SID: Hello. Sid Roth here. Welcome to my world where it’s naturally supernatural. I have to tell you. The presence of God is so strong that I am literally trembling under the presence of God at this moment. My guest has gone to Heaven frequently and he was instructed in Heaven how the scriptures tell us that we can access Heaven while we’re alive as believers in the Messiah. And he teaches, and multitudes then begin going to Heaven after they’re exposed to his teachings. So my guest, James Durham, at age three went to Heaven. But his parents were just nominal Christians. No paradigm for anything. What happened at three?
JAMES: Well Sid, at three, I just, one night I just got lifted up into this place that was absolutely amazing to me. I was in a place of perfect peace. There was such unity there that I had never experienced on Earth. Just saw the animals, that people were together and I just felt something so wonderful and so unique that I desired to be there. I had no idea what it was, but it was wonderful.
SID: And then at four, I mean, at four, I can’t remember three and four. At four, he doesn’t know the Bible stories. His parents would go a few times a year to church, if that. What happened at age four?
JAMES: When I was four years old, I had an open vision and it was felt like I was actually translated to a different location. And I was standing, and I was watching these animals. As they were coming by me they were going up a ramp into some kind of a building, and they were going two by two. And the little animals coming by, that was very fun to watch, but when the big cats, the lions and tigers, it really terrified me. I had no idea what I was seeing and I cried out, and when I cried out the vision ended.
SID: Well what he was seeing obviously was Noah and the ark, going two by two. When you told your parents this, were they excited?
JAMES: They were excited, but not in a good way. When I cried out, I woke up my older sister and so I was actually punished for this. And when I told them what happened, they didn’t believe me, and so I was punished for lying.
SID: Okay. At six, you’re going at this time you’re going to like a Bible camp and Sunday school, and you have another what you call an open vision. To me, an open vision is you’re seeing it happen right before your eyes. What did you see?
JAMES: Well Sid, that’s exactly what happened. I was sitting in the pew during a worship program. It was a Vacation Bible School and this was a new experience for me. But as I sat on that pew, literally I saw like the floor open in front of me and the flames of Hell just erupted up from that opening in the floor. And I felt like I could just slide right into that fire and be in Hell. At that moment, I was only six years old, but I felt convicted of sin, that I needed Jesus from what I had learned in Vacation Bible School. So I gave my heart to Jesus.
SID: He devotes his life now to being a chaplain. He was a chaplain in the Army for how many years?
JAMES: Almost 30 years.
SID: And, but the thing that intrigues me is when these visits to Heaven started in 2008. Explain.
JAMES: In 2008, two things happened sort of simultaneously. First of all, God put it on my heart, pray for Israel, every day. Every day I would get face down on the floor and repent for the things our nation had done to Israel, cry out, Shalom Jerusalem and Shalom Israel. And about that same time, I went to a large revival. And one night I came home late from the revival, and when I laid down in bed my head hit the pillow, I was literally translated to Heaven. I stood in this place in Heaven. Some people called it The Throne Room, but it was not really a room. It was huge. But I was standing looking at the throne of Jesus, and I was in so much awe of Jesus. I was literally paralyzed with awe of Jesus. And as I looked at him, just love flowed out of me, and I just felt like this is my Jesus. And I felt like I was just connecting with him in such a powerful way. And it was a life-changing experience for me.
SID: And then a few days later, a second vision. What happened?
JAMES: Well I actually, I asked the Lord if He would allow me to go back to that same place because I had a question I wanted to ask.
SID: What was that?
JAMES: I wanted to know, the Bible—
SID: I have a lot of questions. How about you? Wouldn’t you like to ask?
JAMES: Good luck asking. Ephesians 2:6 says, “We were seated with him in heavenly places.” So I actually, I wanted to know, this is kind of self-centered, but I wanted to know, where is my seat in Heaven.
SID: But wait. That’s exactly what the scriptures say. We’re already seated in heavenly places. So that’s a fair question. Did you get your answer?
JAMES: I did, but not directly. I had almost the same experience. Came back late at night from the revival meeting, very tired. But as soon as my head hit the pillow I was translated back to that exact same spot I had been the night before. And there was Jesus, and I was in awe of Jesus again. I was literally paralyzed, in awe of this amazing Jesus. And as time went on, I began to think, I believe I had a question, but I can’t remember what it is.
SID: I’ll tell you what. Hold that thought because Jesus gives him three assignments. We’ll find out about it when we come back.
Tags: its supernatural, Sid Roth