I think it was Bill Johnson, an American pastor, who once said that “one encounter with God changes everything.” I’ve always liked that quote and in many ways have felt the truth of it in my own life. There have been so many times where I have been struggling and/or wrestling with something and then God will speak or will suddenly gain clarity.

But like anything said in the public domain, there hasn’t always been widespread agreement on that quote. Some people have taken those words to mean that we only need to encounter God once, and that the quote is suggesting is me don’t need an ongoing relationship with God. Others have taken it to mean that we don’t need to read scripture or pray, but instead just ‘seek an encounter.’ Because of that some people have called this a flakey phrase which holds no substance or take it as just a feel good comment for someone seeking an experiental high.

I’m biased of course, I don’t think that the quote is saying that at all, but that’s not really my point. I am more worried at what is behind some of the critique of these phrases and others like them. Or to be more accurate, I’m worried about what the response to those phrases will lead us towards.

I fear that in the church we are not even looking to encounter God. We want to learn about Him, sing about Him, talk about Him, even talk to Him, but any thought of an encounter with Him is either not desired or expected.

Where did we lose this desire?

Perhaps we reduced our theology and our expectation to the level of our experience? Perhaps what we experienced didn’t deliver what we had hoped? Either way I fear we lost it somewhere and I believe its important that we rediscover it again.

As I was reading the Bible today I came across the passage in 1 Samuel where a young man called Saul comes to Samuel, a prophet, because he has lost his donkeys (yes, this is a true story). God had already spoken to Samuel about this and so Samuel was ready. Ultimately God had chosen Saul to be the first King of Israel which is quite the shift from being a donkey chaser! Anyway after the two men meet Samuel tells him to be on his way and then says this;

The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you. 1 Samuel 10:6-7

We see that this is exactly what happens.

As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. 1 Samuel 10:9

Saul begins to prophesy with a group of prophets. This would have been so uncommon to see in this time where the spirit of God was not available to all.

When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets 1 Samuel 10:11

The people that knew him could see it. Saul was different, he was a different person. One encounter with God truly did change everything for Saul. Surely we should expect no less today.

I want to encourage us to keep pushing in for all that God has for us in these days. Whether we ‘experience’ something or not is really neither here or there, it’s the pursuit of the relationship with God that must be our driver. Encountering God truly does change everything for us!