God encounters are coming!

You and I need to pursue God for our moment of encounter.

For everyone who is looking for revival and a move of God, there is a time coming when the Spirit of God is going to encounter you. At that moment, you will be changed. The qualities that used to define your life will diminish, and in their place, new qualities and fresh character will begin to grow.

In a true God encounter, nothing is left unchanged or untouched.

• The Lord steps into your life with a greater fire and passion than you’ve ever experienced.
• He exposes sin and deals with it.
• He begins to shift your way of thinking.
• Throughout Scripture, we see that the trajectory of life often changes for the one whom the Lord encounters.

Encounters with God are real, and they are coming to those who have sought the Lord.

Even though an encounter with God may bring much change, it also leaves the person empowered by the Holy Ghost.

They often walk away with a deeper awareness of God’s presence.

• A boldness rises and replaces fear and timidity.
• When we encounter the Lord, doors begin to open.
• Opportunities show up out of nowhere.
• God orchestrates events to work together for our good.
• In a season of encounter, prayers you’ve been praying for years suddenly start getting answered. Prayers that felt “on hold” begin to come to pass.

Let me say it again: you and I need to pursue God for our moment of encounter!

As I write this, it’s around six in the morning. All night long, the Lord has been speaking to me—in dreams and while I slept. He’s been stirring my heart with this word about God encounters. Why? Because it’s something in His heart for the church. God wants His people ready for what’s coming.

If you’ve been in a waiting season—maybe one where everything feels stuck—get ready. Your season is about to shift! God encounters are coming for those who have been seeking more.

These moments will mark the beginning of revival and deep transformation in your life.

Throughout Scripture, nearly every man and woman of God who did great things in their generation was marked by an encounter with God’s power and presence.

Let’s take a look at a few of them, starting in the Old Testament.

Jacob had a God encounter. In Genesis 32:22-31, we read how God encountered Jacob and changed him forever.

Genesis 32:22-31 NKJV
[22] And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. [23] He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. [24] Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. [25] Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. [26] And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" [27] So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." [28] And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." [29] Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. [30] So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." [31] Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

Why does the Lord encounter people?

I will answer the question with a statement.

He comes to those who have sought Him—those whose hearts are ready to receive new direction for God’s purposes. For Jacob, the Lord came because it was time to birth a new nation. Israel was God’s idea, and every time God has an idea, He chooses a person to fulfill it.

Jacob’s encounter involved wrestling with God. Yours might too! It’s in that struggle that God confronts our wrong desires and motives. He wrestles with us not to harm us, but to shape us into who we’re destined to be. You can fight back—Jacob did—but God always wins.

There’s something about the encounter that helps you realize this wrestling match is actually a blessing. God isn’t fighting to break you; He’s fighting to build you. He deposits something in you that prepares you to carry His will. Jacob walked away with God’s blessing.

God also changed Jacob’s name. He would no longer be known by his past. So many people are locked into their identity because of who they used to be. Everyone sees you as what you’ve always done—but God changes both your nature and your name. Israel was born the moment Jacob “died.”

When you truly encounter the Holy Spirit, God also changes the way you walk. After a real encounter, your steps will look different. You won’t live the same way or follow the same old paths. Your life will be marked with a new purpose and destiny.

My encouragement to those who receive the encounter they’ve been longing for is this: lean into your limp.

Embrace what God is doing in you. He’s about to pull things out of your life you didn’t even know were there. He’ll use you in ways you never imagined. That’s what happens when you encounter God.

Moses is another example. His life was radically changed by an encounter. Though his story begins in the Old Testament, let’s read a summary of it from the New Testament.

Acts 7:30 NKJV
[30] "And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.

When the Lord encounters you, He captures your attention. He grips your heart and your thoughts so He can steer them toward His will. Don’t be surprised at the lengths He’ll go to in order to get your attention.

Moses had once wanted to be used by God. But when things didn’t go as planned, he ran into the desert—thinking he had failed. He had wanted to rescue God’s people, but what he saw as failure, God saw as preparation. Though Moses was educated in Egypt’s best schools, he no longer saw himself as strong or valuable. Years of desert heat had humbled him—and now God could use him.

If you’ve ever desired more or longed to be used by God—even if you’ve buried those dreams—you’re a perfect candidate for a God encounter.

Acts 7:31 NKJV
[31] When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him,

Most true God encounters are marked by hearing His voice.

I feel it even as I write this—

• some of you are about to hear God more clearly than ever.
• When He gets your attention, open your ears!
• Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.”

You were created to hear God. In these last days, as revival unfolds ahead of Jesus’ return, we should expect God to speak clearly and personally. Don’t assume every thought in your head is just you—it could be the Holy Spirit speaking in a voice you’ll recognize and respond to.

Acts 7:32-33 NKJV
[32] saying, 'I am the God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses trembled and dared not look. [33] 'Then the LORD said to him, "Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

Encounters with God always come with a renewed sense of holiness and a fresh calling that often changes your direction in life.

When God encounters you, it’s a sacred moment. You might wonder, “Why would the Lord encounter someone like me?” But I’m telling you—if you’ve been seeking Him, if you’ve been asking for help, change, or a miracle—you’ve already set yourself up for a God encounter.

God has been drawn to your hunger and your prayers. He delights when His children pray.

Your prayers have positioned you for favor with the King.

Acts 7:34-36 NKJV
[34] I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt."' [35] "This Moses whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush. [36] He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

Even as I write this, I hear it clearly in my spirit: this is one of two words from God

“God encounters are coming!
To those who have looked for me and longed for my appearing, I will come. I will move upon your life and work in your heart. My Spirit will cause the direction of your life to turn toward the things I desire. Doors and opportunities await those who I come to. You will know that the Lord has been in your midst as my Spirit moves upon your life with power and effectiveness. Those things you have prayed for have come into my hearing, and I am about to move in them. Do not think that the years have been wasted; all you have been through is your preparation time for what is to come. Do not think that you are too old or too far gone. For I am the Lord who renews the strength of my chosen ones. What you have considered not enough, I will cause to spring forth and bloom! When I place my hand and my anointing on your effort, it will produce! You need not fret or worry about the future; I will come and move upon your life. There is a time set and appointed. Be ready.”

Time would fail us to go into detail about Gideon—a man marked by fear—yet God encountered him and called him valiant and fearless.

And what about Isaiah the prophet? He had a God encounter that was so powerful that he saw the Lord with his own eyes. He saw the train of God’s robe fill the temple. An angel touched his lips with fire and commissioned him to speak on God’s behalf.

Then there’s David. His story reminds us that sometimes, our encounter with the Lord comes in the form of a giant.

• Could it be that the problem you're dealing with is the very thing God will use to bring you into your next promotion?
• David was anointed by the prophet Samuel, but after that anointing, he went right back to the sheep field.
• Maybe you’ve been anointed and just haven’t realized it yet.
• Maybe you’ve had to go back to a season that seems beneath your potential—but God is using it to train and equip you.
• What if the very problems you want deliverance from are the giants God will use to unlock your destiny?

Of course, the New Testament is full of stories where ordinary people encountered the living God.

John the Baptist encountered Jesus and fulfilled the prophetic purpose of his life by choosing obedience—baptizing the Messiah. He saw the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descend like a dove, and he heard the voice of the Father speak from heaven.

Peter encountered Jesus at a low point—as a fisherman who felt like a failure. His life was spiraling until Jesus told him, “Cast your net on the other side.” Maybe your encounter with the Lord will begin just like Peter’s—by doing the same thing, but with a new direction.

Jesus encountered Nathanael with a word of knowledge. He said, “I saw you under the fig tree.” That one supernatural moment changed Nathanael’s life, and he chose to follow Jesus as one of the twelve who would turn the world upside down.

And then there was Paul. What I love about Paul is that God saw a man completely opposed to Jesus, yet He loved the fire and zeal Paul carried. It’s like God said, “I know he’s using all his passion for the wrong side, but I can turn that around for My kingdom!”

Paul’s story should give you hope for your kids or grandkids who aren’t following Jesus yet. God knows exactly how to knock someone off their donkey!

Beyond these stories, Scripture also gives us promises about the kinds of people God encounters.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NKJV
[26] For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. [27] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; [28] and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, [29] that no flesh should glory in His presence.

As I finish writing, I’m reminded again of the restless night I just had. All night long—in my dreams, in moments when I would briefly wake up—I heard one phrase: “God encounters.”

The Lord showed me visions of opportunities coming—but they weren’t without battles.

Over and over, I heard, “Moses. Paul. Gideon.” And when I finally opened my eyes around 5 a.m., I had no doubt—God was speaking.

Please hear me… something is coming.

God is about to reveal Himself to His people. He’s positioning some of you right now. That moment you’ve prayed about, thought about, and hoped for—maybe for decades—is finally here. Don’t miss it.

This is the time to prepare your heart for an encounter with the Lord. If you’ve been crying out for more of God—for His fire, for His presence—I truly believe you're about to experience it! God encounters mark turning points of personal revival that don’t just change your life—they change the lives of everyone you're called to reach.

So, don’t shy away from your encounter with the Lord. Pursue Him with everything.

Let me close with one final word from the Lord:

“For now is the time.” Says the Lord! “I am about to move in people and call them to those things that I have prepared them for and prepared for them. I will pour out my Spirit upon those who seek me in this hour. A mighty hand will engulf them. It is my hand of blessing and provision. I will unlock those things that have been locked. Those things that have been stopped from coming into your life will find release. You will see that I have spoken, and you will rejoice. Though it seems distant, it is not. Sooner than you expect, you will see the goodness of God and the purpose of the Lord producing fruit in your life. So do not quit! Hold tightly to me and hear my voice. I will do all that I have declared in your life!”