“I recalled my last moments on earth, lying on my deathbed in pain, thinking my life would soon be over,” the heavenly man told me. “Then instantly I was in paradise and I realised it was the beginning of my real life (Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 5:6). My existence before was an introduction to this fullness (Philippians 3:20).

“As heaven changed my view of everything, I became aware of something which never truly gripped me on earth – I was created as an eternal spirit. I am a spirit (Romans 1:9, 8:16, 1 Corinthians 2:11), which possesses a soul (Matthew 16:26), who happened to live in a body whilst on earth (Romans 6:12).

“Something very special also happened to my character and nature. In my life I became a Christian, yet my nature was still carnal (Romans 7:14), and my mind needed to be continually renewed (Romans 1:2). I was like the apostle Paul who did the things he did not want to do, and did not do what he wanted (Romans 7:15-25).

“Then when I entered paradise something changed within me, and I was conformed to the image of Christ. I did not want to sin and I could not sin. The carnal nature was gone and I saw myself in a totally different heavenly light” (Galatians 6:15).

This is an excerpt from the book ‘Heaven - A Journey to Paradise and the Heavenly City’ by Paul Backholer.