Notes on The Final Quest

Chapter 1 The Mountain

Rick Joyner has a series of dreams and visions to tell this parable. He finds himself on an open plain looking at the army of Satan. A few demonic leaders oversee many demonic spirits. There are Christian ‘prisoners’ behind this demonic army that are held in bondage by small spirits of fear. These prisoners still hold their swords in their hands but didn’t use them to drive away the small spirits of fear. They are also being slimed with condemnation by vultures of depression flying overhead. In front of this demonic army is a layer of Christians who are deceived and being controlled by demons of Pride, Self-righteousness, Respectability, Selfish Ambition, Unrighteous Judgment and Jealously. The Christians, in the front lines, that were controlled by these demons would take on their attitudes and nature. Those so controlled were susceptible to this because they professed Christian truths, but instead lived in agreement with Satan’s ways.

The overall goal of the demonic army, lead by the Accuser of the Brethren, was to cause division on every possible level of relationship: churches with each other, congregations with their pastors, husbands and wives, children and parents, and even children with one another.

The Lord’s army was on the opposite side of the plain. They were ill prepared and most did not have full sets of armor on. Few were trained how to use what armor they had. Rick begin earnestly praying (Intercession) and armor was delivered to many. The armies clash. Wherever someone did not have armor on they were struck with arrows ( gossip, slander, lust , etc….) and began acting out what they were hit with. Many ran from the scene of the fight. Shortly some of those who fled begin returning with full sets of armor and holding large shields. Resolve replaced casual attitudes. Everyone had swords named the Word of God.

Wisdom appears and directed everyone to fight from the Mountain behind them.

Their swords and shields grew as they climb higher on the Mountain (Authority). Fewer of the enemy arrows could reach them.

Some begin shooting the enemy arrows of gossip, slander, lust, etc… back at the enemy. The demons easily dodged them and let them hit the controlled Christians making them even more hurt and therefore more easily controlled and deceived.

They reached the level of “The Unity of the Brethren.” None of the enemy’s arrows could reach them at this place. Many remain there because the footing becomes more difficult as they climb on, but Rick continues to climb because he keeps getting more skillful with his weapons. The vultures of depression slime the ledges with condemnation making it easy to slip and fall down to lower levels.

Those who continue to climb pick up arrows dropped on each level. They are very accurate and begin to decimate several divisions of the evil army. The army counter-attacks them intensely. “For a time it seemed that the more we achieved, the more the enemy attacked us. Though our task seemed endless, it had become exhilarating.”

Rick uses his Sword to anchor himself into the mountain. He drives the sword into the mountain and then ties himself to the sword. He does this because the various ledges were becoming so slippery from the vulture’s slime of condemnation that it was easy to slip and fall.

Rick realizes that the fighting between the Christians on the mountain and those used by the enemy on the plain looks like an incomprehensible meltdown of Christianity to unbelievers.

Rick spent every free moment either trying to drive his sword deeper into the mountain or trying to tie himself to it more securely.

They reach the level of Galatians Two Twenty - they were now above the altitude the vultures could withstand. ("I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.") On this level he catches up with Faith, Hope and Love.

On this level there are arrows of Hope that easily kill the vultures below. From this level they could also hit any enemy in the army except the leaders themselves.

Finally the sky over the mountain is almost completely rid of the vultures.

Non-Christians see Faith, Hope and Love on top of the mountain and begin to see was the fight was all about. They come closer the mountain to get a better view.

After killing the vultures over the mountain they began picking off the vultures over the prisoners. As the cloud of darkness dissipates they begin to recognize their condition and the condemnation that covers them (slime) and they start cleaning themselves up! Then they see Faith, Hope, and Love and run towards the mountain. The evil horde shoots many arrows of accusation and slander into their back, but they don't stop. As soon as they begin to scale the mountain their wounds begin to heal.

The Trap - the former prisoners put on the armor given them and beg to go back to attack the enemy who had held the captive and abused them for so long. They think about it, discuss it and decide it is better to stay on the mountain to fight. Wisdom appears and says: "A second time you have chosen wisdom. You cannot win if you try to fight the enemy on his own ground but you must remain on My Holy mountain." Rick is stunned that they had made another decision of such importance just by briefly thinking and discussing it. He then resolves to not make another decision of any consequence without Prayer. Wisdom then steps up to him and grabs his shoulders and says: "You must do this." As Wisdom does this he pulls Rick forward and he realizes that although the plateau of Galatians 2:20 was very broad, he has moved to the edge of it and almost fallen off. Rick realizes that in the exuberance of victory he had become careless. Wisdom says," Take heed when you think you stand, lest you fall."

Next they focus on the Christians in the front of the army - now that the prisoners behind had been freed. For a long time they continued killing the vultures and picking off the demons that were riding the Christians on the front line. Those on the mountain were not suffering any more casualties anymore. And they had climbed past the level of Patience. Few of the Christians who had the demons picked off them would come to the mountain. As the darkness dissipates they can see the legs of the Christians on the front line are bound with serpents called shame. None of the arrows killed these serpents. Rick therefore decides to climb higher to find something that would kill them. However, the higher he goes the more precarious the footing. They begin climbing very fast and, un-noticed, they leave Wisdom far behind. Rick realizes later that if they had stayed with Wisdom they could have had a quicker and easier victory.

Without warning they come to a level that opens up into a Garden. The sign over the entrance reads: "The Father's Unconditional Love." They see Angels around the Tree of Life and are invited to eat the fruit. A host of other warriors have all made the climb at the same time Rick.

As they eat the fruit of the Tree of Life love floods them for everyone they know and even for their enemies. A voice says," This is now your daily bread." An Angel shows Rick a host of pure white eagles in the Tree of Life. He tells him that these eagles devour snakes. "Go!" Rick says - "Devour the shame that has bound our brothers." Even as the eagles rise in the air and as far away as they were - Rick and the others can hear the cries of terror as the enemy camp sees the eagles ascending!

Jesus appears to lead them forward and commend them.

Chapter 2 The Return to the Battle

Rick understands that the more they focus on Jesus the more the glory intensifies. He realizes that it doesn't really intensify but is always there - and the more they close their eyes and focus on Jesus and worship the more they perceive what is already present!

The Angel explains "What you see with the eyes of your heart is more real that what you see with your physical eyes." He goes on to explain that although they are going to return to the battle, they don't ever have to leave the garden because the garden is now in their heart! He explains that no one ever wants to leave the manifest presence of the Lord. Even Paul didn't. He closes his eyes and focuses on Jesus and he can see the garden again. A first he has some trouble doing this but gets beyond that.

Wisdom encourages Rick to embrace the kindness and the severity of God both. To love God and to rightly fear God.

Rick realizes that he has been questioning and challenging Wisdom most of his life - often to his own injury - without realizing he has been doing this.

Wisdom confronts Rick about remaining the glory in the garden and tells Rick he would not have crossed paths with Wisdom often if he had remained there w/o obeying and returning to the fight. He reminds Rick that God is both the Lamb and the Lion - not just the 1st.

Wisdom begins leading Rick down the mountain. He passes the level of "Thanksgiving" and remembers that a significant attack occurred as they got close to it. When they climbed up to the level of "Thanksgiving" their wounds they received during the battle healed much quicker and the rest of the climb was much easier.

When he descended to the lower level the enemies shot a shower of arrows at him. Rick so easily knocked them down with his shield that they quit shooting. Soon the whole mountain began reflecting the glory of the Garden. As this happens Rick begins thanking and praising God and immediately he is back in the Presence again. Wisdom says," You enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise." Rick says,” That was so real, I felt like I was there again!" Wisdom assures him "You were there. It has not gotten more real, you have."

Rick realizes that they are strong enough to attack and destroy what remains of the enemy horde. Wisdom tells him "Not yet, look over there." Rick can't see well b/c of the glory coming of his armor. He asks Wisdom for something to cover it up and Wisdom hands him a very plain cloak or mantel. Rick is insulted by it's drabness. Asking what it is, Wisdom responds: "Humility, you will not be able to see very well without it." As Rick, reluctantly, put it on he notices an entire division of the enemy horde that is waiting to ambush anyone who ventures from the mountain. Wisdom explains," That is Pride – it’s the hardest enemy to see after you have been in the glory. Those who refuse to put on this cloak will suffer much at the hands of that most devious enemy."

Rick watches in agony as many of the glorious warriors with full armor leave the mountain to attack the enemy hoard. He ties to stop it but Wisdom says that only those who wear the cloak of Humility will respect you enough to listen. Wisdom leads Rick down to the lowest level called "Salvation." He explains that it is not the "lowest" but the foundation of the whole mountain. The carnage and courage of those here. (many are women and children) is beyond what he can imagine. He looked down on them before when he was climbing up the mountain. Wisdom says, "they are no less heroes than those who made it to the top!"

Meanwhile the warriors who left the mountain are shot in the back by the division of Pride. They throw their weapons down declaring they don't need them anymore and are captured.

Wisdom explains that the cloak of Humility is the highest rank in the kingdom. Jesus wore it during His time on the earth.

When other warriors on the mountain witnessed the fall of the warriors who left the mountain - they cry out to Wisdom for help and He gives them all the cloak of Humility.

Chapter 3 The Treasures of Salvation

Rick talks with one of the white eagles that return from devouring the shame that was binding the Christians on the front line. The eagle is a prophet and tells Rick that the Christians on the front line are free and will be here soon. Rick is upset with the eagle and asks if they couldn't have done anything to prevent the capture of the warriors who left the mountain. The eagle said they would have told them to wait - but that these would not listen to them. Rick asks the eagle about rescuing those who were just captured. The eagle agrees and leads him to a door in the mountain that will take him back to the top. This leads inside the mountain to the Treasure of Salvation.

He encounters a blue stone - it had a feeling of the sun and the clouds in it - the same feeling from the Garden with the Tree of Life.

He encounters a green stone - called the Restoration of Life - his love for everything grows.

He asks the angels for help to get to the top fastest. There are many doors and many different stones. Which will help him in his goal the quickest? He sees one door that is terrible called "The Judgment Seat of Christ" and Rick, in fear, runs from it and grabs hold of a red stone. Here he is instantly in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus experiencing all His suffering and immediately lets go. He discusses with the Angels what happened and concludes that the Red Stone is the most valuable treasure in the whole limitless room. He embraces this stone, frequently letting go and running back to the Blue ad Green stones to rejuvenate his soul and then returning to the Red Stone. Finally he can go on not longer and collapses. However, the time at the red stone beholding Jesus' suffering for us creates incredible love and devotion in his heart for Christ. Sometime later he awakes and finds all 3 stones set into the handle of his sword. He decides to have another look at the terrible door. It doesn't overwhelmingly terrify him now.... after his time at the Red Stone. He chooses to go through that door. The eagle reappears and tells him he has chosen well. This door will take him to the top the fastest. He enters.

There are 2 other Chapters to this book. However, at this time, I am only taking notes on the first 3.

Questions? Comments? Email me at ChrisSarris@hotmail.com