We experience God when we pray. Prayer brings us into vibrant contact with God. Prayer is a supernatural vehicle created by God to bring us into communication with him. Prayer empowers us and lines our lives up with His will and propels us into our destiny.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
As we pray we grab hold of these plans. As we pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done” our will aligns with God’s, and the result is a life filled with purpose and passion.
We are called to live supernatural lives. Simply put, that means to live above the natural realm. God lives in a realm that is above the natural realm. When we pray, we enter that realm.
I will always remember the prayer that changed my life forever. I was invited to church service by one of my customers. I was a bartender at the time. Church was a place quite frankly had no real interest in attending.
But Julie was very persistent and she continued to invite me with an enthusiasm which was quite compelling. And one day I found myself saying yes.
It truly was a divine appointment that changed the course of my life. I entered church one way and left a new woman!!
I prayed a simple prayer of faith. I remember that prayer so clearly…
I prayed “Jesus I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins. You paid my debt. I now turn from my sin and accept that forgiveness. Jesus come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.”
What I experienced that day is what Jesus spoke. He said, “Unless a man is born again He will not see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
As I prayed that prayer I was born again!! I entered into a new realm where God’s Kingdom became a reality to me.
And from that day on I have experienced a love for Jesus which fills me with a joy like I have never known, a deep gratitude, and a sense of purpose that is at the center of all I do.
Jesus explained eternal life this way: “This is eternal life, that they shall know you the only true God and Jesus Christ who you sent.”
So it wasn’t surprising that an all-consuming desire to know God was at the center of all I did, and as I came to church and watched people worship God at the Sunday Service, I too wanted to experience what they were experiencing.
I sat in the back row and I saw people with hands lifted to the heavens, singing these beautiful songs. There was an energy and excitement and pure joy that was filling the atmosphere. At first, I was an observer, but then I started to imitate what I saw others doing. I started to sing the songs, and although it felt peculiar at first I started to raise my hands, and as I did, I experienced something new. It was a place of surrender — reaching out to my Father in heaven and Jesus who is seated next to him. I experienced my whole being opening up and the cry of my heart growing louder and louder “I want to know you!”
There was a woman who was on the worship team, and I felt drawn to her. I never heard her voice, she was one of the background singers, but as she was singing she had one hand lifted up and her face was lifted to the heavens, and on her face there was a look of delight, wonder, and joy!! And I prayed. I said to God, “I don’t know where that woman is going Lord, but I want to go there.”
God heard my prayer!!! And the longing in my heart became a reality. He brought me to this place of intimacy where although there was a room filled with people I only had eyes for Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
We experience God through worship as we seek Him wholeheartedly.
It will saturate our hearts with revelation upon revelation of His beauty, His goodness, and His love.
We experience God when we read and meditate on His word, because all scripture is inspired by God and is God speaking to us through His word.
We experience God as we align our life with scripture and come into agreement with what it says. And as we follow the lead of the Spirit, our life will align with God’s plans, and the result is a life filled with purpose and passion.
We are truly called to live extraordinary lives, and as our relationship with God grows each day we will experience Him in every aspect of our lives.