"Encounter Change"

"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." Acts 9:6

Yesterday we talked about having a personal encounter with the Lord. This morning I want to talk a little more on that subject.

When we have a true encounter with the Lord Jesus, something takes place in us. Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church and stop the preaching of the gospel message. When he met Jesus while on his way to Damascus, it brought a change in Saul's life- a change in his purpose, his agenda and in his direction.

We see this true in the lives of all those in the Bible who had a personal encounter with the Lord. Their lives were forever changed. They were not the same people. Saul persecuted the church before. After the encounter he joined the church. Saul imprisoned those who were preaching the gospel of Jesus, afterward he himself preached it boldly everywhere he went. Saul had his life "mapped out". He was fulfilling his own plan, but once he met Jesus it was no longer about his plans in life but about Jesus' plan for him. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Saul went in a totally different direction guided by the Lord and not self interest. "And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city."

There is no way that you can stay the same once you have truly "met" Jesus. He is the life changer. He takes us from darkness into light, from death into life, from burdened down to freedom, from confusion to peace and He makes us a new "creation"- that means we stop being the same people we once were. "But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ." (v. 21,22)

If you have had an encounter with Jesus it will be evident- you won't possess the same ole religious only behavior, because you have experienced the life giving power of the One who changes and transforms. Having this encounter just gets you "on the new path" heading in a new direction- His direction and not your own. But daily you have to have fresh encounters with the Lord Jesus. This is why you cannot neglect the place of communion with Him- it has to be part of your daily life. Each time you encounter Him there is new life, new peace, new joy, new direction and new purpose that is imparted to you.

Have a great day. When we encounter Jesus, we are not the same. And each time we encounter Him we change a little more.

For further reading:
Acts 9
2 Corinthians 5:17