Tag: Dreams

May 29 2020

Episode 6: How to Hear God’s Voice

A. Scott Ingram Podcast Bible, Dreams, Visions 1

Episode 6: How to Hear God’s Voice

Hearing God’s Voice is one of the most vital things we do, as believers, to build our relationship with the Lord. In this episode we look at examples of how people hear God’s voice, both in scripture and in the present day. These include hearing Him speak through the scriptures, hearing the audible voice of God, hearing the still, small “intuitive voice” of God. They also includes visionary gifts, such as dreams, visions, and trances. And they include things like angelic visitations, physical sensations, and inspired speech.

Scriptures quoted or referenced in this episode include 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Samuel 3, Acts 9:1-9, Deuteronomy 13:1, Genesis 37:1-11, Genesis 41:1-36, Daniel 2, 2 Kings 6:17, Acts 10:10-17, and Hebrews 13:2.

If you want to leave feedback, you can send me a voice message at Anchor.fm/thechristianlife.

Subscribe on Your Favorite Podcast Platform

September 9 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 3)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Dreams, experiencing God 1

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.’”
Acts 9:10-12

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.’”
Acts 9:13-14

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 less 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.’”
Acts 9:15-17

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.”
Acts 9:18-19

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.’”
Acts 9:20

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.

What About You?

As we wrap up this blog series, I would love to hear from you, with any stories you have of your own encounters with the Lord. It may be dreams, visions, angelic visitations, or even a face-to-face encounter with Christ. If the Lord allows you to share, I invite you to do so in the comments section below.

If you want to read more about personal encounters with the Lord, and how they can shape your life, I would like to recommend the book, “Defining Moments: God-Encounters With Ordinary People Who Changed the World.“

As always, if you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership advice!

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for any purchases made using the links on this post. Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry!

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

September 6 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 2)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Acts 9, Christianity, discover your calling, Dreams, encounters with god, falling under the power of God, God encounters, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Supernatural, Visions 1

What happens when we have an encounter with the Lord? In part 1, we discussed that God alone chooses ‘when’ and ‘how’ your encounter will happen. In this post, however, I want to explore what actually happens when God shows up. There seems to be some elements of an encounter with the Lord, that appear over and over again in scripture. Today, we will look at three of them.

We will continue with Saul’s encounter with the Lord in Acts 9, as we explore these things.

Element 1: God takes CONTROL

The first thing that happened when the great light surrounded Saul and his men, was that Saul lost control of himself. Acts 9:4 tells us that Saul fell to the ground, and verse 8 tells us that he was no longer able to see.

This is a common theme when the Lord shows up. We see the same thing with every time a prophet of the Lord is called into His presence. In Revelation 1:17, John tells us that upon viewing Jesus, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” The same thing happens to the priests in the Old Testament, when the Ark of the Covenant is brought into the temple:

“And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
1 Kings 8:10–11

One other example, and possibly my favorite, actually happened with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the soldiers came to arrest Him.

“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
John 18:4–6

In many cases, the presence of God overtakes our own ability to control our bodies. When we lose control, there is no other option, except to submit to Him.

Element 2: We are overcome with CONVICTION

The second thing that happens in an encounter with the Lord is that our sin is brought into clear focus, and a strong conviction from the Lord leads us to repent.

In Saul’s case, we see this as Jesus speaks to him: “And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 9:4–5).

Saul had been a self-righteous Pharisee his whole life. He thought that his persecution against the church was an action in defense of God and true religion. However, when this encounter takes place, the error of his ways becomes very clear. God doesn’t beat around the bush. Saul’s actions were a direct sin against the Lord Himself.

Other Examples

This element of an encounter, too, is repeated over and over in scripture. When God shows up, it is to restore righteousness in the people He is touching. Take Isaiah’s encounter for instance. He is taken into the heavens, and he sees the Lord sitting on the throne. All the angels are there, worshipping. And what is Isaiah’s response?

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah 6:5–7

When we have an encounter with the Lord, it is because He wants to draw us closer to Himself, and take us further in our lives with Him. In order to do that, He has to bring us to a full “heart check,” wherein we realize our sin, make confession, and come out purified.

We see this same thing in Zechariah’s dream of the high priest, Joshua:

“Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ And to him he said, ‘Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.’”
Zechariah 3:3–4

In an encounter with the Lord, either He convicts us and makes us clean, or there is judgement leading to death. There is no other option. His goal is to have deeper intimacy with us, but His presence demands our holiness.

Element 3: We discover our CALLING

The final element that happens in an encounter is that the Lord will reveal more of His plan for our lives. Again, He is taking us further on our life’s journey with Him, and He wants to use us.

For Saul, this element came in through his instructions of what to do next. Jesus said, “but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do” (Acts 9:6). God then commissions Ananias to pray for Saul, saying, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15–16).

It was through this encounter that Saul is changed from a persecutor of the church, to an Apostle to the gentiles. His destiny was revealed.

In the grand scheme of things, those three days being blinded and out of control were but a tiny speck of time, compared to the lasting impact Saul (now Paul) had on the Kingdom of God. God had to grab control, and convict him of sin, so that Paul could be sent out to fulfill the calling on his life.

For some people, the calling that comes in an encounter with the Lord is simply the calling to be saved, and follow Jesus with their lives. For others, it is a calling to be better husbands or wives, and serve Him through their family. Some are called into careers and professions that will impact the world. Many are called into the ministry, with a promise of reaching nations.

While some of these things may sound “bigger” than others, the truth is that an encounter with God will change your life, personally, for the better. His calling will be the greatest adventure of your life, if you accept what He is asking of you.

Seeking Your Encounter

Once again, these three elements on an encounter are always evident when the Lord shows up. God wants to take control of your life, convict you of your sin, and call you into your destiny. And we should desire Him to do all of those things.

In the next post, we will explore the effects of an encounter, but for today, I want to encourage you, to begin to pray and ask God for your own supernatural encounter with Him. It doesn’t matter if you have had other encounters in the past. There is always more for those who ask Him (see Matthew 7:11).

Pray for more. Pray for visions or visitations. Ask God to show up and meet with you. He promises that we will find Him when we seek Him (see Jeremiah 29:13).

Each time I have had encounters with the Lord’s presence, I have been left hungering for more. I’m sure you will, too. I would love to hear about your experience in the comments! Make sure and tell us how these elements of an encounter appeared in yours.

Find out More

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

September 2 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 1)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Acts 7:58, Acts 9, angelic visitations, Bible, Dreams, encounters with god, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Saul becomes Paul, stoning of stephen, Supernatural, supernatural life, trances 0

Since the days when Adam walked face-to-face with God in the Garden of Eden, people of faith have been moved and led by encounters with the Lord. Over and over again in the Old Testament, “the Angel of the Lord” appeared to men and women, and spoke prophecies and destiny to them. The New Testament carries on this expectation that encounters would be normal for believers. We see angelic visitations, open visions, trances or “ecstasies”, and even personal encounters with Christ, after his ascension. The Christian life is not supposed to be simple, religious activity. It is supposed to be a personal relationship with the Lord. In view of this reality, I want us to look at the anatomy of an encounter with God.

Saul’s Encounter

As an example of an encounter with God, I want us to look at Saul’s travel on the Damascus road, when God showed up.

If you know Saul’s background, you know that we first meet him at the stoning of Stephen. As the men were trying to get their best shots in to kill Stephen, there was a young man named Saul standing by, holding their coats, and encouraging them (see Acts 7:58; 8:1). After Stephen was dead, Saul took it upon himself to lead a great persecution of anyone in Jerusalem who were followers of Jesus.

Apparently, it was effective. Most of the disciples had fled from Jerusalem, or went well enough into hiding to escape. Saul, then, decides to take the persecution on the road. The Bible tells us:

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice…”
Acts 9:1-4; English Standard Version

The Timing of the Encounter

Saul was on his way to Damascus to destroy believers, just as he had been doing in Jerusalem, when suddenly God shows up. “Suddenly.” This is the first point I want to look at as we discuss how an encounter with God happens. You do not get to determine when it comes.

From my limited human wisdom, it seems that if God had come to Saul much sooner, it would have saved the church a lot of heartache and struggle. He didn’t. Instead, He waited until Saul was out on the road. He was separated from the comforts and connections of home, and had nowhere to turn for help. That is when God decided to step in and meet him.

This seems to be God’s standard mode of operation. He alone will determine when our encounter happens. We can pray for an encounter, and seek to meet Him. We can (and should) ask Him to break into our lives, but He will be the one who ultimately decides when it happens.

The Sovereignty of Suddenly

We cannot miss, however, that when God breaks in, it is always a holy moment. As we will see in part 2, we are always left changed by these encounters. One reason we cannot dictate when these moments come, is because God has to prepare everything at that moment, to contain the weight of the glory He will bring.

I have had a handful of encounters with God over the years. Still, I want more. I wish they would happen regularly and on demand, but they don’t. However, when they do happen, it is always a holy moment (or hour, or day…). I think God has to determine when the encounter comes, because He alone knows what the encounter is going to bring into your life.

So don’t give up. You should be pursuing God for an encounter. Yet you must also be patient in the anticipation of Him showing up.

The Method of the Encounter

The other thing about an encounter with God, which we cannot control, is how God shows up in our life. For Paul, it was a bright light and a voice from heaven. It was the burning bush for Moses. Isaiah took a vision-trip into Heaven. For Mary, it was an angel coming to meet her with good news.

As we desire encounters from the Lord, it is easy to see the experience of others, and decide that we want our experience to be the same. Once again, however, it is the Lord who knows what He wants to bring to you in the encounter, and He will show up in the exact way He sees fit to deliver.

The Glory and the Fire

Some encounters are beautiful and glory-filled. Think about John’s vision in Revelation, and all the amazing things he was shown. Other encounters are fearful and even painful, just like Saul being knocked from his horse. Todd White recounts his own “baptism of fire,” where he was in excruciating pain, convinced God wanted to kill him. Many other personal encounters in history have been the same

I, myself, have received both of these versions. In an encounter in 2012, when Dr. Randy Clark of Global Awakening prayed for me, I slid down to the floor, and peacefully rested in the presence of the Holy Spirit, as His glory washed over me. What followed immediately was clear evidence of an impartation for healing. It was an amazing, holy encounter with God.

Just a few months later, however, in March of 2013, I was prayed for by Dr. Tom Jones, of Global Awakening. This time I was violently thrown to the floor, where for the next 3 hours my shoulder was continually slammed into the cement that was covered by only a thin veneer of carpet. I was bruised and sore for days. And the truth is, I am not sure what exactly was imparted to me in that event. Nevertheless, I know that God was meeting me.

God’s Perfect Plan

We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). As we seek for an encounter with God, we must learn to wait for him to determine the perfect time and method to meet us. Again, these are holy moments. We don’t want to settle for a cheap imitation. And we certainly don’t want to get shortchanged in our rush for an experience with Him.

What I would encourage you to do is to look back over the encounters you have had in the past. It doesn’t have to be anything big. It may simply be the moment He called you to Himself in salvation. As you reflect on that encounter, I want you to take note of how only He could have put that moment together for you, and how He worked it out exactly as it needed to happen for you to receive.

As you pray for another encounter with God for your life today, hold on to the promise of His faithfulness to you, and trust that He has more He wants to give you when the time is right.

What About You?

In part two of this post, we will continue to look at Saul’s encounter with God, as we look at what happens during those holy moments. Although every encounter will be different, there are certain elements that we can expect from them all.

In the meantime, I would love to hear from you, with any stories you have of your own encounters with the Lord. It may be dreams, visions, angelic visitations, or even a face-to-face encounter with Christ. If the Lord allows you to share, I invite you to do so in the comments section below.

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash