Having an Encounter with God - Part Four
From The HeartPublish date: 01/24/2016
Foundation scriptures:
In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
Acts 7:20-34 KJV
1. The number one reason to have an encounter with God is so that God can use you.
a. The greater the work God does in you, the greater the work He can do through you.
b. Throughout the scriptures, when God called men and women, He revealed (manifested) Himself to them and gave them directions, a message, or an assignment.
2. Moses is a classic example.
a. Acts 7:20-34
b. Exodus 3:2-15
c. Exodus 4:1-9 KJV – “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. 2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 6 And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.”
d. God gave Moses signs – the rod and the snake; the hand and the leprosy.
e. God showed signs to Egypt and Pharaoh, through the hand of Moses, to cause him to let His people go.
i. Water to blood (Exodus 7:17-21)
ii. Frogs (Exodus 8:1-6)
iii. Lice (Exodus 8:16-17)
iv. Flies (Exodus 8:20-24)
v. Livestock deceased (Exodus 9:3-6)
vi. Boils (Exodus 9:8-10)
vii. Thunder and hail (Exodus 9:18-19)
viii. Locusts (Exodus 10:3-6)
ix. Darkness (Exodus 10:21-23)
x. Death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:4-7)
3. These signs are and were for a purpose – to deliver God’s people.
a. I am not saying we have to have signs like that today – however:
b. In Mark 16: 15-20, Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.”
c. In My Name:
i. They shall cast out devils
ii. Speak in new tongues
iii. Take up snakes
iv. Drink any deadly thing, and it will not hurt them
v. Lay hands on the sick and they will recover
d. The Lord worked with them, confirming the Word with signs following.
4. We must have this today.
a. In order to fulfil the Great Commission.
b. You shall receive power.
c. Go into all the world.
d. This will be the week that you can have an encounter with God in a profound way.