Knowing God through Personal Encounter!

​(In this blog, you'll read testimony statements from a former Muslim, a grieving child, a lost girl [me], an Egyptian slave girl, and an atheist who were all found in wilderness places by Jesus!)

​Revelation of who God is comes through personal encounter.  You can't really know Him through others experiences.  Yes, you can hear about Him through others; but to really know Jesus, you have to know Him for yourself.  And in the knowing, are times of deep revelation, when you learn different aspects of Him.  He is a deep well of unmatched treasure, always something new to learn about who Jesus is!  

You may not know Him yet, and if that is true.  Listen to what those of us who have walked with God for many years, boldly proclaim-
"You are the God who heals me."
"You are the God who comforts me."
"You are the God who calls me your own."
"You are the God who forgives me."
"You are the God who supplies all my needs."
"You are the God who defends me."
"You are the God who gives me new beginnings."
"You are the God who suffered a terrible death to save my soul from eternal judgment."

Are these ways you would like to know God? 

Our declarations reveal intimacy with God through the most private things of our soul.  He found us in desperate places and transformed us with His Spirit!  We Christians have experienced Him through the most trying circumstances of our lives!  And He has been faithful, even when we have not!  He repeatedly makes the way of escape for us, always letting us know that we are not alone!  He is with us!

Consider this testimony, "I was born a Muslim in Iraq. I was worried and depressed, sitting and looking at the Tigris River in my city.  Jesus' face appeared to me in the water and told me. "Son, you're not alone." And now I'm a Christian, and I pray every day at the edge of the river.  Thank you Jesus for this grace. I'm not alone right now. Jesus is with me."

Jesus' message that "you are not alone" is a primary message.  And yes, Jesus supernaturally speaks and reaches for people to comfort them in their loneliness!  That former Muslim youth's testimony is a modern day example of it.  It also parallels an ancient encounter found in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.  

In Genesis chapter 16 we find a mistreated and lonely woman who had a personal encounter with God that transformed her destiny.  She was an Egyptian slave girl and the first recorded person to give God a name!  Think about that, an Egyptian slave girl was the first person to give a Name to God!

And it was based upon personal encounter!!!

The Egyptian slave girl was named Hagar.  You can read the full account in Genesis chapter 16.  She was a maidservant subjected to the will of her mistress Sarai.  In these ancient times, it was part of survival and accepted culture to have maidservants.  Having maidservants was common in ancient society because most were farmers and lived off the land.  Families were "tribal" for reasons of survival.  It was not according to God's instruction, but because of the brokenness of human soul that families would choose to reproduce through maidservants.  And it should be noted that Hebrews were known to treat their maidservants much better than other cultures, so Hagar was in a privileged "tribal family".  Abraham and Sarah were very wealthy.

But Sarah was old and barren, beyond believing that God would provide her and Abraham a child, even though He promised them that He would, Genesis 15:4-5. 

In Sarah's unbelief, she tried to find relief for her sorrow by human means.  She took note that Hagar was of childbearing age.  So she cooked up a scheme for Abraham to father a child through Hagar.  In Hagar's own error, once pregnant, she felt she had one up on Sarah, and began to despise her.  Sarah in turn mistreats Hagar.  Hagar then runs away, which leads to her personal encounter with God. 

Are you running away in any area of your life?  Are you resisting authority, feeling mistreated?  It could be an opportunity to open yourself up to God's word over your life and His counsel.

I was running and lonely and depressed and being mistreated when Jesus found me.  I opened myself up to hear about Him.  I went to church and opened myself up to hear the message spoken about Christ.  He manifested himself to me through a dream, sign and wonder.  He spoke to my heart and said, "Yes Gina, I still heal and I will heal you."  And He has!!!

Romans 10:17- So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

Even and especially if you are suffering right now, you need to position to hear the Good News about Jesus! He is speaking through the Word of God being proclaimed about Him in churches.  (side note- Find an evangelical, community church that preaches from the Word of God.)

Often, it is in suffering and sorrow that people meet Jesus and experience profound revelation about who He is!  In our suffering, we wrongly think He isn't paying attention.  But the truth is, in times when we need rescue, He is as close as our breath that humbly cries out, "Jesus help me."  

When God meets Hagar in the wilderness, He tells her a hard thing.  He tells her to return to her mistress and submit to her.  But in the same breath, He also tells her she's going to have a son, and to name him "Ishmael", meaning "God hears".  God has a personal conversation with Hagar, telling her intimate things about her life, her coming son, and his destiny.  And so she obeys and goes back to the place of provision God gave her through Sarah and Abraham.

Jesus says that His sheep will hear His voice, John 10:27-  My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

If you want a transformed life filled with hope and promise, believe in the goodness of Jesus!

Listen to another testimony from @loveiseverything- "I remember when my mom died, I was upset at God because He didn't heal my mom. I stayed away from God for 8 years not church nor praying or reading the Bible. One night Jesus came to me saying it's time. When I woke up I cried because I thought He didn't love me anymore He spoke to me in spirit that He was always there for me. After that day I was so hungry for Him it's been 4 years now I got baptized clinging to Him daily."

Hagar's personal encounter with God greatly encouraged her just like @loveiseverything, so much so that she gave God a name!

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me.”  She says “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13).

Can you say that about God?  "You are the God who sees me."  If not yet, do not despair.  Position to hear Him.

We're approaching Easter.  It's a great time to know God through Jesus.  Lots of churches will be talking about the gift of Jesus!

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  Who gives new beginnings!  

He can take your guilt, your shame, your disappointments, your sorrow, your anger, your bitterness, your doubt.  He doesn't want you to clean yourself up.  He just wants you to come and hear His Good News!

"I was an athiest and mocked jesus and called him a fairy tale until i overdosed and stood before jesus. His face was so bright that i couldnt see anything but light, his arms were held out to hug me when the light got brighter, i felt so much love and peace, this why I will never stop telling people. Especially Muslims, about Jesus. I cannot stand to see people deceived." - @whocaresxx92

If you open up to Jesus, He can completely transform your heart, giving you a new beginning, making all things new!!!

Jesus removes your sin as far as the East is from the West, Psalm 103:12.

I pray you open yourself to believe that Jesus is the God who sees you! Who hears you! Who loves you!  Who can heal you and transform you and make all things new! 

Go to church this Easter!  Ask God to lead you to a strong, bible-based church to hear about the Good News of Jesus.

"God, please lead me to a church that will tell me about the Good News of Jesus.  Amen."

Blessings this resurrection season!   New beginnings await for those who believe!  Go to church!  And don't leave without signing up to receive my blog via email!  Form is top of page in right column!)

2 Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!