Encounter or Experience? Part 4

 Welcome to part 4 of Claiming Your Promised Land.

 

When we have a mountain top experience with the Lord, we just want to camp there. Our focus is to stay there, or at least scramble back up that mountain every chance we get.

 

While I was diving deep into the topic of living in the promises, my Pastor shared with me a revelation God had given him about this very subject. He said, “Moses, Joshua and Caleb had an encounter with God; and they were ready for the Promised Land. Israel had an experience with God, so they wanted to stay where the experience was, and that was the mountain.” (That mountain was Shiloh, and the Israelites were there for years.)

 

Aren’t we like that today?

 

Yet, it’s on our daily Journey the Lord has set for each of us that we get to be an influencer for Christ. Home in your prayer closet with the manifest presence of the Spirit giving you great feelings is an awesome blessing; but we are blessed to be a blessing.

 

We can’t stay in the closet or at that altar forever.

 

Remember Peter had a mountaintop experience? He was on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus, James and John when Moses and Elijah showed up. Peter’s first thought was, Hey! Let’s build three tents (some translations say tabernacles, shrines, shelters, booths – you get the idea). He wanted to STAY on that mountain (one version says, “Let us remain here.”)

 

But Jesus’s mission was not to stay on the mountain; but after being refreshed, He headed down that mountain and was immediately confronted by need. A father needed healing for his boy who was tormented by a demon (and that father also needed his faith increased).

 

What if Jesus had stayed on that mountain like Peter wanted? That boy would not have been healed and we wouldn’t have that wonderful example to pray: “Lord, I believe, Help my unbelief!”

 

Yes, we need encounters as well as experiences to help us grow. I’m thinking of the encounter Jesus had with the Gadarene Demoniac. He was delivered from having a legion of demons living in him, and the encounter was definitely an experience for him. Let’s read what Jesus said.

 

Mark 5:18-20 New King James Version

¹⁸ And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. ¹⁹ However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” ²⁰ And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

 

The man wanted to prolong his experience with Christ; but instead the will of Jesus was that he would share the good news. And because of this, people in the Decapolis (the Ten Towns region) heard about Jesus!

 

Next week’s blogpost will wrap up our series with ways to practically apply scripture promises to our lives.

Did you miss any of this series? You can click on the following links:
Claiming Your Promised Land, Part 1

Comfort and Claiming Your Promised Land, Part 2

Are the Promises for Me? Part 3

 

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I just want you to know how highly I value those of you that make your way to the Journey to read my words! I believe encouraging others with the written word is a worthy calling. Thank you especially to those who respond. You make it worthwhile.

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