It is the desire of many to encounter or to experience God. But unbeknownst to many encountering God is a daily occurrence. We all encounter God but we just don’t know it. An encounter with God is not a one time event or something that is planned, programmed and predetermined. You cannot put God in a box. It is something that normally happens. The way encounter with God is described in Scripture is his NEARNESS. Paul preached to the Athenians and said, God “is not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27 KJV).
PERSONAL CHOICE. Encounter with God is a personal choice. This means you do not need anyone to prop you into this, rather it is something that you do. “I am always aware of the LORD’s presence; HE IS NEAR, and nothing can shake me” (Ps. 16:8 GNB). Notice the phrase “I am always aware.” A godly person always encounters God. He fully knows God’s presence is with him. Note too the confidence expressed in this verse. The psalmist has the faith and conviction that his encounter with God is continuous for the simple reason that “he is near.” God is not far from all of us. As a matter of fact, the New Testament assures us of his presence and person inside of us.
AMONG THE BROKENHEARTED. Encounter with God often occurs among the brokenhearted. “The LORD IS NEAR to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18 ESV). Are you going through brokenness and pain in your spirit right now? Then be happy. You can encounter God in that condition. When you are having a bad time of your life and everything is not going right with you, cheer up. That is the time when you can encounter God. With God nothing is wasted. Our saddest, difficult and painful moments are blessings in disguise. Through them you can encounter God if we know how to look at them the right way.
CALL UPON THE LORD. “The LORD IS NEAR to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Ps. 145:18 ESV). Calling upon the Lord is our responsibility. Also, Scripture says God is calling on us all (Isa. 50:8). We are admonished to call upon the Lord because he “is near to all.” Peter said, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21 KJV, also in Romans 10:13). You are afraid of dying and not sure if you are saved or not? Than call upon the Lord and he will save you. You can also call upon the Lord in other matters as well. Call to him when you need healing, a job, guidance, etc. But when we call upon the Lord it has to be “in truth.” This means when we call out to him the wrong way he will not answer us. When Peter was drowning he called out, “Lord, save me” (Mt. 14:30 KJV). Call on the Lord alone. Don’t add someone else’s name, just the Lord Jesus alone.
GOD IN US. Finally, encountering God takes place within us. That started when we got saved or born again. At the moment of salvation the Trinity took residence inside every believer. God is “in us” (2 Cor. 6:16), Jesus is “in us” (Rom. 8:10; 2 Cor. 13:5; Col. 1:27, 3:16; 2 Thess. 1:13) and the Holy Spirit is “in us” (Ezek. 36:27; John 14:17; 2 Cor. 1:21,22; 1 John 2:20,27). The presence of God “in us” is the person of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. It is in this sense that an encounter with God is an ongoing event because lives in us through his Spirit. Paul said, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16 ESV). It is within “our spirit” that we encounter God through the Holy Spirit. The phrase “bears witness” is an ongoing event in our lives; it never stops. The Spirit of God always encounters us from the inside.
Don’t seek for a dramatic encounter with God. Don’t rely on spiritual experiences. Know and understand that encountering God is a normal thing for believers whether they are aware of it or not. Most of all it is God through the Spirit that initiates an encounter with us. Not all so-called “encounters” are of God no matter how spiritual it may sound or look like. Be knowledgeable. Be wise and discerning. Know too that in the last days wicked spirits can masquerade themselves and pretend to be from God. Do not be deceived.
The reason many are duped into false and inaccurate spirituality is because they long for and hunger for an encounter with God. The correct way to encounter God is through his Son Jesus Christ. God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Mt. 17:5 KJV). Listen to Jesus Christ if you want an authentic encounter with God. Another thing too is that encounter with God happens only “in truth” (Ps. 145:18) and Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6). Any so-called encounter that is not truth (error) is not of God. All spiritual experiences have to be measured by the Word of God. In the last days false encounters with God will happen. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1 KJV). Seducing spirits and false doctrines (from demons) will lead many astray including believers. Why? Because they had an encounter with something powerful, supernatural and out of this world. But not everything powerful, supernatural and out of this world is of God!
Another thing too, when the Holy Spirit moves the focus is not himself but Jesus. The Holy Spirit exalts Jesus, not himself and no one or nothing else. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:26 KJV). Notice the phrase “he shall testify of me.” The Spirit exalts Christ and Christ exalts the Father. This is always the order of giving glory to God. Any so-called encounters that exalts the Spirit alone should be carefully examined.
THE SMALL PASTOR 