by Dan McCollam

My greatest mystical experience could be yours, too.

Read on to hear of my greatest mystical experience. I’ll even support my experience with Scripture and historical writings of great revivalists and Christian mystics.

In my travels and training online, people often ask me, “What is the most mystical spiritual thing you have ever heard of or personally experienced?” Before I answer, let me remind you that, typically, when we speak of the “mystical” at Prophetic Company, we are referring to experiencing the spirit world through one’s natural senses. But the word “mystical" can also be defined as “inspiring a sense of spiritual mystery, awe, and fascination.” (Oxford Languages) 

So, what is my most mystical experience? 

I believe the most powerful mystical experience beyond salvation in my personal life, in the Bible, and throughout Christian history is to be fully absorbed in the love of God.

Every believer has had tastes of the love of God in salvation, in worship, in service, or in prayer. In these places, we catch little glimpses of His love like a view of the vast ocean peeking through a stand of trees. But to be absorbed into love’s unlimited measures is like losing all gravitational grip and being flung into the depths of the sweetest, most intoxicating dimension of life and love where human vocabulary falls short. 

I’ve had a few occurrences with God’s love that seemed to displace any fear of death and leave me longing for my heavenly home. I wasn’t suicidal or anything (that would not be God), but I felt so under the influence of heavenly realities and God’s great love for me that everything earthly felt out of place and immensely inferior. The secret to my grounding these experiences back into earthly life was in understanding that this was only a small, tangible taste of the love that God always has for me in Christ Jesus and that my duty in love is to bring and show this love to others. 

I believe the apostle Paul and the disciples experienced this mystical dimension of God’s great love. That is why Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus, 

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

The love of God took a priority role in Paul’s prayers for the Church. 

Many historical mystical writers and revivals came to the same conclusion of love being the greatest mystical experience. Here are just a few quotes to whet your appetite: 

“This immensity is indescribable and because of it the soul is dying of love…for there is nothing better or more necessary than love.” – John of the Cross 1586 

“How sweet was the first embrace of Jesus! It was indeed an embrace of love. I felt that I was loved, and I said: ‘I love Thee, and I give myself to Thee forever.’ …Oh Jesus, my Love, at last I have found my vocation. My vocation is love!” – Therese of Lisieux 1897

“God loved us before he made us; and his love has never diminished and never shall…The greatest honor we can give Almighty God is to live gladly because of the knowledge of his love…And He that made man for love, by the same love, He would restore man to the same bliss… that we should be like Jesus Christ…by the virtue of our again-making.” – Julian of Norwich 1395

“The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God…It is a caressing of love so sweet which now takes place between the soul and God, that I pray God of his goodness to make him experience it who may think that I am lying.” – St. Teresa of Avila 1545

“Long experience has taught me that the love of God is our life, our bliss, and our repose…” – St Catherine of Genoa 1551

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” – St Augustine 420

God loves you. The goal is to not assume you know what that means, but by the purest gift of faith simply dare to believe it, and then give yourself grace’s permission to experience it. Let God love you. Let Him love the fear, the unbelief, the pain, and the sin out of you. Don’t try to be worthy of it. 

The great reformer Martin Luther said, “God’s love does not love that which is worthy of being loved, but it creates that which is worthy of being loved.” 

The brilliant writer, C.S. Lewis said, “God’s love is not wearied by our sins and is relentless in its determination that we be cured at whatever cost to us or Him.” 

You see, love comes before anything worthy or able. 

So, what should you do? Believe as I have said by the very gift of faith God has put in you. Yield yourself to the depths of God’s love. Let go of unworthiness and control and let love overtake you. Pray Paul’s biblical prayer over yourself regularly and make frequent stops to acknowledge that He is already answering while you are asking. Pause to receive and drink in His love. 

You were made in, by, and for love. Enter this mystical union by the love, grace, and goodness of God alone.

I’ll finish with another great prayer of Apostle Paul’s, “And this I pray: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…” (Philippians 1:9)

In His love,