As we have already seen, there is a lot that goes on in an encounter with the Lord. He sovereignly determines when and how He is going to meet with you. Then when He does, He changes your life. He takes control; convicts you of sin, and issues a calling. These are vital experiences to live the Christian life. Now, as we wrap up this series, we want to look at the effects of an encounter with the Lord. Once again, we will continue looking at Saul’s experience in Acts 9.
Divine CONNECTIONS are Made
As the story of Saul progresses, he leaves the place of encounter and is led to Damascus, where he doesn’t eat or drink for three days. Then the Bible says,
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’”
Saul had received the calling from the Lord, during the encounter. However, that experience alone was not enough. God ordained another member of the body of Christ to come and help Saul discern what happened during that encounter.
In the same way, when we have an encounter with the Lord, He will orchestrate others to come alongside us, to help us work through the revelation. Sometimes these will be short-lived relationships. Other times, these people will play a large part in the rest of your life, as you live out the plan of God for your life.
CONFUSION Arises Around Your Past
As God called Saul and then worked to bring him together with Ananias, there was a problem. Ananias knew who Saul was. He knew Saul had been on a crusade to exterminate Christ-followers.
Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’”
The sad reality is, it is difficult to move beyond our past when everyone around us knows our life story. Even Jesus, who never sinned once, was met with skepticism when He preached in Nazareth. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” Jesus’ response was, “a prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown” (Matthew 13:57).
Personally, I grew up in a town of fewer than 3,00 people. Everyone knew everyone else’s business. The person I was as a teenager, all-to-often, is still the same reputation people look at me to have, 15+ years later. As one of my old, favorite bands sang, “You’re always 17 in your hometown.”
When God calls you out of who you were and leads you on the next step in your journey through a supernatural encounter, it may be difficult for others to accept. People will watch with skepticism, to see if what you are saying is true. Like Ananias, they may not be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, until God undeniably proves what He is doing in you.
(For a current example of this, look at Benny Hinn. He is claiming to now reject the prosperity gospel, and saying he will never fleece God’s flock again. Most people are doubtful, and waiting to see what happens.)
You are COMMISSIONED in the Work You Have Been Called To
No matter what others may think, say, or do concerning your experience, the undeniable evidence of an encounter with the Lord, is that He will publicly commission you to go out and fulfill the call He puts on you privately. God told Ananias of Saul:
‘I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”
The Damascus road experience was a private encounter, where even those with Saul did not hear what God was speaking. However, when God sends Ananias, Saul is publicly recognized according to God’s calling on Him. He is prayed for and filled with the Holy Spirit, which enabled him to fulfill the call.
For many of us, this public commissioning does not happen three days after our encounter. For some people, it may even take years or decades. However, the evidence of the encounter will come the fruit is borne.
For me, God had clearly spoken to me about an apostolic calling on my life in many different ways. There were prophetic words from others. There were random encounters, that I wondered later if they were angelic. There was a vision or two. All the time, God telling me that I was called as an apostle. My problem was that in my Baptist upbringing, we didn’t believe the apostolic gift was for today. I argued with God about this issue, plenty. However, in His timing, we launched Sozo Ministries International, where I serve as the apostolic overseer, equipping the leaders and planting churches in East Africa.
Your private calling from the Lord will lead to a public commissioning, eventually.
You Walk Away with CLARITY
As you deal with the reality of what you experience in your encounter with the Lord, and God works things in the public sphere, the final effect is that you will get clarity on the direction of your life. For Saul, this clarity was physical, as well as directional.
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.”
Saul received his physical sight back. More than that, however, as God continued giving him divine connections in the other disciples, Saul was able to learn and grow in the gospel. He got clarity through the things he learned, and by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and it changed the course of his life.
The same is true for us. When God grants us a supernatural encounter with Himself, it is always to deepen our relationship with Him, and guide us further on our journey. We get clarity in our identity in Him. He clarifies our need for relationship with Him. And we walk away with a clear vision for our future, whether immediate or long-term.
What is the Result?
And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’”
Saul of Tarsus met God on the Damascus road, and the result was that, as the Apostle Paul, he took the gospel to the gentile world in power.
The result of your own encounter with God is that He will give you everything you need to fulfill the calling He places on your life. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit to levels you couldn’t imagine before. You will begin to experience power and gifts flowing through you, which you didn’t know possible. He will guide you into your destiny until HIs revelation to you is completely fulfilled.
Pursue the God of Encounters
This whole series of posts has been unique among my blog posts, in that, unlike reading the Bible or planning a discipleship program, having an encounter with God is not something you can initiate or plan for. It all depends on Him. However, that doesn’t mean that there is nothing for you to do.
What I would encourage you to do is NOT to pursue an encounter. Although we all need them, and desire to have them, the encounter itself is not the goal. Instead, pursue the God of the encounter. We must desire Him, more than we desire power or gifts. If we will seek His presence, daily, even hourly, then it won’t be a surprise when He grants you a powerful experience with Himself. Seek Him, and see what happens.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Anthony Scott Ingram.
Featured Image by Avi Chomotovski from Pixabay
