Howard Pittman's Extraordinary Experience

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2013, all rights reserved.    

Chapter 1

I first heard about Howard Pittman when Pastor John Osteen mentioned him and a little of his story from the pulpit at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX.  

Later, my friend Willard Hadjes told me Pittman was in town and that Hadjes was setting up meetings for Pittman.  I said Pittman could have a meeting at my apartment in Houston.  

The night Pittman spoke, I think we had twenty seven people in attendance.  This was about in the late 1970's, or so.      

Pittman had been a preacher out of Foxworth, MS.  Something broke inside of Pittman's body, and he was bleeding internally.  Bleeding into the body cavity.

An ambulance came to transport Pittman to a hospital.  Pittman felt that he was dying, and he prayed a prayer asking God to give him the right to stand before the throne of God to present his petition for an extension of his life on earth.  

Pittman was pronounced dead by the medical people.  His spirit left his body.  Pittman said that when his spirit left his body, he passed through a dimensional barrier.  He passed into the spirit world.  A world we can't normally see with our natural eyes.    

The Apostle Paul speaks of things visible and invisible. (Col 1:16)  The spirit world is normally invisible, although God can open someone's eyes to see into the spirit world, as he did with Kenneth E. Hagin, when Hagin was healing the woman with lung cancer.  (See "Kenneth E. Hagin, Prophet, Teacher, Healer," by Frederick Hoehn)  

But God didn't have to open Pittman's eyes.  His natural eyes were still in his body in a hospital bed.  Pittman's spirit left his natural body for a brief period, and as a spirit, Pittman was observing things in the spirit world, as guided by the angel who was giving Pittman the tour.    

In the spirit world, there are angels and demons, which are fallen angels, who rebelled against God when Satan did.  

An angel took him on a tour of the spirit world, and showed him how demons operate.  In another room of the  hospital from where Pittman's body was, Pittman saw a demon stalking a man like a man would stalk an animal that the man was hunting.  The man was in conversation with a woman.  

I don't know what the conversation was about, but as I listened to Pittman, my impression was that it was about some form of sexual perversion.  

At one point, he saw the demon "possess the man," Pittman said.  I think Pittman's terminology was incorrect here.  What he saw was the demon enter the man through the pores of the skin of the man's forehead.  

In his book, "Demons, the Answer Book," Lester Sumrall lists about seven levels of demon activity.  Possession is one of those levels of activity, but I don't think demons possess someone just because they've entered the person.  

Possession, to me, suggests nearly total control, as with the Gadarene demoniac in the Bible, who had a legion of demons in him.  

Pittman spoke of warring demons, who go around starting wars.

Pittman said the demons of sexual perversion have shapes like frogs.  

Pittman learned that demons are specialists, not general practitioners, that is, the demon that tempts someone to rob a bank is not the same demon that tempts people to commit adultery.  

Chapter 2

Then an angel took Pittman's spirit up to the area of heaven, but outside the walls of heaven.  

Pittman said to the angel, "I wanted to go into heaven and present my petition to God." 

The angel answered Pittman, "If you go into heaven, you can't come back out.  And you wanted an extension of your life on earth.  Just stand right here and speak to God.  He'll hear you and answer you."  

So Pittman began presenting his petition to God for an extension of his life on earth.  He said, "And if you'll do that, I promise..."

And God said, "Howard Pittman, you've promised before," meaning that Pittman hadn't been so good at keeping promises he'd made to God.  

But God took pity on Pittman, and granted his request, and promised him an additional three years.  Before it was over, I think Pittman probably lived an additional six years, or so, even though he'd only been promised three.  

God told Pittman to tell the people that we are now in Noah's second age.  

Jesus said that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man (Jesus).  38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,  39 And didn't know until the flood came, and took them all away, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. (Matt chapt 24)

God told Pittman that He is putting together an army for himself.  Pittman felt that I was a member of that army.  I think Pittman was right about that.  

In one of his newsletters, Pittman mentioned about having seen a man with a gray beard, and wondered whether it was perhaps Elijah.  

In Malachi 4:5, it talks about Elijah returning to earth.

But I wrote back to Pittman and pointed out that Jesus said that John the Baptist was the prophesied Elijah, and so the Malachi prophecy had been fulfilled. (Matt 11:14.  In the King James, it says Elias, which means Elijah.)   

After that, I didn't hear back from Pittman.  I think perhaps he went to be with Jesus in heaven at around that time.  

But I believe Elijah will come back to earth with Enoch.  I believe they are the two "olive trees" mentioned in chapter 11 of the book of Revelation.  

In Hebrews 9:27, it says, "It is appointed to man once to die, and after this the judgment."

But Enoch and Elijah never had a natural death.  I believe they'll come back and preach to the world, and then die.  

Their dead bodies will lay in the streets for three and a half days, and will be seen by the world (mostly by TV, I expect).  Their enemies will rejoice about their deaths.  

Then they'll be raised from the dead, and ascend up to heaven in a cloud.  (Rev chapt 11)


___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.