Encountering God in Unexpected Moments

The speaker begins by thanking participants for joining the prayer session and asks for God's blessings. They introduce the person leading the session and start with a prayer. The main topic for the devotion is encountering God in unexpected ways. They share the story of Jacob from the Bible, who encountered God in a dream when he was in a difficult situation. The speaker emphasizes that God can reveal Himself in unfavorable circumstances. They encourage listeners to keep their hearts open to encountering God in their daily lives, knowing that He is always there to help. The speaker ends with a memory verse and thanks the listeners for tuning in. Shalom Beloved, God richly bless you for joining the just ended prayer time. We bless God for a beautiful day like this to spend time in his word. Facilitating today's emotion is Charlotte Ajanotuku from Harvest Chapel International. Let's kindly share a word of prayer. Father we thank you for this morning. We pray that the entrance of your word brings light and understanding. In Jesus mighty name, Amen. Let us take a confession from Joshua chapter 1 verse 8. This book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth, but I shall meditate in it day and night, that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then I will make my way prosperous and then I will have good success. Amen. Amen. The topic for today's devotion is Encountering God in Unexpected Mode. Taking from Genesis chapter 28 verse 10 to 16. Genesis 28 verses 10 to 16. And I read from the King James Version. And Jacob went out from Beth Sheba and went towards Haran, and he lighted upon a certain place and tarried there all night, because the sun was set, and he took up the stones of that place and put them for his pillows and lay down in that place to sleep. He dreamed and behold a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven, the top of it reached to heaven, and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham, thy father and the God of Isaac, the land whereon thou liest to be will I give it into thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west and to the east, and to the north and to the south, and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places, whether thou goest and will bring thee again into this land, for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken of thee. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Amen. Encountering God in Unexpected Worlds Dear friends, have you always thought that encountering God can only happen during a prayer and fasting season, a three-day convention, during a church service, or even during your quiet time? While these are great opportunities to experience God's presence, the truth is that He can reveal Himself in unexpected situations and circumstances as well. Perhaps you find yourself in a turbulent situation, confused about the choices of life, in a state of mess, or stuck in despair. You may wonder, can God reveal Himself in such unfavorable circumstances? The answer is a resounding yes. Just as God can be found in favorable situations, He can equally reveal Himself in the unfavorable ones as well. Let us consider Jacob's story. He had just received his way to receive his father's blessing, and was running for his life to an uncle he probably had never met growing up. He must have been wondering, what will become of my life when I get to my uncle's house? Will he even receive me well in the first place? What danger awaits me as I journey through these unknown paths? I am sure he was full of fear, regrets, confusion, and anxiety. His journey was so uncomfortable, such that he had no proper place to lay his head after a day's journey. He could only find a hard stone worth a pillow to sleep away his worries. Yet, even before he had the knowledge to call out to God, God reached out to him. In the midst of his confusion and fear, God showed up and revealed Himself to Jacob in a dream, promising to bless him and his descendants. I can only imagine how Jacob might have felt upon waking up that morning, after his profound encounter with God. I believe as he opened his eyes, he likely experienced a newfound sense of clarity and purpose, having encountered the divine in an unexpected way. It's no wonder that he exclaimed in verse 16, surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. In that moment, he realized that God had been with him all along, closer than he ever imagined and much more accessible to him. I believe Jacob's encounter with God was a transformative experience that gave him the courage to do something he had been avoiding his entire life, making a vow to God as a sign of surrender. Similarly, we too can encounter God in unexpected moments of our lives, regardless of the situation or circumstance we find ourselves in. Let us keep our hearts open to encountering Him in the midst of our daily routines, struggles and challenges, knowing that God is an ever-present help in times of need. When we seek Him with a sincere heart, He will reveal Himself to us and guide us on the path towards purpose and fulfillment. Beloved, let us take our memory verse from Genesis chapter 28 verse 16. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Thank you, and God retreats you for staying tuned with us. Continue to stay tuned on Radio HCI for more spirit-filled content. See you at 12 o'clock for our Lent hour prayer. Shalom.