EXPERIENCE VERSUS ENCOUNTER

(i.e., external senses versus internal transformation)

A. EXPERIENCE – is external: (Wow! God is awesome. Did you see; did you feel…. involves our senses)

1) Defined in dictionary – trial, as a test or experiment; the effect upon judgment or feelings produced by any event whether witnessed or participated in; personal and direct impressions as contrasted with description or fancies.

2) “Experience” is only found in KJV three times. The first:

• Gen. 30:27 – experience taught Laben through observation that God’s blessing came by Jacob’s relationship with God.

And Laban said to him, “please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.

 The word translated ‘experience’ here is nachash meaning: to whisper; a magic spell; hiss

 Remember that Laben had household gods, therefore his mindset was this type of thinking.

• Ecc. 1:16 – I communed with my heart, saying, ‘Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood, (KJ: experienced) great wisdom and knowledge.

 Used observation (raah meaning to see literally or figuratively; to inspect) to collect facts and draw a conclusion of how those facts produce an effect. (We often get ‘method’ out of this.)

• Ro. 5:3-5a – And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, produces hope, and hope does not disappoint…

o the experience of persevering builds a character of patient hope; looks forward

o (Dokime) means we test the trustiness of God’s whispers to our hearts by stepping out to do what He has said. This causes us to experience of God’s character that becomes reflected in our own character. We become trustable!

3) Experience is acquired in two ways:

(1) by gathering facts through observation; or

(2) by applying the knowledge, you gain while observing the effects of it.

B. ENCOUNTER – is an internal transformation (let me change how I live; cutting off things that hinder)

To pursue righteousness.

1) Dictionary: to come against; be face-to-face with or meet face-to-face with intent.

2) ‘Encounter’ in scripture is seen when God ‘appears’ to someone:

• Gen. 12:7-8 – the Lord appeared /encountered Abram resulting in his building an altar and praying to God at Bethel.

o The Hebrew is raah – same word translated ‘experience’ above, but with a totally different result because of a transformation of heart.

o A good example of this is found in Lk. 17:12-18 recounting the ten lepers whom Jesus healed. Only one ‘saw’ (perceived through the senses) that this was miraculous.

• Gen. 35:1,7 – Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared (raah) to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother… And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared (galah – denuded/revealed) to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

o God revealed His guidance to Jacob while stripping away (denude) his fear of his brother’s revenge.

o Again, this results in an altar being built for God (prayers of sacrifice and praise.)

• Mk. 16:14 – Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples after His resurrection, affecting their hardness of heart and unbelief.

o phaneroo here means to render apparent; to manifestly declare

• Ac. 2:3-4 – And there appeared unto them divided tongues as of fire and they were all filled….

o meaning to gaze at with eyes wide open at something remarkable.

o in this case their eyes saw the H.S.’s effect as they were filled (i.e., HS applied to); with the result of their speaking in other tongues and becoming emboldened of spirit.

o Understanding came through what they observed, experienced, and what their hearts now understood.

C. TWO MAIN ENEMIES OF ENCOUNTER

1) OFFENSE – dictionary: the act of offending in any sense; a breach of law or rule; illegal act; a violation of what is judged to be right or natural; an annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standards or principles; an action of attacking.

• Etymology: Old French – a misdeed; Latin – annoyance; reinforced using both Old French & Latin: a striking against, a hurt, or displeasure

o Mt. 18:7 – offenses must come…

o Lk. 17:1 – it is impossible that no offenses should come

o Ro. 4:25 – for this reason (offenses) Jesus went to the cross, resulting in our justification

o Mt. 5:43-48 – love your enemies….be sons of your Father in heaven – love the unlovable!

2) BUSYNESS – dictionary: the state of being or appearing to be actively engaged in an activity.

• etymology of busyness (spelled as business today): care, anxiety, occupation; from bisig meaning careful, anxious, busy, occupied, diligent.

o Mt. 8:19-22 – Jesus’ response to a disciple’s busyness of responsibility – follow Me. Let the dead bury the dead. We have many excuses under the guise of busyness.

o Mt. 7:21-25(Read in Bible) – Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven…v.24-25 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

 Make sure your works of righteousness are directed by God and not your own heart or by others. Let your busyness flow from your relationship with Jesus, the Rock.

Let’s have ENCOUNTERS as well as EXPERIENCES but allow those encounters to redirect your heart into things that please the Lord rather than pleasing the flesh.