At our camp meeting in 1983, which was entitled “A Supernatural Spree,” we were worshipping God on a Saturday afternoon. During praise and worship is when you are likely to really see the supernatural power of God displayed.
Directly behind me appeared a huge white cloud. It was so thick it looked like it actually had substance. I felt as though I could reach out, touch it, and get a handful. It was so white it looked like Marshmallow Creme.
I thought “Wow, that’s really neat up there, isn’t it?”
I did not yet have any idea what was going to happen. This cloud mushroomed just exactly the way a thunderhead looks in the sky.
They are always so super white with that mushroom shape on top.
This cloud was also super white, and it was mammoth.
As I watched, I thought, “Oh, the glory of God!”
My spirit was stirred. You cannot evaluate the manifestation of His presence by whether or not you shake, vibrate, or get goose pimples that are ten feet high. People experience the presence of God in different ways.
The presence of God entered the auditorium in a new and different way than I had seen before. I watched. If I were asked to describe what the cloud looked like up there, I would have to say it looked like a cocoon.
Out of the center appeared the Lord Jesus Christ in all of His glory and His power and His majesty. My heart exploded within me.
Once before Jesus appeared to me in person. We were in a meeting in a little town of Alexandria, Indiana, several years ago.
As Jesus sat down beside me, He said, “The anointing is on Charles tonight, and he is to speak. You are to listen.”
When Jesus appears to you in person, it affects your whole life.
You will have an anchor point in your life like never before. You will never again doubt the reality of God. You will never again doubt the call of God.
Jesus appears as a blessing from God and usually as a tremendous surprise. Don’t believe that you can ever imagine that Jesus is right here, and thus see Him. It won’t do you a it of good.
I was so overcome with the presence of God, I just stood there as if I had been struck dumb and stared at Jesus as He appeared on the stage just a few feet away from me. All I knew was that I was basking in the glory of God.
Then Jesus disappeared into the cloud.
“Oh, Jesus,” I wanted to cry out. “Don’t go away! Don’t go away! Come back! Come back! Come back!”
However, I remained silent because the service was still going on.
I was thinking, “How many other people are seeing exactly the same thing I’m seeing?”
I wanted everybody to see Him.
Suddenly, He appeared again.
Excitement coursed through me again. How long He stayed visible I really don’t know. When you are seeing in the Spirit, time tends to stand still. What seemed like twelve to fifteen minutes could actually have been a matter a few seconds. I certainly didn’t think about looking at my watch. I didn’t think about looking at anything other than Him.
All I was thinking about was Jesus. I was totally caught up into the glory of God. Coming and going in and out of the cloud, He appeared several times.
Suddenly, God spoke, “That’s the way I want you to be. I want you to be so lost in Him that when people see you, all they will see is the glory of God. All they will see is My glory.”
Many times since that day, I have pondered why God allowed such a supernatural manifestation of His presence. The reality of what God was saying came to me very vividly.
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified Thu on the earth. I have finished the work which Thu have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” (John 17:1-5) He was saying, “Father, while I was down here on the earth, I was walking with all that glory. Now, My work is finished. Glorify Me together with Yourself with all the glory that I had with You before the world began. Father, do this so they will know You!”
I have manifested Your name to the men whom Thou hast given Me out of the world. They were Yours, Thu gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which Thou have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. (John 17.6-8)
Jesus was praying. He was saying, “Oh, Father, I pray for those You have given Me. I don’t pray that You will take them out of the world, but that You will protect them from the Evil One. I’m praying for those You have given Me for they belong to You. I want them to be in heaven with You and Me, and I want them to see My glory, which You have given Me, because they are My glory.”
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved
them as You have loved Me. (John 17:22-23)
Do you understand what He said? Jesus is glorified in you and in me. The Living Bible says, “They are my glory!” (v. 10).