Having An Encounter With God | Janina Bowlin

Having an Encounter with God
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”
2 Chronicles 16:9
God uses ordinary people
Moses
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭3:1-12‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.””
* God found Moses
* Moses wasn’t perfect/He killed someone
* He tried what God called him to do in the flesh
* Moses had an encounter at the age of 80
* God uses unlikely people
* Moses had a personal relationship with God
Exodus 33:11
“Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
Peter
Jesus told him “get behind me Satan”
He denied Jesus 3 times
He even cursed
* He was not perfect (he always got into trouble)
* He was shy
* He was low tempered (cutting the guards ear off)
After the Holy Spirit came upon Peter he was changed
* Peter had an encounter with God
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:14-21‬
“Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
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* 3,000 wear saved
Saul/Paul
* Highly educated Jew
* He gave his whole life to his religion
* He killed and persecuted the Christians
‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:1-6‬
“Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.””


So what about you?
My testimony
1. God cannot do through you what you won’t let him do in you
* To you - Salvation
* In you - baptism and fire
* Through you - the overflow (relationship)
* Find your place in the body of Christ
* Be a part of the local Church and serve
* Win souls
* Serve your family
* Fund the harvest
* Change your city


1. How do we prepare for his coming
* Salvation - New birth - born again
* Baptist in the Holy Spirit
* Mobilize for the gospel
He has to do it in you so he can do it through you
Make a decision to use your talents for his kingdom