When you make God’s Word the authority over your life it will emphasize being before doing, character before career, and maturity before ministry. 

Let’s face it. We don’t have a problem praising God when things are going well. But does your praise get louder and more intense when things are going bad? When things are bad, do you pout or praise? Do you whine or worship? Do you complain or bless and confess His name? 

The more forgiven you are by God, the more forgiving you’ll be toward others.

Forgiven people forgive people. Forgiven people love people. 

For Satan knows the plans he has for you, plans to hurt you, plans to give you hopeless future filled with suffering and torment. Then you won’t call upon God and pray to God. Then you will never seek God with all your heart and you will never be found by God and stay in captivity!

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, but of love and a sound mind. 

Many of us look at that scripture and find it hard to believe that God can give us power, love and a sound mind. What the scripture is saying is that the Holy Spirit is the spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. 

God loves it when we turn into worshippers. God loves it when we can praise God no matter what our circumstances are. God loves it when our worship becomes a lifestyle and our song. 

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Discipleship is a process. You do not win a marathon on the first turn; you win it by crossing the finish line first. When we choose to run this race with Jesus as our Savior, coach and consultant, we win, we change, and we find healing, freedom, forgiveness, purpose, joy and peace.

Encounter is unique and different from any other ministry you have ever been to. Encounter is not a program, it is not therapy, it is not counseling, and it is not a step program. All those things are good. Encounter is a ministry where hope can be found and people can discover freedom in every area of their lives. 

You have to do something that is the opposite of what you would normally do because if what you normally did worked you would be able to change and heal yourself on your own.