How To Experience A Deep Encounter With God

The word “encounter” means “to come face-to-face with” or “to come upon or experience, especially unexpectedly,” and to experience an encounter with God is the best thing that can happen to us. God does not want us to simply be aware of Him. He has been reaching out to us, wanting to reveal Himself so we can personally know Him as our Creator and Redeemer.

However, we have been kicking against the pricks, nudges, and knocks on our hearts’ doors. We are being distracted by the wrong things and spending our time in the wrong places with the wrong people, and the sinful acts of this world have enticed our hearts and minds.

A personal encounter with God is life-changing. Knowing and understanding the Holy Spirit is essential for understanding an encounter with God. He’s knocking on your door right now. Are you ready for a divine encounter?

What Does An Encounter With God Look Like?

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

— Isaiah 6:5

An encounter with God looks different to every person. When we see Him, it can be accompanied by supernatural events, a simple inner knowing, an affirmation of what a group of people is sensing at the same time, or simply a transfiguration.

Matthew 16 concludes with the promise of Jesus Christ, “I tell you the truth, some of those standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom,” which was fulfilled when three disciples of God were invited to a special encounter with Jesus Christ.

When these three disciples encountered God, it was no ordinary dream or vision but a real and actual encounter with God. In the New Testament, the Transfiguration of Jesus is an event in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant in glory on a mountain. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light, indicating that he had been transfigured.

The brightness of Jesus was compared to that of the sun, the brightest thing we know of in this physical world. However, the source of the light was not the sun, but the Son Himself. These three disciples had a divine encounter and recognized Jesus for who He truly was.

What Is The Encounter With God All About?

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

— Jeremiah 29:13

God created you so that He could have a genuine relationship with you. Relationships require communication and full personal transparency. There are certain aspects of yourself that others can deduce and others that you must reveal for them to get to know you. God is the same way. When He encounters us, it strengthens our relationship and transforms us so we can love and become more like Him.

Encountering God means coming face-to-face with the Healer. “He [Jesus] met a man who had an atrophied, paralyzed hand,” Matthew 12:10 says. “Hold out your hand!” he said, turning to the man. “And as he stretched it out, it was restored, exactly like the other.”

Jesus consistently met the needs of those he encountered as he traveled. A face-to-face encounter with God means putting yourself within direct reach of the hands that healed lepers, smeared mud on blind eyes, and lifted the lame to their feet.

Encountering God means confronting truth and identity. “After the sufferings of his cross, Jesus appeared alive many times to these same apostles over the course of forty days,” Acts 1:3 says. Jesus demonstrated his resurrection to them with numerous convincing signs.

He taught them the truths of God’s kingdom realm during these encounters. Jesus wants to show that He is alive by allowing us to encounter Him, and it is in these encounters that He instills truth in us and teaches us who we are.

God desires for us to know him for reasons other than simply knowing he exists, so he began telling people about himself. The Bible is the written record of God’s longstanding relationship with humanity. God intended to reveal himself in Jesus to give us hope and remind us of who God is and what he has done for us.

Are Encounters With God Different For Everyone?

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of work, but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work.

— 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

God reveals Himself[1] to humanity in personal ways. Because revelation is personal, one can sense the presence of the Holy Spirit and have a unique experience with Him. Thus, each of us will encounter God differently.

“God encounters” can differ in various ways for each person: they can be accompanied by supernatural events, a simple inner knowing, confirmation of what a group of people is sensing at the same time, or simply a transfiguration. He speaks to us in an audible voice, a gentle whisper, with visions and dreams, prophets, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He also speaks through circumstances and angels.

Do We Feel Something When We Have An Encounter With God?

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

— Psalm 34:8

Every individual is created uniquely in this world. So it stands to reason that God encounters everyone differently. Sometimes encountering God physically affects our bodies; sometimes it causes us to feel overwhelmed with emotion and move to tears; sometimes it causes us to feel warmth, a tingling sensation, or “be breathtaking,” and other times we have no idea what’s going on.

“When I’m in the presence of God and the Holy Spirit, I feel their weightiness, and for me, the weightiness is love,” Sandra Long, a senior leader of Catch the Fire in Toronto, says. “I feel like he’s hugging me and affirming me as his daughter.”

Duncan Smith, President of Catch The Fire, describes his encounters with God’s love differently: “When I’m in God’s presence, I feel God’s tangible, experiential love. I can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit all around me, fizzing like liquid golden honey in the air. It’s almost as if I’m experiencing a heavy tingling.”

Can An Encounter With God Happen Anywhere?

God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.

— Acts 17:27

You can encounter God wherever He chooses to meet you! Don’t be afraid of it; instead, seek it. Make yourself available and accessible to God. If you seek it, know that it will come to you. God desires to reveal His glory to us.

Encountering God doesn’t have to be on a mountaintop, through a lightning bolt, or through miraculous events. Encounters with God can also occur in dreams—dreams that are meaningful and out of the ordinary and that come with a message, a word of wisdom, or knowledge from Him.

You will also meet God through another person, so surround yourself with people who are good for you and whom you can trust. Also, encounters with God can happen in the church or through a sermon.

We also encounter God during quiet times, prayers, worship, and Bible reading. Reading God’s word is critical for recognizing His presence and voice. Remember that God is not limited by space. It can happen anywhere and at any time.

Can An Encounter With God Produce Fruit?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.

— Galatians 5:22–23

When you have an encounter with God, those fruits are bound to show up. Physical healing and emotional healing can occur as a result of encounters with God. If there is fruit in your life, you can always tell if you had a genuine encounter with God.

In Galatians 5:22, the phrase “fruit of the Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit. As believers in Jesus, Christians are given the Holy Spirit to lead them and empower them. In Acts 2:8, Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Margaret Poloma, a Christian sociologist, studied people who had seen God in Toronto meetings in 1995 to determine what the fruit was. According to John Arnott, “…92% of people testified that they were more in love with Jesus after the experience than they had ever been in their entire Christian life.”

Does An Encounter With God Involve Choice?

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD, your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

— Deuteronomy 30:19-20

The Lord wants to have a two-way relationship with us. On the other hand, the Bible states that God will not compel you to do his will. God’s absolute authority and supreme power will push him to do what he wants in our lives, but the Lord still respects us by giving us free will and making our choices matter.

It is up to your own will to invite the Holy Spirit to meet you and be open to what he wishes to do. It is always up to you what you do after meeting God. If we want His presence to transform our lives, we must allow Him to work on us on a continuous basis.

God could have turned you into a puppet, but He did not. He empowers you with the ability to choose. If you make a bad decision, it will be your greatest curse. It is your greatest blessing if you choose wisely. Today, God gives you the option of meeting Him or not.

How To Have An Encounter With God Through Prayer?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

— Philippians 4:6-7

Through prayer, we can have deep encounters with our heavenly Father’s heart and mind. “Call to me, and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known,” Jeremiah 33:3 says.

God yearns for us to come to him for life, hope, wisdom, guidance, and the truth. He longs to answer our prayers by leading us into a life of seeking and receiving revelation from His word and spirit. To engage God in prayer, however, we must first learn what it means to listen.

• Think about the value of listening to your heavenly Father in prayer. By being still, opening your heart, and listening, you can allow Scripture to stir up your faith and desire to know your Creator.
• Ask the Lord to reveal himself to you in a secret place. Ask him to guide you into a meeting with him so you can grow in understanding his heart. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).
• Spend some time listening to the Lord. He anticipates your needs before you even ask for them. He will say what you need to hear. As you quiet your heart, pay attention to how you feel. Pay close attention to the thoughts and ideas he places in your heart. Pay attention to any changes in your desires. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call me, and I will answer you, and I will reveal great and hidden things to you.”

Three Things That Happen When We Encounter God

1. God Encounters Clear Our Minds And Fill Us With His Presence.

Isaiah saw the Lord and what was going on in heaven, which included the Lord seated on His throne, angels singing, and a temple filled with His presence. Today, the Lord desires to fill you with heavenly clarity and His presence.

2. God Encounters Expose Our Shortcomings And Drive Us To Repentance.

We are undone when we see God and come into close contact with Him. It exposes our flaws, just as it did Isaiah’s. Only repentance is an appropriate response. When we return to God, the Lord cleanses and forgives us. We can’t avoid a God encounter if we don’t realize how dependent we are on Him. Allow God to forgive and cleanse you as you encounter Him today.

3. God Encounters Clarify Our Calling And Require Us To Respond.

You can’t enter God’s presence and remain the same. Worship without action is meaningless, just as hope and faith without works are lifeless. This is demonstrated by Isaiah’s response to God’s question. “Who will go for us?” God asked.

The response from Isaiah is classic: “Here I am. Send me.” God’s encounters tend to shake loose all the unimportant things. When we see God for who He is, clarity emerges, and that clarity requires action.

Keys To Living A Life Filled With God Encounters

1. Prayer: Developing Intimacy With God.

Prayer is essential for deepening your relationship with Christ and growing in your faith. Prayer is communicating with God in the same way that you would with a friend.

He does not expect us to approach Him with big words or fancy language. He longs to hear what our hearts desire, our concerns, and our gratitude. So, in the name of the Lord, pray that they will be opened. Invoke the spirit of revelation in your life.

2. Presence Of God: When He Draws Near.

“He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

— Hebrews 7:25

“Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

— Hebrews 11:6

3. The Prophetic: The Voice Of God In Our Lives.

When He calls you, He will equip and prepare you to complete your undertaking effectively and on time. He will use every aspect of who you are and where you came from to accomplish His will in your life. His word is like a lamp for your feet. He has equipped you with everything you need to take the next faithful step.

4. Perseverance: Character For The Long Haul.

Jesus responded, “Why do you keep looking back to your past and having second thoughts about following me? If you turn back, you are not fit for God’s kingdom.”

— Luke 9:62

Perseverance entails staying persistent in the face of difficulties or delays. Perseverance is necessary for growing your faith. God desires that his people persevere regardless of what happens, so we must learn how to overcome trials to experience victory in Christ. The Bible teaches us to persevere in faith, believing God will keep his promises.

5. Person: The Testimony Of Jesus.

The words of the Lord in the Bible are his way of communicating with you and revealing himself to you. “Scripture speaks of ‘things beyond our seeing, things beyond our hearing, things beyond our imagining, all prepared by God for those who love him,’ and these are what God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit explores everything, even the depths of God’s own nature” (1 Corinthians 2:9–10).

Conclusion

An encounter with God while on earth is a breakthrough in a Christian’s life. It is a life-changing experience that enriches, lifts, and strengthens you. To be able to sense His presence and meet the Lord, we must first open our hearts and allow Him to reveal Himself to us.

“Lord, I long to see, hear, and know you; reveal yourself to me. Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law” (Psalm 119:18). What He needs is someone who will make themselves available to Him—someone who will draw near to Him and listen to His voice.