The reason why we named this ministry Encounter is so you can have an encounter with God, hear the voice of God and be led by the Spirit of God.
I have been around the church long enough to see how dangerous it is to follow your emotions and your heart.
I have seen too many people especially in recovery look for encounters with meetings, groups, sponsors and never have an encounter with the living God and experience healing and transformation.
I have seen people who once were part of this ministry and choose sex over their savior, drugs over their deliverer, a 12 step experience over a life changing encounter with the Holy Spirit every day anywhere everywhere we go because those that are led by the Spirit of God are called sons of God.
I have seen people say thanks but no thanks. I want a meeting with people who get me instead of an encounter with my God who created me.
I have seen people use their habits as a crutch and never get well instead of having an encounter with Jesus who tells us to get up, pick up our mat and walk!
I have seen people in recovery who go from drugs to cigarettes, alcohol to overeating, porn to pills, shopping to gossiping and moving from one stronghold to another even getting hooked on meetings instead of getting hooked on Jesus.
Take it from a person who was hooked on cocaine and now I am hooked on Christ.
Take it from a person who was hooked on hate and now I am hooked on the Holy Spirit.
Take it from a prideful conceited self-absorbed narcissistic insecure person who loved to hear himself talk to others as the life of the party.
Now God’s love has humbled me, changed and healed me and gave me a new identity where I am accepted, secure, significant, and one who loves to hear the voice of God, embrace the presence of God and knows how important an encounter with God is.
If your looking for an emotional experience to fulfill the emptiness in your life you’ll be running on empty instead of being filled with the Spirit.
When you have encounters with God, hear the voice of God and allow the Holy Spirit lead you, that’s where the action is, and that is how you discover the abundant life that Jesus Christ died for.
I hope you will join us at Encounter tomorrow night. I am doing a new talk based on Anchor 1 titled, “I Need An Encounter.” Our good friend Aaron Kellim will back with the band leading us in worship. It is going to be an awesome night.
Be Blessed and Encouraged
Bill Rieser
Encounter Pastor