The EASIEST way to directly ENCOUNTER GOD!

“The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”   

Psalms 145:18

What is the easiest way to directly encounter God?

PRAYER!

Make no mistake.

Not just any kind of prayer, but praying with total honesty and very specifically.

As Jesus said,
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”  Matthew 21:22

Many make Jesus’ promise a blank check written to heaven.  Not so.  The assumption of Jesus, as seen in “The Lord’s Prayer,” is asking that which agrees with God’s will. 

Having said that, I believe there are two specific things we can expect when we pray with total honesty and very specifically:

1. God’s Presence.
2. God’s Peace.

As it is written, 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”

God’s presence feels like someone attentively listening, and not like the feeling of thinking out loud.

God’s peace transcends comprehension.  You will have an intuitive sense that God has given you exactly what you asked for, or a peace that God will NOT grant it, and the ability to be content WITHOUT what you asked for.

I have experienced this.

Once I wrote a vulnerable email to a friend and was anxious for a response.  I asked God to inspire a response THAT NIGHT, or to give me indescribable peace if I got NO response.  I knew that if I was OK without a response, it could ONLY BE GOD! 

As I prayed, I felt indescribable peace.  But I wasn’t satisfied.  I knew the test would be whether I continued to feel peace if my friend didn’t write back.  But I sensed the Spirit's assurance of a response. 

Sure enough, I checked my email, and read a beautiful response!

So, what should you do to easily and DIRECTLY ENCOUNTER GOD?

Before today ends, set aside 10 minutes.

1. In the first 5 minutes, think out loud about the most pressing issue on your mind.  How does this feel?
2. In the last 5 minutes, talk directly, specifically, and honestly to God about the pressing issue.  How does this feels?
3. Leave a comment about this experience.  (Or leave a comment about your own God encounter through prayer.)