Sometimes it’s just too difficult to describe a God encounter and sometimes it’s best not to even try.
“I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows – was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no-one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.”
2 Corinthians 12:1-5
He writes in the 3rd person perhaps out of humility or maybe he just cannot believe it was him who had the experience. But the key phrase is that he was ‘in Christ’. This sums up his life’s mission, to be so united with Christ that all he did was for Christ and in alignment with Christ.
Now about the 3rd heaven. For the Jew the sky is the first heaven, the heavens/universe is the 2nd heaven and God’s presence is the 3rd heaven. Paul visited paradise, the place of God, heaven itself. In that place it is difficult to find the words to describe five the experience. Further, Paul didn’t know whether it was in or outside the body. This sophisticated and intelligent man could not understand really what had happened to him. It is a great example of not being able to neatly categorise what God did for us when He touched us.
- Authentic encounters are difficult to describe.
- Authentic encounters produce humility around what happened not pride.
- Authentic encounters are not diminished because of a lack of clarity.
- Authentic encounters are God-led not man driven. God caught Paul upwards.
Missions Paul 