This series on Robert Henderson’s teachings is based off my notes, which I took as I read his book: Father, Friend, and Judge: Three Dimensions of Prayer that Receive Answers from Heaven, in Jan 2025.

Spiritual realm:

• 2 Cor 5:6-7: While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord
• Paul recognised a dimension in the spirit or heavenly realm that we cannot see naturally, yet it actually exist
• He was certain of its existence, and our future there
• However, he also understood we can function in this unseen realm now
• Col 3:1-2: If you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is
• Paul is exhorting us to seek what is above where Christ is seated with God right now
• We are to be going after things in the spirit dimension, even though we cannot see them

Spiritual vs carnal:

• Pursuing / stepping into the spiritual dimension requires us to be spiritual, and not carnal
• Being carnal means we are ruled by our natural senses rather than the Spirit of God, and it doesn’t necessarily mean we are sinful / sinning
• But simply, we are allowing the natural (seen realm) to have more influence, than the spiritual (unseen realm)
• Operating in the spiritual realm, would require us learning to move in faith
• Paul lets us know that what is seen is temporary, while what is unseen is eternal
• 2 Cor 4:17-18: For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal
• This is why it requires faith to operate and live, with an awareness of what we cannot physically see

Love of the Father:

• Recall from Robert Henderson Three Dimensions of Prayer: Opening a Spiritual Gateway article, in John 5:19 Jesus saw what was happening in heaven, and simply agreed with his actions on earth, and the result was miracles
• Notice that His ability to see / function in the unseen realm, was not a gift, but was from an intimacy with the Father
• John 5:19-20: The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does
• So it was the “Father loving the Son”, which empowered Jesus to see, not the other way round
• Similarly, when we experience God’s love, it invokes in us an affection and devotion for God
• 1 John 4:19: We love Him because He first loved us
• It is the love of the Father, that heals wounds, frees us from condemnation, breaks the power of shame, and removes the effects of guilt
• All these things weigh down our spirit man, so we cannot function effectively in the spiritual realms
• The more we receive the love of the Father, the more our ability to live into worlds at the same time is activated
• So seeing into the unseen dimensions of the spirit is not a result of gifting but an encounter with the love of the Father
• Thus, spirituality is loving what is above more, than what is beneath
• As Paul admonishes to set “your affection on things above” (Col 3:1-2)

Functioning in both realms at the same time:

• Many people think they are not spiritual enough or gifted to function in these places
• But as born-again in Christ, we are not just getting to heaven when we die, but able to interact with heaven even now
• Heaven and the spiritual realm became accessible to us now
• This means we are now able to discern and agree with the activity of the spirit dimension
• John 3:13: No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven
• Jesus, the Son of Man, is functioning as a man on earth, He ascended / descended from heaven, and is heaven even presently
• So being born again does not just mean going to heaven when we die, but also being able to step into the heavenly or unseen realms now too
• Jesus was seeking to bring Nicodemus into the place of living in two dimensions at one time
• Jesus wanted him to know, that when his spirit man came alive as a mortal human being, he would no longer be limited to the natural realm
• We would now have access, and be awakened to the unseen realm of the heavenlies
• Eph 2:6: Jesus has raised us up, and made us sit together in the heavenly places with Him
• Paul affirms we can be seated with Christ in heaven, at the same time, even though our bodies are here on earth
• In the OT, we also see this in the life of Elijah
• 1 Kings 17:1: Elijah said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except at my word.”
• Notice Elijah didn’t say “before whom I stood”, but the present tense “before whom I stand”
• He was presently standing in two places at the same time
• In the natural, he was standing before Ahab
• But in the Spirit, he was standing before the Lord God who lives
• From this place in the spirit he was proclaiming judgement into the natural

Legal rights granted to enter the heavenly places:

• In the NT, we can all have access to these spiritual dimensions / places
• Because of Jesus finished work on the cross, his resurrection, ascension, we can now enter these places previously available to a select few prophets in the OT
• Acts 2:16-18: And it shall come to pass in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, your sons and daughters shall prophesy
• Please refer to Joel 2:28-29 article, for more on this fulfilled prophesy by Joel
• So as NT believers having the Holy Spirit, we actually have the right, privilege and responsibility to function / live in the spirit realm
• Matt 27:50-51: Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom
• The heavy, thick veil in the temple that kept everyone away from the glory and presence of God, except one man once a year, was ripped open
• Suddenly what had been inaccessible since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, was now available to us again
• Jesus then ascended to heaven, pass the first heaven (the atmosphere right above us), the second heaven (Eph 6:12, place where principalities and powers function over territories of earth), and into the third heaven (where God’s throne is)
• Paul was allowed to see things in this heavenly dimension / third heaven, and he saw and experienced glories he seemed to have no words to describe (2 Cor 12:1-4)
• Having ascended to heaven / third heaven, He has taken His place as our High Priest speaking on our behalf in the Courts of Heaven (Heb 4:14)
• Heb 10:19: We can have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus
• Jesus blood has granted us access into the heavenly places, and He is positioned at the right hand of the Father, pouring out the Holy Spirit on his disciples (Acts 2:32-33)