Hosanna Restoration Church

Encounters with God are intended to be used. Once we understand what we have experienced, we have the opportunity to put those experiences to good use in the Kingdom of God.
Before we knew we were encountering God or recognized that it was God, we had no knowledge of how or what an encounter with God could do for us or God’s reason for the encounter. First and foremost, God wants us to know Him. Like Jacob, we might know about Him but things change when we actually encounter God. When we understand that Almighty God has been in and around our lives some clarity settles in; now we have something special. What do we do with special things? We put them to use.
God told Jacob He would be with him wherever he went. Jacob needed to go somewhere with this encounter. It gave him new perspective and confidence. I also think it clarified a lot of what he had not noticed before. It made the blessings with the sheep and his prosperity and favor make a lot more sense. This added to His confidence and of course to his testimony.
You see, encounters are testimonies waiting for the right time to launch. Going with God and what God has done in our lives is the overflow of our encounters. Knowing and recognizing encounters also opens the door to making encounters. We can go to God for encounters and count on Him to do even more that we can imagine.
Recently as I was sharing, God reminded me of an encounter and so I shared it with a group. Later a person came up for prayer and shared how my encounter had been an encouragement because when she had experienced an encounter she had been told by well meaning, but unknowing people that it could not have been an encounter with God. They had robbed her of what God was doing for her. Simply sharing that encounter opened the door to more. I will be honest that there are times that God puts things on my heart that cause me to really wonder what He has planned. However, I have learned to just enjoy how He works.
That is another thing about encounters. It is important to learn to relax and enjoy the way that God works things out. Jacob was inspired by His encounter with God. I think he was probably increasingly inspired as his move played out. If you read the story, you know that he still did a lot of things to insure his safety when God had actually already taken care of it. He sent groups ahead with presents and promises that really were not necessary. We may be cautious as we begin; the key is to learn as we go. There is that word again. Go! There is growing with the going. If we do not go, we do not grow. Encounters can fade in our memories and complacency can set back in. So, encounter God. Recognize the encounters that were and plan for new encounters. Go with what God has given you and see what He will accomplish.