Q: Jesse, how do you know personally that heaven is a real place?
A: Well, number one is that I’ve been there. It’s a wonderful place. And, number two, God said it.
Q: What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about heaven?
A: I find that people say you’re going to meet Peter at the gate, but you don’t. The first person you meet is Abraham because he’s the father of our faith. And the next misconception I find is about Heaven itself. You see, Heaven is more than a city. Actually, it’s a planet. You have the Throne, the New Jerusalem, and Paradise, and it’s all around. It’s hard to describe, but it’s wonderful and all of us need to go!
Q: What’s one fun thing that God allowed you to see in heaven that really sticks out in your mind?
A: It wasn’t really a “fun” trip per se. It was a trip where the Lord spoke to me and said, “Go tell My people that I’m coming.” That was the purpose of it. But it’s a wonderful place—there’s a lot of happiness, but it’s a serious place, too. People are moving and doing great things. I guess you could say that the thing that was fun was seeing all the wonderful children coming around Jesus—seeing how much they loved Him and how much He loved them.
Q: How important is it for people to know they can be certain where they will spend eternity?
A: It’s very important! The Bible says that if you just believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus rose from the dead, you shall be saved (Romans 10:9-10). Once you know that, then you don’t ever have to be concerned about if there’s a place there or not because, let me tell you something, that’s where you’re going to spend eternity. For all of us, we’ll either spend eternity in Heaven or in hell depending on whether we receive or reject God and His plan. Now some people don’t believe that, but that doesn’t change it! It’s still the truth.
Q: In your experience, how is the supernatural more of a reality than what we think of as reality?
A: Well, the spirit world is way bigger than the natural world, and it was more than an experience for me. I mean, it’s amazing to even be able to walk in the spirit in this life—we are spirits who have a soul but are housed in a body, and when our spirit leads, then the things of the spirit do become more of a reality. Our spirit is stronger than our body because it’s eternal. Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word never will. The worlds He made with words and the breath He breathed into Adam that gave man life both come from Him—He’s a spirit and we are too, so the supernatural or spiritual is much more of a lasting reality than what we see here with our natural eyes. The spiritual side is so strong and so big that the more sensitive you become, there are times you can feel more of what’s going on in the spirit than you do in the natural.
Q: Let’s talk about divine intervention. Are angels real, and how do they sometimes show up in your life?
A: Yes, angels are very real. They are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to us, and they help us so much—we don’t even realize how much. They are servants and we are sons and daughters. Everyone has a guardian angel, but there are many more angels around us besides that. We don’t always know why angels intervene but if they do, it’s because God wants it done. God’s angels obey His Word and His will. So, if our words and will line up with God’s, we will have greater help from them.
Q: How do we as believers invite the supernatural power of God into our lives?
A: You do it by your spirit. You just open up your heart and say, “Lord, fill me—spiritually, physically, and every which way, shape, and form.” First things first, you must be born again. And, in my opinion, you must be filled with the Holy Ghost. Why? Because you need the same power that Peter and them had…you need the same power here in this lifetime. Being filled with the Holy Ghost gives you a way to pray that bypasses just your natural mind and access the supernatural side, which is the spiritual side. Praying that way not only builds you up but affects the spiritual side, which ends up affecting the natural side.
Q: Many people sometimes have a view that somehow God withholds goodness from us. Why is that not true, and how has God shown you his favor?
A: God always does good things. It’s us, mankind, that winds up doing bad things and we’re judged for them. It’s just that simple. We have a tempter who works 24/7 to steal, kill, and destroy. We live in a fallen world. Sometimes we open up doors for Satan to come at us, but God only thinks good thoughts toward us. He has our best interest at heart, but we must have faith and obey Him. Now there is also a judgement side to Him, but if we obey Him we will never ever see His judgement side. And in answer to how God has shown me His favor, everything God has ever done for me—spiritually, physically, financially—has been nothing but favor and a blessing of the Lord. In my 47 years to date of preaching the Gospel, He has never told me “No” and I call that extreme favor! If it’s in His Word, it’s available. A delay is not a denial, and it’s through faith and patience that we get the promises of God.
Q: Talk about the joy God has shown you that He has for pouring His goodness into our lives.
A: Well, joy is a spiritual concept and happiness is an emotional feeling. Happiness comes and goes. The joy of the Lord is your strength and that’s because it’s an attribute of God’s Spirit. It’s His joy and when it’s flowing through you, it has the power to lift you up and get you through all kind of circumstances. It can affect others, too when it’s spilling out of you. You just connect with God, remind yourself of His Word, and focus on what’s true, just, honest, lovely, and of good report. Remind yourself of what He’s done. Rehearse that instead of the problems. When you let the joy of the Lord come up out of your spirit and flow, it’ll give you spiritual and physical strength because you know that your end result will be good, no matter what, and that’s a wonderful thing to know.
Q: What has God shown you regarding an acceleration of the supernatural in His Church in this season?
A: If people will be willing and obedient—that’s the whole key right there! Isaiah 1:19 says that if you be willing and obedient, you’ll eat the good of the land. But it’s more than eating the good of the land; you can accelerate the supernatural just by simply being obedient and spending time with God. And that’s not just at church or at some church function, but getting up every morning and saying, “Hello, Jesus!” and He replies, “Hi, Jesse!”(or whatever your name may be). I tell you, getting personal with God every day will accelerate the supernatural power of God in your life. You develop your relationship through fellowshipping with Him and that makes you more willing to follow His lead as you go about your day. The more willing and obedient the Body of Christ gets on a personal level, the more we will flow as a whole.
Q: What does it mean to be a friend of God, and how important is it that people know he wants us to know Him in that way?
A: God is very personal and He wants to talk to you. Most people pray and as soon as they’re finished they get up and walk out, when, if they’d just sat there for a moment, He could’ve said something to them. I like conversation. As I said, I say, “Hello, Jesus!” and He says, “Hi, Jesse!” That fellowship is what it means to be a friend of God. Draw near to Him and He’s always going to draw near to you. If you’ll just get close to Him, He’ll talk to you like He talked to Abraham, and He will share with you His thoughts before He ever does them, if you become His friend. And you can be His friend.
Q: God’s love for us is so deep. Share with us a moment from your life where God gave you a taste of just how massive His love is.
A: I guess the best thing is when He saved me. I was such a chief of sinners. I mean, everyone said, “He’ll never get saved.” And yet, in that grace and that mercy, He reached out to me. That’s one of the most wonderful things in my life. There’s nothing to me in my Christian life that has ever topped my salvation. That’s as good as it gets!
Q: Your program Jesse Duplantis Ministries airs twice a week on Daystar. What can people expect when they tune in?
A: Fun. Joy. Power. Revelation. Honesty. Integrity. Our vision has always been about reaching people and changing lives for God. That’s what we’re all about!
