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We see the apostle after a number of years was now bringing to light a revelation that had been given to him those years
before. It is now in the world today that we often hear of people experiencing an after death sensation and a vision, and then
they are brought back to life again. In the church members we hear of it. It was a new blessing that was to be given to the
world. Previously there would have not been benefit in anyone seeing the after death experience as they made their way to hell
the place of waiting to be judged but now there was a new hope for mankind. We find that this experience of the Apostle Paul,
when we relate the time that he said it happened, and we relate his journey, and we go back to that period that he spoke of, and
see the circumstances that prevailed at that time and what he was speaking about, and we find written in the Book of Acts
Chapter 14 verses 8-20 on as follows: “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his
mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had
faith to be healed. Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what
Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of
men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter,
which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which
when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying,
Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these
vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past
suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave
us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained
they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and lconium,
who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the
disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
We see that the Apostle Paul was stoned to death. It is witnessed that they thought that he was dead. They took his body
outside the city, and in that period he had a death-life experience, he was taken up to the third heaven and he witnessed and
saw Paradise. He was also told and he also knew that no man could speak about this because it was beyond the comprehension
of any words that any man could discuss on the beauty and the blessings that were in that place. God then brought him back to
life as His disciples stood around him. Here was a man who was stoned to death and yet he just stood up and walked back in to
the city. This experience came to him for a reason and that was to explain to the church the existence of Paradise and its
beauty. We can read where the apostle resisted telling anyone for all of those years. He even said to the Lord that he was
frightened that if he spoke of that the people would praise him and say that he was a god, as they had done on that day that it
happened. He resisted three times. He said it was like a thorn in his side. Three times he was about to bring it out as a teaching,
but then he stepped back because he did not want to be honoured for what he had seen. He said that he would prefer to be
honoured in the persecutions that he was going through
and he confessed to the Lord. We know today how repentance must always be done. He confessed to the Lord that for three
times he had fought this, now he was condemned. The Lord said to him – My grace is sufficient for thee and in weakness will
you be made strong. We can see it is not only each and everyone of us, but it was a strong man of faith like Apostle Paul, and
we can understand this experience. It had never happened in the world before and it has continued on today, where many can
testify of when they were proclaimed leaving this life they saw glorious lights and glorious things before they were brought
back. We must believe those in faith, as the Apostle Paul has taught us of this wonderful place of Paradise. We have also heard
that it is a place of waiting, even though it is a place of blessing. It is a place of waiting where we have to wait until the Lord
returns and brings those souls with Him to bring about the resurrection of the bodies so that they can be made whole. We must
never doubt that the resurrection of the church will take place when our Lord returns.