The dictionary defines an encounter as a meeting or experience with someone or something, often unexpected or memorable. Supernatural encounters are very important in our walk with God. Many mighty men and women had supernatural encounters with God in the Bible, and I believe it is important for believers in Jesus Christ to have encounters with God.
The God we serve is Spirit, and it is important that as we continuously walk with Him, we desire and yearn for encounters with Him. There are many great encounters recorded in the Bible, but one of the most notable is found in Genesis 12, where Abraham had his first recorded encounter with God. In this encounter, God asked him to leave his father’s house for a land that He would show him. This encounter birthed a nation, and Abraham went on to have many more encounters with God.
Another notable encounter in Scripture was Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. Exodus 3:2–4 records, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”
Another notable encounter recorded in the Bible was that of Apostle Paul (Saul) in Acts 9 when he encountered Jesus Christ. We read Saul’s encounter in Acts 9:3-5 as follows: “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Why do we need encounters with God? Firstly, encounters deepen our conviction and increase our awareness of the invisible God we serve. They are tangible and life-changing experiences that strengthen our faith and reassure us that the God we serve is indeed real. Saul did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah until he had a personal encounter with Him.
Encounters come to refresh and awaken us with fresh zeal for our walk with God. Sometimes, as you walk with God, you can reach a point where going to church, praying, and serving God begin to feel routine. An encounter comes to instill fresh zeal in us and awaken us from the spiritual state of slumber we find ourselves in. A lot of us get to a place where we know our walk with God is not progressing and it’s in a routine state (we do not even know why we go to church, pray, etc.), thus encounters come to awaken us.
Encounters come to give us clarity about our God-given assignment. In Genesis 12 and Exodus 3, God spelled out the details of their assignments. One of the biggest questions many people ask is, “What is my God-given assignment?” I will share three notable encounters that came with clarity about a person’s assignment.
Jeremiah 1:4-10 reads as follows: “4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified[a] you;I [b]ordained you a prophet to the nations. 6 Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”
This encounter gave Jeremiah clarity about his calling and the boundaries of his calling. After such an encounter you do not become confused whether you are called as a teacher or a prophet.
Secondly, let us look at Gideon’s encounter Judges 6: 12-16.
“12 The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” 13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” 16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
At this stage, Gideon was in a place where circumstances made it seem as though God was no longer with Israel. However, an encounter came to reassure him that God was indeed with them and to reveal the assignment God had for him. Encounters can be reassuring and can prove to us that God is with us although we do not always feel His presence. We also see this in Acts 27:21–26, where Paul received a supernatural encounter during a life-threatening storm. God sent His angel to reassure him that the ship would be lost, but every person on board would survive. The encounter gave Paul the assurance of God’s presence and deliverance from the storm.
Encounters come to impart supernatural gifts to us. In 1 Kings 3 when King Solomon had an encounter with God imparted the gift of wisdom to him. When God called Samuel in 1 Samuel 3, he began to hear the voice of God and Moses was launched into the supernatural after his encounter with God in Exodus 3. Encounters are very critical and we must desire them.
I have had many encounters with God, and you can read about the very first one I had and how it has shaped my walk with God. Click this link to read the Part 2 of this series, where I share how to desire and receive supernatural encounters.
