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

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.”

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