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Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Have Some People Already Visited Heaven? (Part 2)

February 12, 2026 | 27:29

Robert Jeffress - Have Some People Already Visited Heaven? (Part 2)
Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
#Heaven #KingdomofGod #LifeAfterDeath #NearDeath #Revelation #Prophet/Prophets #FalseProphets #FalseDoctrines #Demons #Satan #Lies #Deception #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Have Some People Already Visited Heaven? (Part 2) | February 12, 2026
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist
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  • Church of dallas texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • Many of today's best-selling books feature suspicious
  • 00:00:18.675 --> 00:00:21.377
  • Accounts of people who claim to have died, went to heaven, and
  • 00:00:21.377 --> 00:00:25.081
  • Came back to share what they've seen on the other side.
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  • Do these sensational stories provide reliable information
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  • About our eternal home?
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  • If not, are those who claim to have these amazing experiences
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  • Dishonest, deluded, or even demonic?
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  • Well, were answering the question, "have some people
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  • Already visited heaven?"
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  • On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪ ooh ♪
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  • ♪ the sun was darkened, and the heavens thundered ♪
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  • ♪ and for a moment death had thought it conquered ♪
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  • ♪ but it wasn't over 'til you said, "it's over." ♪
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  • ♪ your word is greater still ♪
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  • ♪ the perfect sacrifice, your body broken ♪
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  • ♪ as you restored to us what sin had stolen ♪
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  • ♪ once and for all you tore the veil wide open ♪
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  • ♪ your power is stronger still ♪
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  • ♪ all praise. all praise ♪
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  • ♪ to the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ jesus, you reign, ♪
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  • ♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ all praise. all praise ♪
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  • ♪ to the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ jesus, you reign, ♪
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  • ♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ hallelujah ♪
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  • ♪ every voice will proclaim there is no higher name ♪
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  • ♪ hallelujah ♪
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  • ♪ age to age we will sing there is no higher name ♪
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  • ♪ all praise. all praise ♪
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  • ♪ to the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ jesus, you reign, ♪
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  • ♪ 'cause you're the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ you're the name above all names ♪
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  • ♪ jesus ♪♪
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  • Announcer: when loss leaves you searching for hope, turn your
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  • Eyes toward heaven.
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  • In "encouragement from a place called heaven," dr. robert
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  • Jeffress offers comfort drawn from god's promises about
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  • Eternity, not the myths and misconceptions tv and movies
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  • Tell us, but what scripture truly reveals.
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  • Whether you're grieving a loved one, facing illness, or walking
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  • Alongside someone in pain, this beautiful hardcover book
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  • Provides the encouragement you need.
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  • Request "encouragement from a place called heaven" when you
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  • Give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jefferson: paul said, "here's everything you need to know
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  • About the future god has for you and your loved ones.
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  • I suppose in the last 35 years i've--there's no telling
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  • How many hundreds and hundreds of funeral services i've
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  • Conducted, and every time i conduct a service, i read from
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  • This passage of scripture and i read revelation 21:4 that says,
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  • "but god shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there
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  • Shall no longer be any death or mourning or crying or pain for
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  • The first things that passed away."
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  • I have never ever felt the need to reach into some secular book
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  • To give additional information about heaven.
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  • Every time i read those verses from god's word and look into
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  • The eyes of those on the front two rows who have lost a loved
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  • One, i see god's word bring comfort and peace to them.
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  • That is the power of god's word.
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  • God's word is sufficient.
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  • We don't need any so-called extra-biblical revelation.
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  • Number 3, and this is key: adding to or taking away from
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  • The bible is condemned by god.
  • 00:06:03.052 --> 00:06:06.923
  • Adding to or taking away from the bible is condemned by god.
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  • You know, the best explanation of what heaven's going to be
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  • Like and what our future's going to be like is found in the book
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  • Of the revelation.
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  • Remember it was given to john.
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  • It was a revealing and unveiling of jesus christ, given to john
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  • When he was on the island of patmos.
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  • Some people say, "well john had a near-death experience
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  • When he saw all of this."
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  • No he didn't!
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  • He wasn't anywhere near dead.
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  • He was alive and doing just fine, but god gave him a limited
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  • View of what happens in the future, and he told john to
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  • Write the things down--some of them--but he told john not to
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  • Write down other things.
  • 00:06:47.296 --> 00:06:49.532
  • But after john received the revelation, notice the closing
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  • Words of this book in verses 18 to 19 of revelation 22: "i
  • 00:06:53.035 --> 00:06:57.106
  • Testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
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  • This book: if anyone adds to them, god shall add to him the
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  • Plagues which are written in this book, and if anyone takes
  • 00:07:06.349 --> 00:07:09.452
  • Away from the words of the book of this prophecy, god shall take
  • 00:07:09.452 --> 00:07:13.890
  • Away his part from the tree of life, from the holy city, which
  • 00:07:13.890 --> 00:07:17.894
  • Are written in this book.
  • 00:07:17.894 --> 00:07:22.231
  • Anyone who says god has given me a revelation about what heaven
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  • Is like is treading on dangerous ground by adding to what god has
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  • Revealed in his book.
  • 00:07:33.776 --> 00:07:36.312
  • I mean, do we really wanna accept what four-year-old colton
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  • Burpo says, that god has two wings and the holy spirit
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  • Is blue in color?
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  • Do we really believe that, or is that not adding to
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  • The word of god?
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  • Number four: question the identity
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  • Of any "being of light."
  • 00:07:54.463 --> 00:07:56.999
  • Question the identity of any being of light.
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  • So many people who have had a near-death experience claim that
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  • They have met god or angels or some undefined deity.
  • 00:08:03.673 --> 00:08:10.346
  • In many cases, they claim to have seen jesus christ, but the
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  • Messages that jesus supposedly gave them is completely
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  • Contradictory to scripture.
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  • I've read accounts of people who have said, "i saw jesus and he
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  • Told me sin is not a problem," or "there is no hell," or "all
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  • People are welcomed into heaven," or "every religion is
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  • Equally true."
  • 00:08:32.568 --> 00:08:34.770
  • Listen, the bible says in hebrews 13:8, jesus is the same
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  • Yesterday, today and forever, and the jesus in heaven does not
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  • Contradict what jesus said on earth.
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  • Jesus said on earth, "all religions are not the same."
  • 00:08:47.683 --> 00:08:51.921
  • He said, "all roads don't lead to heaven.
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  • There is one way to heaven and it is through faith in me."
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  • That's why we need to take seriously the warning of
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  • 1 timothy 4:1 in which paul says, "but the spirit explicitly
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  • Says that in the later time, some will fall away from the
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  • Faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits
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  • And doctrines of demons."
  • 00:09:13.409 --> 00:09:17.013
  • "say, pastor, do you believe some of these experiences
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  • Are demonic?"
  • 00:09:19.081 --> 00:09:20.783
  • I certainly do.
  • 00:09:20.783 --> 00:09:22.952
  • When people say they saw a light, a bright light, and a
  • 00:09:22.952 --> 00:09:28.624
  • Divine being telling them everyone's coming to heaven;
  • 00:09:28.624 --> 00:09:32.595
  • Doesn't matter if you're a muslim, hindu, or atheist,
  • 00:09:32.595 --> 00:09:35.097
  • I welcome everybody in e--into heaven.
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  • When anybody says they saw a bright light telling them that,
  • 00:09:38.300 --> 00:09:41.037
  • I believe them.
  • 00:09:41.037 --> 00:09:43.005
  • I believe them 100%, but the bright light they saw
  • 00:09:43.005 --> 00:09:47.677
  • Was not god.
  • 00:09:47.677 --> 00:09:49.879
  • 2 corinthians 11:14 says, "even satan disguises himself
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  • As an angel of light."
  • 00:09:55.384 --> 00:09:59.155
  • He is a deceiver.
  • 00:09:59.155 --> 00:10:01.057
  • He is deceiving people into what awaits them on the other side.
  • 00:10:01.057 --> 00:10:06.362
  • That's why we need to be careful of any so-called being of light
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  • Who preaches a message that contradicts scripture.
  • 00:10:10.900 --> 00:10:13.936
  • And that leads to a fifth principle: when you talk about
  • 00:10:13.936 --> 00:10:16.472
  • Near-death experiences, beware of the occult.
  • 00:10:16.472 --> 00:10:21.210
  • It is amazing when you read these accounts of near-death
  • 00:10:21.210 --> 00:10:24.480
  • Experiences--how similar they are to experiences people have
  • 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:28.984
  • With the occult.
  • 00:10:28.984 --> 00:10:30.619
  • For example, both the occult and near-death experiences share in
  • 00:10:30.619 --> 00:10:35.791
  • Common out-of-body experiences and contacts with those on the
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  • Other side.
  • 00:10:39.895 --> 00:10:41.597
  • And in both cases, both the occult and near-death
  • 00:10:41.597 --> 00:10:45.134
  • Experiences, people who have these experiences
  • 00:10:45.134 --> 00:10:47.870
  • Claim psychic powers.
  • 00:10:47.870 --> 00:10:50.806
  • Did you know many people, after a near-death experience,
  • 00:10:50.806 --> 00:10:53.175
  • Believe that they have psychic powers.
  • 00:10:53.175 --> 00:10:56.145
  • They have the power of clairvoyance--that is the
  • 00:10:56.145 --> 00:10:59.582
  • Ability to discern information about the past, present,
  • 00:10:59.582 --> 00:11:02.985
  • Or future by other than natural means.
  • 00:11:02.985 --> 00:11:06.388
  • Some claim that they've developed telepathy, that is the
  • 00:11:06.388 --> 00:11:09.959
  • Ability to send or receive messages to other people simply
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  • From their thoughts.
  • 00:11:14.764 --> 00:11:16.832
  • Diane corcoran is the president of the international association
  • 00:11:16.832 --> 00:11:21.137
  • For near-death studies.
  • 00:11:21.137 --> 00:11:23.205
  • In an article with the atlantic magazine, she made this
  • 00:11:23.205 --> 00:11:27.409
  • Observation about the connection between psychic powers and
  • 00:11:27.409 --> 00:11:31.580
  • Near-death experiences.
  • 00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:33.749
  • Many people, she said, don't realize for years that they've
  • 00:11:33.749 --> 00:11:37.586
  • Had aa near-death experience, and they piece it together only
  • 00:11:37.586 --> 00:11:42.057
  • After they notice the effects--effects that may
  • 00:11:42.057 --> 00:11:45.861
  • Include influence on electrical equipment.
  • 00:11:45.861 --> 00:11:51.100
  • She says at one conference of nde-ers,
  • 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:54.069
  • The hotel's computer system went down.
  • 00:11:54.069 --> 00:11:58.207
  • Corcoran's explanation, she said, "you put 400 experiencers
  • 00:11:58.207 --> 00:12:03.012
  • Of near-death in a hotel together,
  • 00:12:03.012 --> 00:12:05.981
  • Something's going to happen."
  • 00:12:05.981 --> 00:12:09.552
  • Now, whether or not you believe these nde-ers had the power to
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  • Crash a computer system or not, if they did have that power,
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  • That power did not come from the kingdom of light.
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  • It came from the kingdom of darkness.
  • 00:12:21.831 --> 00:12:24.166
  • Any claims of psychic powers or unusual
  • 00:12:24.166 --> 00:12:28.204
  • Abilities like clairvoyance and telepathy,
  • 00:12:28.204 --> 00:12:31.073
  • Those were associated with satan himself.
  • 00:12:31.073 --> 00:12:34.710
  • A sixth consideration.
  • 00:12:34.710 --> 00:12:36.745
  • That is jesus's death and resurrection are central
  • 00:12:36.745 --> 00:12:40.683
  • To any revelation from god.
  • 00:12:40.683 --> 00:12:43.752
  • Anybody who claims to have a revelation from god,
  • 00:12:43.752 --> 00:12:47.790
  • If it's true, jesus's death and resurrection
  • 00:12:47.790 --> 00:12:50.593
  • Will be central to his revelation.
  • 00:12:50.593 --> 00:12:53.162
  • Turn over to acts chapter 9 for just a moment.
  • 00:12:53.162 --> 00:12:55.965
  • Did you know some people today think the apostle paul
  • 00:12:55.965 --> 00:12:58.334
  • Had a near-death experience on the road to damascus.
  • 00:12:58.334 --> 00:13:02.972
  • Look at acts 9:3.
  • 00:13:02.972 --> 00:13:05.374
  • "and it came about that as paul," or saul "journeyed he was
  • 00:13:05.374 --> 00:13:09.378
  • Approaching damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven
  • 00:13:09.378 --> 00:13:12.915
  • Flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and he heard a
  • 00:13:12.915 --> 00:13:16.785
  • Voice saying to him, 'saul, saul, why are you
  • 00:13:16.785 --> 00:13:20.389
  • Persecuting me?'
  • 00:13:20.389 --> 00:13:21.724
  • And he said, 'who art thou, lord?'
  • 00:13:21.724 --> 00:13:23.659
  • And he said, 'i am jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise
  • 00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:28.464
  • And enter the city; and it shall be told you what you must do.'"
  • 00:13:28.464 --> 00:13:33.002
  • Now some people say that's a near death experience, big
  • 00:13:33.002 --> 00:13:35.537
  • Light, you know, life changed.
  • 00:13:35.537 --> 00:13:37.206
  • That's a near death experience.
  • 00:13:37.206 --> 00:13:39.074
  • Four reasons this was not a near-death experience.
  • 00:13:39.074 --> 00:13:41.543
  • First of all, paul was very much alive and nowhere near death
  • 00:13:41.543 --> 00:13:45.614
  • When this happened to him.
  • 00:13:45.614 --> 00:13:47.416
  • And secondly, this light that paul saw was not just some
  • 00:13:47.416 --> 00:13:50.452
  • Metaphysical light.
  • 00:13:50.452 --> 00:13:52.054
  • It was a real light that literally blinded him for days.
  • 00:13:52.054 --> 00:13:56.425
  • Third, when he told this account to king agrippa, he never once
  • 00:13:56.425 --> 00:14:00.462
  • Remotely gave anything any description that resembled a
  • 00:14:00.462 --> 00:14:03.599
  • Near-death experience.
  • 00:14:03.599 --> 00:14:06.135
  • And finally, and most importantly, the jesus paul
  • 00:14:06.135 --> 00:14:10.806
  • Encountered is the jesus who told him, "your mission, should
  • 00:14:10.806 --> 00:14:16.378
  • You choose to accept it, is to go into all the world and preach
  • 00:14:16.378 --> 00:14:21.417
  • That salvation is available only through faith in me."
  • 00:14:21.417 --> 00:14:26.021
  • He gave paul the mission of preaching the exclusive message
  • 00:14:26.021 --> 00:14:30.059
  • Of salvation through jesus christ, not some general
  • 00:14:30.059 --> 00:14:33.562
  • Feel-good message that says god loves everybody
  • 00:14:33.562 --> 00:14:36.565
  • And everybody's going to heaven.
  • 00:14:36.565 --> 00:14:38.267
  • It was a very specific message that there is only salvation
  • 00:14:38.267 --> 00:14:42.137
  • Through jesus christ.
  • 00:14:42.137 --> 00:14:44.840
  • And that leads to a seventh and most important consideration
  • 00:14:44.840 --> 00:14:48.177
  • About near-death experiences, and that is,
  • 00:14:48.177 --> 00:14:51.347
  • The bible doesn't record any near-death experiences.
  • 00:14:51.347 --> 00:14:56.852
  • Not once, nada, no record whatsoever
  • 00:14:56.852 --> 00:15:01.323
  • Of near-death experiences.
  • 00:15:01.323 --> 00:15:02.992
  • As i mentioned, there are accounts of god raising people
  • 00:15:02.992 --> 00:15:06.595
  • From the dead in the bible,
  • 00:15:06.595 --> 00:15:08.964
  • It's interesting, those ended in the latter part of the
  • 00:15:08.964 --> 00:15:13.068
  • Book of acts.
  • 00:15:13.068 --> 00:15:14.403
  • When you get to the epistles, god apparently ceased performing
  • 00:15:14.403 --> 00:15:18.507
  • This miracle, and the reason he ceased performing it is that
  • 00:15:18.507 --> 00:15:22.611
  • Miracle had a purpose of authenticating a prophet's power
  • 00:15:22.611 --> 00:15:26.982
  • And message from god.
  • 00:15:26.982 --> 00:15:28.484
  • The way you evaluated whether a prophet or an apostle was really
  • 00:15:28.484 --> 00:15:32.254
  • From god was his ability to perform miracles, but now that
  • 00:15:32.254 --> 00:15:36.425
  • The bible is complete, the way we judge the authenticity of a
  • 00:15:36.425 --> 00:15:40.329
  • Person's message is not by his ability to perform miracles.
  • 00:15:40.329 --> 00:15:43.532
  • It's whether his message lines up with the truth of god's word.
  • 00:15:43.532 --> 00:15:47.636
  • Nevertheless, in the past, god did raise people from the dead.
  • 00:15:47.636 --> 00:15:50.506
  • I gave you a whole list of people who've been raised from
  • 00:15:50.506 --> 00:15:52.741
  • The dead in the bible: the widow of zeraphath's son, the
  • 00:15:52.741 --> 00:15:56.345
  • Shunamite woman's son, and on and on,
  • 00:15:56.345 --> 00:15:59.782
  • But none of these people who were
  • 00:15:59.782 --> 00:16:01.617
  • Raised from the dead told about what they saw on the other side
  • 00:16:01.617 --> 00:16:05.487
  • Of the grave.
  • 00:16:05.487 --> 00:16:07.122
  • Let's look at a couple of these for just a moment.
  • 00:16:07.122 --> 00:16:09.591
  • Take the case of lazarus.
  • 00:16:09.591 --> 00:16:11.460
  • Lazarus died.
  • 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:13.495
  • He was dead for four days until jesus came, stood in front
  • 00:16:13.495 --> 00:16:16.899
  • Of the sepulcher, and said, "rise, o lazarus.
  • 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:22.304
  • Rise, o lazarus, from the dead."
  • 00:16:22.304 --> 00:16:24.239
  • And as you know, lazarus stumbled out of that sepulcher
  • 00:16:24.239 --> 00:16:27.476
  • And they unbound him and he was joyous and the people couldn't
  • 00:16:27.476 --> 00:16:32.681
  • Believe what they saw, but not once did lazarus
  • 00:16:32.681 --> 00:16:37.419
  • Preach to the assembled crowd or ever tell his sisters what he
  • 00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:40.589
  • Saw on the other side of death.
  • 00:16:40.589 --> 00:16:42.858
  • You find no record of that.
  • 00:16:42.858 --> 00:16:44.426
  • Or look at the example of jesus.
  • 00:16:44.426 --> 00:16:46.462
  • Did jesus have a near-death experience?
  • 00:16:46.462 --> 00:16:48.831
  • He was on the cross, but in all of his utterings on the cross,
  • 00:16:48.831 --> 00:16:52.901
  • He gave no indication that he was going down a tunnel
  • 00:16:52.901 --> 00:16:55.704
  • And seeing a bright light.
  • 00:16:55.704 --> 00:16:57.639
  • There was no other worldly experience whatsoever.
  • 00:16:57.639 --> 00:17:01.110
  • After he died he was buried in the tomb.
  • 00:17:01.110 --> 00:17:03.512
  • On sunday morning, he was raised from the dead.
  • 00:17:03.512 --> 00:17:05.948
  • He was in his new resurrection body.
  • 00:17:05.948 --> 00:17:07.983
  • He spent 40 days on the earth preaching,
  • 00:17:07.983 --> 00:17:10.652
  • Ministering to people.
  • 00:17:10.652 --> 00:17:12.187
  • Not once in those post-resurrection appearances
  • 00:17:12.187 --> 00:17:14.857
  • Did jesus say a word about what he saw on the other side.
  • 00:17:14.857 --> 00:17:19.294
  • Some people think that stephen, the first christian
  • 00:17:19.294 --> 00:17:21.997
  • Martyr, came as close to having a near-death experience
  • 00:17:21.997 --> 00:17:25.334
  • As anyone.
  • 00:17:25.334 --> 00:17:26.668
  • Turn over to that passage in acts chapter 7 and let me show
  • 00:17:26.668 --> 00:17:29.972
  • You something very interesting.
  • 00:17:29.972 --> 00:17:32.975
  • Verse 54: "now when they," that is the jewish officials, "heard
  • 00:17:32.975 --> 00:17:36.545
  • Stephen's speech condemning them, they were cut to the
  • 00:17:36.545 --> 00:17:39.948
  • Quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
  • 00:17:39.948 --> 00:17:43.452
  • But being full of the holy spirit, stephen gazed intently
  • 00:17:43.452 --> 00:17:47.256
  • Into heaven and he saw the glory of god, and jesus standing at
  • 00:17:47.256 --> 00:17:51.059
  • The right hand, and he said, 'behold, i see the heavens
  • 00:17:51.059 --> 00:17:55.164
  • Opened up and the son of man standing at the right hand
  • 00:17:55.164 --> 00:17:59.234
  • Of god.'"
  • 00:17:59.234 --> 00:18:01.136
  • And some people say that sounds like a near-death experience
  • 00:18:01.136 --> 00:18:04.306
  • To me.
  • 00:18:04.306 --> 00:18:05.807
  • Well it does until you examine things a little bit closer.
  • 00:18:05.807 --> 00:18:09.044
  • First of all, stephen's vision of heaven occurred before they
  • 00:18:09.044 --> 00:18:13.882
  • Picked up the first stone and threw at him.
  • 00:18:13.882 --> 00:18:17.019
  • What he saw happened before they started stoning him.
  • 00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:20.556
  • Look on, it's not till verse 59: "they went on stoning stephen as
  • 00:18:20.556 --> 00:18:24.626
  • He called upon the lord."
  • 00:18:24.626 --> 00:18:26.562
  • Now this was not near death.
  • 00:18:26.562 --> 00:18:28.797
  • This was a part from death.
  • 00:18:28.797 --> 00:18:30.832
  • Secondly, stephen's vision, what he saw was a general vision not
  • 00:18:30.832 --> 00:18:35.003
  • Unlike what isaiah, daniel, and ezekiel saw.
  • 00:18:35.003 --> 00:18:38.273
  • There's no new information here at all.
  • 00:18:38.273 --> 00:18:40.976
  • But finally and most importantly, the reason
  • 00:18:40.976 --> 00:18:44.079
  • Stephen's experience doesn't qualify as a near death
  • 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:47.115
  • Experience is because stephen actually died.
  • 00:18:47.115 --> 00:18:50.852
  • He actually died.
  • 00:18:50.852 --> 00:18:52.888
  • And he hasn't come back yet to tell us what he saw on the
  • 00:18:52.888 --> 00:18:56.992
  • Other side.
  • 00:18:56.992 --> 00:18:58.393
  • The only other consideration, and i think perhaps the most
  • 00:18:58.393 --> 00:19:01.830
  • Interesting one, is the apostle paul himself.
  • 00:19:01.830 --> 00:19:05.067
  • Didn't the apostle paul have a near-death experience in which
  • 00:19:05.067 --> 00:19:07.903
  • He was taken up to heaven?
  • 00:19:07.903 --> 00:19:09.871
  • Well, listen to the words of 2 corinthians 12 verse 2: paul
  • 00:19:09.871 --> 00:19:13.475
  • Said, "i know a man in christ who 14 years ago--"
  • 00:19:13.475 --> 00:19:19.948
  • Paul was so humble he didn't want to say i'm the one
  • 00:19:19.948 --> 00:19:22.751
  • Who had this experience.
  • 00:19:22.751 --> 00:19:24.453
  • He didn't want people probably pestering him with questions.
  • 00:19:24.453 --> 00:19:26.588
  • "what was it like? what was it like?"
  • 00:19:26.588 --> 00:19:28.490
  • So he says, i know a man in christ who 14 years ago
  • 00:19:28.490 --> 00:19:32.327
  • Whether in the body i don't know,
  • 00:19:32.327 --> 00:19:34.062
  • Or out of the body, i don't know.
  • 00:19:34.062 --> 00:19:35.697
  • Only god knows, but such a man was caught up
  • 00:19:35.697 --> 00:19:38.100
  • To the third heaven."
  • 00:19:38.100 --> 00:19:40.202
  • Remember we saw last time the third heaven
  • 00:19:40.202 --> 00:19:42.070
  • Is where god is right now.
  • 00:19:42.070 --> 00:19:43.705
  • It's the abode of god.
  • 00:19:43.705 --> 00:19:45.407
  • And paul said, "i had an experience.
  • 00:19:45.407 --> 00:19:48.377
  • I had an experience in which i was caught up
  • 00:19:48.377 --> 00:19:50.779
  • Into the presence of god.
  • 00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:53.749
  • I don't know if it was my actual literal body
  • 00:19:53.749 --> 00:19:56.318
  • That was taken up to heaven.
  • 00:19:56.318 --> 00:19:57.653
  • Or it was a metaphysical out-of-body experience.
  • 00:19:57.653 --> 00:20:00.088
  • Only god knows that, but i was taken up to heaven.
  • 00:20:00.088 --> 00:20:03.125
  • And what did paul see?
  • 00:20:03.125 --> 00:20:05.027
  • He goes on to say in that chapter, "god told me not to
  • 00:20:05.027 --> 00:20:08.664
  • Utter a word about what i saw.
  • 00:20:08.664 --> 00:20:12.367
  • Now think about that.
  • 00:20:12.367 --> 00:20:14.002
  • Here is paul who wrote over half of the new testament.
  • 00:20:14.002 --> 00:20:18.206
  • Paul, the greatest theologian the world has ever known, and
  • 00:20:18.206 --> 00:20:21.476
  • God says to him, "don't you write a word of it down."
  • 00:20:21.476 --> 00:20:25.614
  • I mean, if god wanted us to have a complete description of what
  • 00:20:25.614 --> 00:20:29.451
  • Heaven was like, don't you think he would have entrusted that
  • 00:20:29.451 --> 00:20:32.587
  • Revelation to the apostle paul, the greatest theologian,
  • 00:20:32.587 --> 00:20:36.892
  • Greatest writer of the new testament, instead of some
  • 00:20:36.892 --> 00:20:40.095
  • Four-year-old kid?
  • 00:20:40.095 --> 00:20:41.563
  • I mean, don't you think that's what god would've done if he
  • 00:20:41.563 --> 00:20:43.899
  • Wanted us to know?
  • 00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:45.434
  • God said, no.
  • 00:20:45.434 --> 00:20:47.402
  • Don't write any of it down.
  • 00:20:47.402 --> 00:20:50.539
  • Why did god say that?
  • 00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:52.641
  • Why has god restricted the information
  • 00:20:52.641 --> 00:20:55.911
  • We have about heaven?
  • 00:20:55.911 --> 00:20:58.313
  • I think there may be two reasons.
  • 00:20:58.313 --> 00:20:59.815
  • I think first of all, god knows that heaven is so far beyond our
  • 00:20:59.815 --> 00:21:06.688
  • Imagination, what god has in store for us is so glorious,
  • 00:21:06.688 --> 00:21:12.327
  • Human words can only diminish the glory of heaven.
  • 00:21:12.327 --> 00:21:15.897
  • There is no human vocabulary to describe what god is preparing
  • 00:21:15.897 --> 00:21:20.235
  • For you and me.
  • 00:21:20.235 --> 00:21:22.537
  • It's the same reason god says don't make any graven
  • 00:21:22.537 --> 00:21:25.240
  • Images of me.
  • 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.742
  • Don't make any molding or sculpting or don't draw any
  • 00:21:26.742 --> 00:21:29.578
  • Pictures of me because all that does is diminish who i
  • 00:21:29.578 --> 00:21:32.814
  • Really am.
  • 00:21:32.814 --> 00:21:34.349
  • And i think the second reason that god doesn't want us to
  • 00:21:34.349 --> 00:21:36.685
  • Really know what awaits us in heaven is he knows that if we
  • 00:21:36.685 --> 00:21:40.689
  • Knew what was awaiting us, we couldn't wait to get outta here.
  • 00:21:40.689 --> 00:21:46.928
  • What does all of this mean?
  • 00:21:46.928 --> 00:21:48.830
  • What does it all mean?
  • 00:21:48.830 --> 00:21:50.632
  • Well, very simply, there are no biblical accounts of near-death
  • 00:21:50.632 --> 00:21:55.137
  • Experiences.
  • 00:21:55.137 --> 00:21:57.372
  • Am i saying that god could never allow somebody to have an
  • 00:21:57.372 --> 00:22:00.742
  • Experience like this?
  • 00:22:00.742 --> 00:22:02.778
  • Look, i don't wanna put god in a box.
  • 00:22:02.778 --> 00:22:04.713
  • God can do whatever he wants to do.
  • 00:22:04.713 --> 00:22:08.083
  • But as you look at the scripture, the weight of
  • 00:22:08.083 --> 00:22:10.352
  • Evidence is against these near-death experiences.
  • 00:22:10.352 --> 00:22:15.624
  • Everything we need to know about our eternal home
  • 00:22:15.624 --> 00:22:18.593
  • Is found in this book.
  • 00:22:18.593 --> 00:22:21.430
  • The bible is sufficient.
  • 00:22:21.430 --> 00:22:24.866
  • And in the days ahead, we're going to discover some stirring
  • 00:22:24.866 --> 00:22:28.437
  • And surprising truths about that place god is preparing
  • 00:22:28.437 --> 00:22:32.507
  • For you right now.
  • 00:22:32.507 --> 00:22:34.309
  • It's that place called heaven.
  • 00:22:34.309 --> 00:22:38.447
  • Jeffress: there's much more to come in this exciting series
  • 00:22:42.617 --> 00:22:45.053
  • About a place called heaven, and i hope you'll make plans to join
  • 00:22:45.053 --> 00:22:49.124
  • Me for this entire series.
  • 00:22:49.124 --> 00:22:51.893
  • Well, before we wrap up today, i wanna share an encouraging note
  • 00:22:51.893 --> 00:22:55.630
  • I received from a dedicated us soldier serving abroad.
  • 00:22:55.630 --> 00:22:59.568
  • He wrote, "pastor jeffress, i wanted to thank you
  • 00:22:59.568 --> 00:23:02.103
  • For your daily pathway to victory podcast.
  • 00:23:02.103 --> 00:23:04.506
  • I'm deployed for a year, and your daily messages are the
  • 00:23:04.506 --> 00:23:08.777
  • Soundtrack to my sanity.
  • 00:23:08.777 --> 00:23:11.513
  • God is speaking to me and teaching me through my trials
  • 00:23:11.513 --> 00:23:14.716
  • Here, and these messages are like a universal translator.
  • 00:23:14.716 --> 00:23:18.954
  • Thank you!"
  • 00:23:18.954 --> 00:23:20.689
  • Well, thanks to friends like you and our ministry together, a
  • 00:23:20.689 --> 00:23:24.226
  • Colonel on the front lines is hearing god's voice through the
  • 00:23:24.226 --> 00:23:27.762
  • Noise of the battlefield.
  • 00:23:27.762 --> 00:23:29.764
  • God bless you for helping me proclaim the truth
  • 00:23:29.764 --> 00:23:32.834
  • Of god's word.
  • 00:23:32.834 --> 00:23:34.436
  • Now, please stay right there.
  • 00:23:34.436 --> 00:23:36.271
  • I'll be back with one final word for today in just a moment.
  • 00:23:36.271 --> 00:23:40.242
  • Announcer: whether you're mourning someone you love or
  • 00:23:42.244 --> 00:23:44.279
  • Facing your own difficult season, grief can feel
  • 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:47.449
  • Overwhelming.
  • 00:23:47.449 --> 00:23:48.783
  • But the bible tells us not to be discouraged, because this life
  • 00:23:48.783 --> 00:23:52.220
  • Is not the end.
  • 00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:53.555
  • Dr. robert jeffress wants to help lift your eyes from earth's
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  • Sorrows to heaven's certainty with "encouragement from a place
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  • Called heaven."
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  • This beautifully-designed book combines inspiring scripture,
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  • Stunning photography, and powerful biblical truths you can
  • 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:08.303
  • Keep close during difficult times.
  • 00:24:08.303 --> 00:24:10.939
  • Jeffress: the greatest hope we have is the promise of heaven.
  • 00:24:10.939 --> 00:24:14.476
  • In this book of encouragement, i wanna remind you what awaits us
  • 00:24:14.476 --> 00:24:17.679
  • After this life is over, not the myths and misconceptions tv and
  • 00:24:17.679 --> 00:24:22.384
  • Movies tell us about, but what god's word has promised.
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  • Announcer: this padded hardcover book makes a thoughtful gift for
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  • Anyone navigating grief, chronic illness, or stressful
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  • Circumstances.
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  • Request your copy of "encouragement from a place
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  • Called heaven" when you give a generous gift to "pathway to
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  • Victory."
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  • And when your gift is $75 or more, we'll also send you dr.
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  • Jeffress's best-selling book "a place called heaven" along with
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  • The complete "a place called heaven" teaching series on both
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  • Cd and dvd.
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  • Jeffress: it's not gonna be very long till we go to that place
  • 00:24:52.614 --> 00:24:54.449
  • Called heaven.
  • 00:24:54.449 --> 00:24:55.784
  • But knowing that our future is secure ought to be a motivation
  • 00:24:55.784 --> 00:25:00.021
  • For us to live the most effective lives for god that we
  • 00:25:00.021 --> 00:25:03.725
  • Can right now.
  • 00:25:03.725 --> 00:25:05.226
  • Announcer: your generosity empowers this ministry to pierce
  • 00:25:05.226 --> 00:25:08.063
  • The darkness with the light of god's word.
  • 00:25:08.063 --> 00:25:10.699
  • Jeffress: it's certainly fine to imagine what our eternal
  • 00:25:13.868 --> 00:25:15.937
  • Homes will be like.
  • 00:25:15.937 --> 00:25:17.639
  • Perhaps you've read some of the sensational stories yourself.
  • 00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:21.343
  • But there's only one trustworthy source for facts about heaven,
  • 00:25:21.343 --> 00:25:25.313
  • And that's the bible.
  • 00:25:25.313 --> 00:25:27.115
  • And next time, we'll open to god's word to answer another
  • 00:25:27.115 --> 00:25:30.118
  • Pressing question about heaven, do christians immediately go to
  • 00:25:30.118 --> 00:25:34.589
  • Heaven when they die?
  • 00:25:34.589 --> 00:25:36.725
  • Some people believe that there's a gap in time between when they
  • 00:25:36.725 --> 00:25:39.961
  • Expire and when they enter into heaven, and i wanna share with
  • 00:25:39.961 --> 00:25:43.765
  • You the bible's answer to that important question.
  • 00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:47.402
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:25:47.402 --> 00:25:50.338
  • Series, "a place called heaven."
  • 00:25:50.338 --> 00:25:52.841
  • Jeffress: it doesn't matter whether you're good, bad,
  • 00:25:54.142 --> 00:25:56.344
  • Righteous, unrighteous, a believer or an unbeliever,
  • 00:25:56.344 --> 00:25:59.214
  • There's one fate for everybody--that is death.
  • 00:25:59.214 --> 00:26:02.283
  • We're all going to die.
  • 00:26:02.283 --> 00:26:04.285
  • There's one fate, but there're two different
  • 00:26:04.285 --> 00:26:06.888
  • Destinies--heaven or hell.
  • 00:26:06.888 --> 00:26:09.958
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the
  • 00:26:09.958 --> 00:26:12.761
  • Message, "do christians immediately go to heaven
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  • When they die" here on pathway to victory.
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  • It's a sacred pause to reconnect with the lord.
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