said, "She doesn’t have to have a funeral but she should have a memorial or celebration meeting to release the fullness of her radiance and honor her life’s work. It's a public witness testifying to the fullness of her life."
Knowing and Going
As he spoke, I felt life penetrating my grief and releasing deep comfort and much needed hope. I wanted confirmation of her salvation, so I asked, “Is she with the Lord?” He gently said, "Mankind measures a human life by years, but Jesus measures a life by the passing of seconds. And the last three seconds are the most important to Him. In those last three seconds, Jesus is the most forgiving and has the most mercy. God is a God of details, right down to the last second.”
He continued, "Many people are ‘knowing and going.’ They go back and forth, leaving and returning to the Lord throughout their lives. We almost lost a young man last week but in the last three seconds we got him into the kingdom. We have many people like that all the time.
When a person is preparing to die, his heart either gets more cynical or more tender toward the Lord. When you look over the last several months, weeks, and days, what was your mother doing? What was she talking about? What was she focused on?”
Although I was still on the plane, we entered a different realm. The atmosphere literally changed as we became engulfed in the tangible presence of the Lord. He quoted scriptures and they became more than three dimensional. They opened up portals and doors into eternity. I was flooded with colorful visions. Time had no limitations; I was in a place of eternity without earthly boundaries.
It was as though the two of us were sitting in a private movie theatre seeing past events, flashbacks of my life and my mom’s life. I was seeing, feeling and hearing conversations of our last several weeks together. Many of my unresolved questions from the past were answered. I also received preparation for what was ahead. These heavenly experiences gave me confidence that He was indeed orchestrating everything.
I apprehensively asked, "Did I pass the test?"
He said, "The city of Christchurch is the uttermost ends of the earth and you were willing to leave your mother and follow Jesus here. You certainly passed the test. My heart warmed as I heard the love and acceptance in his tender voice. He opened my Bible and read, “Then He said to another, `Follow Me.'
But he said, `Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' Jesus said to him, `Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.'.…But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God'" (Luke 9:57-62).
He looked at me with his penetrating brown eyes and solemnly said, "You have another test coming. However you judge, you shall be judged, and however you measure, it will be measured again to you."
Somewhat taken aback I asked, "What does it mean?"
"Forgiveness."
"Who?"
"You must keep your heart right. When you get home and the family inheritance is divided, you will be plundered."
The plane landed and he held my hand as we walked up the ramp into the terminal. I felt strength and peace flood my being. I was greeted by friends who were there to help get me to my international flight. I turned around to look for him, but he was gone. I knew I’d been ministered to in this great time of loss by an angel on assignment.
Heavenly Strategies
In the middle of all the chaos surrounding my mom’s death, the Lord sent me a divine messenger. Looking back, I identified several ways the angel helped me with direction, comfort, revelation, encouragement, divine orchestration, and a warning and strategy for the future.
More Lord!
Jill Austin
Master Potter Ministries
