As believers, we all desire greater and greater encounters with the Lord. In this devotional, I want to encourage and help you prepare for more God encounters in your life. I’ll also give you some simple steps to practice that can activate you into this lifestyle.
When I think of an encounter with God, I often reflect on the story of Jacob. It is interesting to remember that Jacob, like us, was on a journey and in a process of becoming what God destined him to be.
1 John 3:2 describes our process in this way:
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”
God Encounters Change Us!
Jacob had many experiences. He heard God’s voice and saw a ladder to heaven; angels protected him; he received the birthright (although deceptively), and prospered supernaturally. Yet, none of these experiences changed him at his core. His heart remained the same. It was not until Jacob wrestled with God and had a true encounter that his heart and, ultimately, entire life changed! This is an amazing thought: experiences are not the same as encounters. God desires that we not only have wonderful experiences, but that we have encounters with Him and thus change. When we meet Him, we become more like Him. When encounters take place, we continue to mature and are forever changed. We go from glory to glory and from faith to faith. This is an ongoing process and part of the Christian life.
I believe it is important to remember that the Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Truth. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13).
When we think of encounters, we must not just think in terms of the Holy Spirit overwhelming us with His presence or energizing us with His power, but we must understand that every encounter with God is to lead us deeper into truth so that we can, ultimately, be doers of the Word (James 1:22). There is no use in knowing more and more and doing less and less!
John 16:13 speaks of at least four dimensions of truth. I think it is helpful to mention those aspects here when speaking of encounters. Remember, encounters lead you deeper into truth. As Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…”
To prepare you for encounters with the Lord, let us review those dimensions of truth mentioned in John 16:13: The Spirit of Truth, All Truth, Present Truth, and Prophetic Truth.
The Spirit of Truth
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He is the essence of Truth. He helps us understand what Jesus meant by what He said. I can imagine the disciples’ faces when Jesus told them that they had to eat His flesh, or that they had to cut off their arm if it caused them to sin! These are extreme examples but, even so, it is the Spirit of Truth that helps us understand what Jesus meant and how to apply what He said.
All Truth
All Truth refers to every aspect of truth. Jesus wants to lead you into truth in every part of your life. He wants to talk to you about your calling, your health, your diet, lifestyle, your relationships, your finances, and everything you can imagine. It all matters to Him. He has truth to communicate about all these areas of your life if you will listen for His voice.
Present Truth
Present Truth is a term that describes the present Word of the Lord. Sometimes we call it the Word of the season. It is what God is saying now about a particular situation. How we need to hear Present Truth about our lives, our nation, and the Church!
Prophetic Truth
Finally, there is what I like to call Prophetic Truth. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would show us things to come. If we have ears to hear, the Holy Spirit will talk to us about the future on a need-to-know basis.
So let us do a quick review.
First, God wants to give you encounters with Him. That is good news! He is your Father and wants you to know Him more.
Second, encounters are different than just experiences because encounters are designed to change your heart and your life. Jacob never walked the same after he met God!
Third, God-encounters will ultimately lead you more and more into truth. Ephesians 6 talks about the armor of God and part of that armor is the belt of truth. The King James version refers to having your loins girded with truth. The loins are symbolic of what we would call our core in today’s vernacular. Certain exercises help you strengthen your core. The stronger your core, the stronger you are. The point is that the scripture teaches us that the strongest part of our lives should be love for the truth!
Activation: Training for Encounters:
- Meditate on the Word of God (Joshua 1:8).
To meditate means: to ponder, say to oneself, to mutter to oneself, to imagine. The first step to encounters is meditating. The New Age movement teaches that meditation is the emptying of the mind. But Christians do not meditate this way. Instead of emptying our minds, we fill our minds with His Word. - Practice being a doer of the Word (James 1:5).
If you are prone to worry, practice casting your cares on the Lord. - Give the Word first place.
This means that whatever situation you find yourself in, ask yourself the question, “What does the Word say about this?” - Pray in tongues much (I Corinthians 14:4-5).
Obey instantly the voice of your spirit. Remember that the Holy Spirit is in your spirit if you are a child of God.
Want More? Then May We Suggest:
POWERFUL ENCOUNTERS IN THE GOD REALM – Book by Patricia King, Kay Beyer, Joshua Mills, Georgian Banov, Matt Sorger, Joan Hunter, and more!
Journey into the Glory and join these witnesses as they share some of their Powerful Encounters in the God-Realm! You will be filled with excitement, anticipation, and faith as you learn what they learned. Yet, most importantly, you will find insights that will guide you into that supernatural sphere of divine adventure. Each chapter is filled with inspiration and insight.
HOW TO PARTNER WITH ANGELS – CD / MP3 Series Download from Patricia King
Perhaps you have not yet seen an angel with your physical eyes, but they are there. God created angels and heavenly beings to serve Him and His purposes. Throughout the Bible, you will find a great deal of teaching about these beings and the way they interact with God and man. Since God has sent His angels to serve Him and us, we need to learn how to partner with them to fulfill God’s purposes! Patricia’s course, “How to Partner with Angels,” provides mentoring so that you will have a better understanding of angels and their functions. You will learn how to discern their presence, as well as discover how to partner with angels in many amazing ways!
ENGAGING WITH GOD – MP3 Download from Robert Hotchkin
You are God’s beloved child. There is nothing He wants more than to draw you into the fullness of His love, and engage you in a lifestyle of never-ending intimacy. Encountering the Lord in this place of deep communion is the key to living a Kingdom life. That is why the devil works so hard to whisper lies to you that would keep you from fully engaging with God. In this message, Robert Hotchkin exposes the lies of the enemy that separate us from God, and reveals how simple it is to fully respond to the Lord’s invitation to know Him intimately and engage with Him powerfully. Don’t spend another moment feeling separated from the Lord. Begin engaging with God today!
We at Patricia King Ministries thank you for your prayers, partnership, and financial support. May you be richly and abundantly blessed. And remember, God loves you with an everlasting love!
