Preparation For Your Encounter

Imus Unida Christian Church
Gen. J. Castaneda St., Imus, Cavite

Pre-Encounter Lesson No. 4
(Every participant will be prayed over by those handling the seminar and will have to sign a registration form after Lesson No. 4)

This lesson will tell you exactly what you need to do to get ready for your Encounter Weekend. Read it carefully, and be sure to ask any remaining questions you may have. Above all, prepare your heart to receive. YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENCOUNTER GOD!

What practical preparations should I make to get ready for my Encounter Weekend?

In the days preceding your Encounter, you will, of course, take care of those ordinary things that we all have to deal with. You will want to make sure that you leave your families on the right note. Leave your home in order, with all details taken care of. It is important that your family members understand where you are going and why, and are prepared to take care of themselves in your absence.

Ladies, see that your children will have proper supervision while you are gone. Clean the house and do the laundry. Make sure your husband and children have something to eat. You want to do whatever you can to make it easy for them while you are gone. Husbands, if you are the one going on the Encounter, leave your homes in order, too. Fill the car with gas, mow the grass, and tend to those little things that you've been meaning to get around to. The main idea is to leave home on a good note, with no room for the devil to plant a seed of resentment in your loved ones because you did not provide them before leaving.

Most importantly, do not leave home angry with a family member. Resolve any problem before going on your Encounter so that you will be free to concentrate on what the Lord wants to do in you. You want to do everything within your power to make sure that you arrive at the retreat center free of worry, anxiety, or unresolved issues concerning your family.

Another point to make here deals with your employment. Make all arrangements at work sufficiently in advance. If you need to leave early, get permission. Be honest and upfront with your employer about where you are going and why. Most people are happy to work with you. If you have a difficult employer, don't yield to the temptation to use deceit or manipulation to get what you want. Trust God to make a way for you at the right time in the right way as you conduct yourself in the right manner.

What things should I bring to the Encounter?

What you take on your Encounter will depend on the particular facilities where you are supposed to stay. You will be told ahead of time what you will need. (If at Cliffside in Tagaytay, you will have to bring bedsheet or kumot and a small pillow plus jacket or pang ginaw because it is cool in Tagaytay especially at night.) Generally speaking, you will want to bring your Bible, pen and paper, personal toiletries, casual clothing, and comfortable shoes. (Don't forget to bring your medicines, too.)

Even more important than what you bring is what not to bring. It is best to leave at home such things as i-pod, games, cell phones, or anything else that might distract you from the purpose of the Encounter. Remember: You are not there for the purpose of entertainment. You have a divine appointment, and don't let anything distract you from that purpose.

How do I prepare myself spiritually for the Encounter?

Even more important than the physical preparations are the spiritual ones necessary to ensure that you have a good Encounter. The most important thing you can do to get yourself ready is to consciously develop an attitude of openness and transparency before the Lord. In the days leading up to the Encounter, make a deliberate step of surrender to the Lord and whatever He wants to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to remove preconceived ideas from your mind and to enable you to go as an empty vessel waiting to be filled. Allow the Lord to stir up expectancy in you that you will indeed encounter Him on your weekend. (It is better to start on a clean slate than to have preconceived ideas in mind to allow God to fill you up to the brim with His Word.)

What is deliverance, and will I experience it on the Encounter?

When we use the word deliverance, we are referring to action undertaken by God on our behalf to set us free from something. There are many examples in the New Testament where Jesus delivered people from the power of the devil. Some involved those who were literally demon-possessed (Luke 8:26-36), while others involved those who were oppressed with sickness, disease, or affliction (Matthew 9:20-22). But whatever the condition, a person who had been bound by some torment was totally liberated when he encountered the mighty power of God.

Many people today have a mistaken idea concerning deliverance. Their view of it has been formed by movies and books that sensationalize graphic aspects of the process. Consequently, these people have become fearful even at the mention of the word deliverance. What they fail fo realize is the end result of deliverance: a life set free to love and serve the living God.

When you go on your Encounter, you probably will experience deliverance of some kind. Everyone has areas of his life that need a freeing touch from the Lord. For most people, it is a quiet, internal thing, but some people do have more observable reactions. You can take confidence in the fact that those ministering to you on the Encounter have been trained and have experience in seeing the captives set free. No matter what happens, if you keep your heart fixed on Jesus and His purpose for you, you will not be distracted by what goes on around you.

As you Encounter Weekend unfolds, you will be taught the reasons why people become bound, the causes of curses and how to break them, the need for forgiveness to obtain deliverance, the role of rebellion and the wrong words in bringing destruction, and many other such things. Your leaders will pray with and for you, and you will experience the freeing touch of the Lord in your life. So, get ready! You are indeed about to ENCOUNTER GOD!

(I am sharing these pre-encounter lessons for those who would like to experience an Encounter with God but, in some ways, cannot complete the pre-encounter lessons...carefully review them and write the important messages in your heart...because what the mind cannot remember, the heart will never forget!)

God bless you all!