Unexpected Encounters

No matter how experienced we may be in terms of prayer and ministry, it is always a great source of joy when God moves in unmistakable ways. There is nothing quite like the sense of awe and astonishment we get when He comes in His beauty! Last Sunday, I was due to give a talk at church based around 2 Corinthians 10. I had worked hard to prepare it and focused particularly on the theme of demolishing strongholds. I also invited Sally Mowbray to come and lead the worship from the piano. The very moment Sally started playing, we became aware of a deep sense of the Lord’s presence, and a great freedom in the Spirit. We had planned three songs before the talk, but no one wanted to stop worshipping. I couldn't help wondering whether starting my talk would bring us back down to earth rather than allowing us to stay in this precious place before the throne of God. I had asked a few friends to pray for the meeting, and couple of them had messaged me beforehand to say that the Lord wanted me to speak from the heart. And that is just what happened! Instead of the somewhat formal talk I had prepared, I began to call on the Lord in an extended and impromptu prayer that covered many of the themes I had planned to speak on. I love how God meets with us unexpectedly! Our pastor told me that the Lord touched his knee during the evening, which meant he was able to play football during an outreach evening with local children. It reminded me of how the Lord healed someone of a long-standing ear problem while we were praying against the spread of Islam in this country many years ago. As we seek Him, He ministers to our needs! Of course, I still have all the notes for the talk I planned to give, and I hope to share them on another occasion. But talks can be read anytime, while the presence of the Lord is of the moment – may you encounter Him today.