“I was on the expressway in Kampala, it wasn’t a dream. I was going, and then the car got lifted up mid-air and then I found myself in a place full of light and in abundance. And I was then told that this is heaven. So when I reached there I met Jesus for the first time, one on one. Then he took me to where I met also my father because my father was a pastor so I met him there in angelic form and his son who took me to Jesus. When I reached Jesus I was told to kneel down just before Christ and my head was opened and when he opened my head he told me, ‘I’ve given you the brain of a prophet,’ and then he sealed it back. Within an instant, I was dropped back onto earth… I’d been away for almost four hours. Nowadays, I go to heaven normally and come back.”
These were the words of a self-proclaimed prophet narrating his “heavenly encounter.” Many within today’s church receive such stories with awe and without the slightest question. Followers believe such claims wholesale and hang on every word.
But before you think I am pointing a finger, I want to pause and say this: I was once such a Christian. I, too, believed these kinds of stories, and in doing so, I was led down a road of deception. That is exactly why I feel compelled to write this post. Not to mock or condemn, but to warn of the real dangers of building our faith on these sensational claims instead of the unshakable foundation of God’s Word.
The Rise of Story-Based Theology
What is unfolding in the church today is the glorification of personal experiences at the expense of God’s Word. Instead of faithfully teaching the Scriptures, many so-called prophets and apostles exegete (to explain or interpret a text) their dreams, visions, and mystical encounters. Their sermons become story hours rather than expositions of God’s Word. And when they occasionally open the Bible, they often rip verses out of context to give credibility to their experiences.
The result? Entire congregations build their understanding of God, Christ, salvation, and the Christian life on these unverified claims. Their theology is shaped not by Scripture but by the imagination of their favorite “man or woman of God.”
What is even more troubling is that many do not even recognize how problematic this is. Within hypercharismatic and prosperity gospel circles, especially, such claims are often treated as though they carry the same weight as Scripture. Or worse, as if they surpass it. And the effect, as you can imagine, is a dangerous diminishing of the sufficiency and authority of God’s Word.
The Deceptive Power of Sensational Claims
But I’ll be the first to admit that such stories carry a powerful pull. They sound exciting and mysterious. I mean, who wouldn’t want to “meet Jesus face to face,” or “go to heaven and come back”?
It gets even more enticing when those telling these stories claim that in their encounters, they discovered hidden secrets and divine keys—keys to greater anointing, prosperity, and power. They promise that such revelations have enabled them to achieve a higher spiritual rank in the spirit realm. Thus, enabling them to perform signs, wonders, and miracles, and to gain victory over Satan and his minions. For many, this sounds like the fast track to spiritual success.
Yet Paul warns against this very kind of deception in Colossians 2:18. He cautions believers not to be “disqualified by those insisting on asceticism and the worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by their sensuous mind.”
In other words, those who boast of visions and mystical encounters are not drawing people nearer to Christ but are driven by pride and empty imagination. Far from giving believers access to hidden knowledge or higher ranks in the spirit, such claims only enslave people to human traditions and distract them from holding fast to Christ, the true Head of the church (Col. 2:19).
And if at all some of these experiences are real and not empty imagination, there’s a high probability they are from deceptive spirits. After all, Satan himself can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
This is why John exhorts believers: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Therefore, no matter how convincing a story may sound or how sincere the storyteller appears, we must measure everything against the Word of God. Scripture, not mystical encounters, is the ultimate standard of truth.
I discuss this more in depth in my article on Mysticism: The Dangers of Seeking Special Revelation.
God’s Word Is Enough
Hebrews 1:1–2 tells us: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” Christ is God’s final revelation, and the Scriptures faithfully testify to Him.
Therefore, we do not need stories or new revelations. Neither do we need “prophetic encounters” or secret journeys to heaven to know what God has to say. Our theology (understanding of God and our faith) should come from a faithful study and interpretation of the Scriptures. God has already given us everything that is necessary for life and godliness in His Word (2 Pet. 1:3). And only the Word of God is sufficient and authoritative for teaching, correcting, and equipping us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
This also means that our sanctification happens through the truth of God’s Word (John 17:17). And that true spiritual maturity comes through the Spirit working in us as we hear, believe, and obey Scripture.
Running after spiritual encounters leads to emptiness. Running after Christ through His Word leads to life.
Related: Why the Church Should Beware of New Revelations
Conclusion
Stories of supernatural encounters may sound captivating, but they are a shaky and dangerous foundation for faith. They cannot save, sanctify, or sustain us. Only the Word of God can. I know firsthand how easy it is to be swept away by such stories, thinking they bring us closer to God, when in fact they lead us further from the sufficiency of Christ and His finished work.
Therefore, dear reader, do not be fooled by stories. And do not build your faith on the shifting sands of men’s imaginations. Instead, let it rest firmly on the unshakable foundation of Scripture. Because God has spoken finally and fully in His Son, and His Word is enough.
If you truly long to know Christ more deeply, open your Bible. Pray for the Spirit’s illumination. Commit yourself to the ordinary but life-transforming means of grace God has given: His Word, prayer, fellowship, and obedience, for that is where true spiritual growth is found.
My prayer is that we may be a people who refuse to elevate experience above truth, and who hold fast to Christ, the Head of the Church. For in Him we already have all the riches of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).
Related: Bibliolatry: Should Christians Beware of Making the Bible an Idol?
1 Comment
I had the same thoughts too .. thank you for this clarity God bless you