Encounter

Encounter

If you are a follower of Jesus then I know something about you. I know this something because I know something about me, and you and me aren't much different. Yes, we are both unique and called to different things I suppose, but still we're not that different. I know something about you. This something I know is a frustration that you have with the way in which others in your sphere of influence live their lives in spite of much council from us "religious" folk. You are their friends and you give them council that should lead them into repentance and a life of faith. You live your life to best honor our King and show the world that you are living for this amazing Jewish carpenter who walked the earth 2,000 years ago and is coming back to Judge the living and the dead as the rightful King. You do these things...we do these things. Yet, to your shock and frustration your friends smile and nod at your extremely wise council and the next week are still up to no good or stumbling into the same junk they were in when they last spoke to you. Patience, my beloved friend...patience.

I want to suggest to you (and me) that you shift your hope. Yes, your hope. I believe that your hope is somehow based on your wise council changing your friend's life. I am not suggesting that you stop giving wise council, because, my friend, you have been given wisdom from the Holy Spirit much of the time. These lovely people need to hear wise council from those filled with His Spirit. I wouldn't be writing to you if I didn't believe in a place for wise council. However, I am going to firmly suggest to you that you shift your primary strategy to that of prayer. Yes, pray for your friends and family that God would seriously encounter them. Your hope will shift from your desire to save them from their jacked up lives and move to God's desire to save them into a pure and spotless Bride for His Son. Can we believe that God wants to reveal Himself to your friends in a life changing way like He did with the soon to be apostle Paul in Acts 9. I am suggesting that arguments and evidence are necessary aspects to the radical wholeheartedness for Jesus that we call conversion, but that too many church-goers have been persuaded by our arguments to join us in living better lives, but have never met Jesus personally. These are those who have trouble understanding prayer, fasting, and loving the Bible. They just want to be good people so they can go to heaven and/or enjoy the fellowship of others in their social club called church. This is a tragedy in our day. Let us commit to each other that we will pray for our friends and family members in our sphere of influence far more than we persuade them with wise council. They really need Jesus to addict them to His presence by His Spirit. They really need to love God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength and others as themselves. They need encounter with Love Himself. Can we pray for that? Do you believe that God hears your prayers? Do you believe that God wants to encounter them more than you want them to be encountered? Let's believe for God to encounter our friends and family in an increased way as we pray fervently for them.

Resources of Scripture to pray for your family and friends (believers or not):

Ephesians 1:17-19

Ephesians 3:16-19

Colossians 1:9-12

Philippians 1:9-11

1 Thessalonians 3:10-13

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Other Resources:

Rees Howells Intercessor (specifically chapter 5 and 6) by Norman Grubb

Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill

Power Evangelism by John Wimber