Impact – Spiritual Encounter
Every lasting impact in Scripture begins with a divine encounter. Before God uses a person publicly, He meets them privately. A spiritual encounter is Heaven touching the earth, God stepping into a moment, and the human heart being awakened to purpose. This is why Moses’ impact began at the burning bush—not with the Red Sea (Exodus 3:1–6). It was the encounter that shaped the assignment. The same pattern is seen throughout Scripture, reminding us that impact is born in the presence of God.
Whenever God encounters a person, transformation follows. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, and in that moment his weaknesses were exposed, his lips were purified, and his mandate was released (Isaiah 6:1–8). That encounter did not just change Isaiah; it birthed his prophetic impact. Jacob wrestled with God and left that encounter with a new name, a new strength, and a new identity (Genesis 32:24–28). Encounters redefine you. They shift your life from who you think you are into who God has ordained you to be.
A spiritual encounter is not a one-time emotional experience but a divine moment where God deposits something eternal. Paul’s entire ministry was born from a spiritual encounter on the road to Damascus. When the light of Christ surrounded him, his vision changed—literally and spiritually (Acts 9:3–6). He was called, transformed, and commissioned in one moment. Encounter opens the eyes of purpose. Encounter awakens destiny. Encounter begins the journey of impact.
True impact flows out of intimacy. Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Encounters draw you into this abiding relationship. They expose you to God’s heart, His nature, and His voice. Moses became impactful because he did not just experience God once—he continually met with God “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). His influence came from communion. His leadership flowed from presence. His courage was rooted in encounter.
Encounters also break the limitations that hinder impact. When Gideon encountered the Angel of the Lord, he was hiding, fearful, and doubtful. But the encounter declared him a “mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12). God confronted Gideon’s insecurity and revealed his true identity. One encounter shifted him from fear to courage. The same happened to Jeremiah—who felt too young—but God touched his mouth and empowered his assignment (Jeremiah 1:6–10). Encounters remove excuses. They break fear. They release boldness. They align the heart with Heaven’s mandate.
A spiritual encounter also purifies the heart and strengthens obedience. When Peter experienced the miraculous catch of fish, he fell at Jesus’ feet saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). But Jesus turned that moment into a calling: “From now on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10). Encounter cleanses, convicts, and commissions. It moves you from brokenness into usefulness.
Every major scriptural impact began with a spiritual moment:
Abraham heard God’s voice and became the father of nations (Genesis 12:1–3).
Samuel heard God call him by name and became a prophet who shaped kings (1 Samuel 3:1–11).
Elijah encountered the still small voice and received fresh direction (1 Kings 19:11–13).
John encountered Christ in Revelation and released a message for all generations (Revelation 1:10–19).
Encounters are God’s strategy for initiating divine assignments. They happen to align your steps with Heaven’s timeline. They come to redirect you when you are drifting. They reveal what your natural eyes cannot see. They burn away confusion and restore clarity. One moment in God’s presence can do more than years of human effort. David understood this when he said, “One day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10). Impact is birthed where presence is valued.
But God does not give encounters for entertainment. They carry responsibility. When God reveals Himself, He also reveals purpose. When He touches you, He also sends you. When He fills you, He also uses you. Isaiah’s encounter ended with a mandate: “Here am I, send me.” Moses’s encounter ended with a mission: “Go to Pharaoh.” Paul’s encounter ended with a calling: “You are a chosen vessel.” Encounters are Heaven’s way of shaping earthly influence.
Ultimately, spiritual encounters birth impact because they awaken a life of intimacy. The more you know Him, the more you reflect Him. The more you encounter Him, the more you influence others. Lasting impact is the overflow of a transformed interior. It is God shining through a yielded vessel. It is His glory expressed through human obedience. Paul said, “We all…beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed…from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Encounter produces transformation, and transformation produces impact.
If you desire to be impactful—start with encounter. Pursue His presence. Seek His face. Like Moses, refuse to move without Him (Exodus 33:15). Like David, hunger for Him more than anything else (Psalm 63:1–2). Like Paul, count everything else as loss compared to knowing Him (Philippians 3:8–10). Impact begins where encounter begins.
When God touches a person, He changes them. When He changes them, He sends them. And when He sends them, the world is never the same. Impact is simply the echo of a spiritual encounter.
Impact flows from encounter.
Encounter births transformation.
Transformation births assignment.
Assignment births influence.
And influence births lasting impact for generations.
