2 Corinthians 12:1–6:

“It is necessary to go on boasting, though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up into Paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such an individual I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. For even if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be telling the truth. But I refrain from this, so that no one may regard me beyond what he sees in me or what he hears from me.”

I’m going to focus on verse 4 today, but it is just interesting to me that Paul says, “Even if I’m boasting like this, I’ll be saying the truth.” What that means to me is that some people will claim to see things, but it is not the truth.

So verse 4 is my concern today. I’ve been on this passage for the past few days. Coming from verse 3 now so that we have a complete sentence. He said, “And I know that this man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows.”

Verse 4 now: “Was caught up into Paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak.”

So Paul first of all said, “This thing I want to do is boasting and it is not profitable.” And also, the things I have even heard, I am restricted in what I can communicate.

Look at what happened to John in his revelation. He heard something—“the seven thunders” sounded—and when he was about to write, he was told, “No, do not write it; seal up what the seven thunders have said” (Revelation 10:3–4).

And some people want to deceive themselves and say, “I know exactly what John sealed up.” Are you sure? Are you sure you know?

So let us understand that some things are the divine prerogative. Paul had been telling us, “I do not know,” and “Some things I am not even supposed to tell people.”

But look at you. Look at you—2026, whatever this year is when you are listening to this—you think you know exactly what is hidden. You think an angel has come to you and shown you exactly what is hidden.

Be careful. Be careful. Watch this incessant chasing of visions and revelation.

And watch this thing that makes you think that because somebody has visions and revelations, that makes the person special. “I’ve seen, I’ve seen, I’ve seen, I’ve seen.” You now want to put the person as the leader because of “I’ve seen, I’ve seen, I’ve seen.”

Paul wrote—and remember I am in verse 4—“caught up into Paradise.” It is the truth that he was caught up into Paradise. So we read the stories, and some people want to mimic it. They want to now say, “I am also the new Paul, and I was also caught up to Paradise.” What would be the implication? The implication is that I must abandon everything and just come and listen to you, because you keep seeing all these marvelous things.

Dangerous. Very, very dangerous. Dangerous.

And again, I want to refer to the words of Paul, who said, “These people go on and on about what they have supposedly seen, and they are not holding fast to the Head” (Colossians 2:18–19). Not holding firm to Christ.

Look at what Paul said he saw here. He said, “A person is not permitted to speak… too sacred to be put into words… things that a person is not permitted to speak.”

He said, “I heard things.” This is what I am thinking happened: he was caught up, and it was like things were happening, and he heard things. And people want to mimic that. They want to sort of mimic this experience. They want to tell you they have a similar experience.

One of the things you want to note, too, is that God does not repeat some things twice. That is my proposition. You look at all the revelations in the Bible; look at all the prophets in the Bible. The uniqueness is stunning.

Philip was caught up after speaking to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:39–40). We do not see any further examples of that. It does not become a fashion. It does not become an ankó (Yoruba), if you understand what I am talking about.

And Peter had a trance repeated three times (Acts 10:9–16). It does not become ankó (Yoruba). It was not repeated again.

And Peter told Ananias and Sapphira, “You have lied to the Holy Spirit,” and they fell down and died (Acts 5:1–11). It was not repeated again.

So we see all those things, and we say, “These are the things that are supposed to be happening.” Who said that? Who said that? Who said that? Nobody. You came up with it. You are coming to conclusions that the Bible does not allow you to reach.

Paul says here: a person is not permitted to speak; caught up into Paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words. And I am saying the spiritual experiences of the people in the Bible are so unique. Even from the same person, it does not repeat itself.

You look at Jesus—even the miracles He did—one is so different from another. It is so different. There is no formula. That is what I am trying to say. There is no formula.

God bless you. See you later.