1-4 It is doubtless not expedient for me to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:
I knew a man in Christ more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body I cannot tell, or whether out of the body I cannot tell — God knoweth). Such a one was caught up to the third Heaven.
And I knew such a man (whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell — God knoweth), and how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
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(Comments by Joan Boney)
A few nights, after I was born again in 1975, as I slept, I was transported into heaven. I knew I was with God, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit, though I saw no images. It was a spiritual experience, in the Spirit. At that time, I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.
A few nights after this, the exact same thing happened again.
After that, I was on fire for Bible. I owned a business at the time but I no longer cared anything for my business although I did keep the business for another five years or so.
All I wanted to do after being transported into heaven twice, was to read the Bible and attend church meetings.
During this time, I visited my favorite aunt who lived in another state. Relatives were afraid of this aunt but I was never afraid of her. She was different from other people.
As we talked, the Holy Spirit said to me (in form of a thought), "Tell her about being taken into heaven."
I certainly did not want to do that.
She was Church of Christ and had been all her life. These people do not talk about supernatural experiences with God.
But because I believed it was the Holy Spirit telling me to share what happened to me with her, I did.
As I spoke about this, I noticed she got a type of dreamy look on her face.
Then she said, "Something like that happened to me once. And it was all golden."
Then I knew why she was different!
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II Corinthians 12:5-8 Of such a one will I glory, yet of myself I will not glory, except in mine infirmities.
For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool, for I will say the truth. But now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or than he heareth of me.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And HE said unto me, “MY grace is sufficent for thee, for MY strength is made perfect in weakness.”
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When we are weak and helpless, what do we do? We turn to God for help.
But when we are strong, we think we know what to do and we set about on our own to do that.
We are perfected when we are weak and helpless and depend on God.
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II Corinthians 12:9-13 Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in privations, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.
I have become a fool in glorying. Ye have compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you. For in nothing am I inferior to the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing.
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.
For in what are ye inferior to other churches, unless it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!
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14-21 Behold, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
But be it so, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. (guile: pretense, acting, deceiving, hypocrisy)
Did I gain from you by any of those whom I sent unto you?
I desired Titus to go, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make any gain from you? Walked we not in the same spirit? Walked we not in the same steps?
Again, think you that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ; but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found by you as ye would not, lest there be debates, envyings, wrath, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, boastings, tumults;
and lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
(It is very humbling to have to bring correction.)
(It is very humbling to have to bring correction.)
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