A Real Encounter with the Lord

One day my son, Daniel, came and stood next to me. I asked, “How was your sleep? Did you have good dreams?” He smiled and said, “Yes! I had a dream I was in heaven!” I asked him, “What was it like in heaven? What did you see?” “I saw Jesus,” he said, “and He looked strong and powerful! He showed me how strong He is and lightning came out of His hands. I want to go to heaven someday. I’m not afraid of God anymore!” Then he walked away and began to play with his siblings. I just stood there in awe. My son had an encounter with the Lord, and his encounter caused him to no longer be afraid. Then the Lord began to say to me, a real encounter with Him produces courage.

Every time you pray to the Lord or open your Bible, you have an opportunity to have a real life-changing encounter with Him. You have an opportunity to see something exciting that you’ve never seen, and experience the Lord in a new way. The result is courage will rise in your heart as God’s perfect love cast out all fear!

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first” 1 John 4:16-19, NLT.

Prayer: Father, the more I understand about you, the less afraid I am. Make yourself real to me more and more each day. Let your perfect love remove all fear. Increase my courage and faith in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.