Through rest and encounter God wants to reveal Himself to us on a deeper level so that we can possess the upgrade necessary to go to the next level of our journey.

God desires us to see and know Him more. He desires us to encounter Him. Most often what we are going through is Him initiating a desire of His in us.

• Through longing
• through desire
• by not being content with our current circumstances.
• prompting us to see beyond the circumstances and see the outcome!

One way God leads us into His desires is through “Encounter.”

• to meet with
• to have an appointment with
• rendevou
• fellowship

God will initiate the encounter through

• Longing
• Desire

We don’t have to work something up. 1John 4:19 says we love because He first loved us!

• He does the wooing and drawing
• We respond
• Draw me Lord and I will run after you. SOS 1:4
• The Lord says, “I will allure her(the ekklesia/church/His people)Hosea 2:14

Sos 2:8-14 gives a pictorial His drawing, initiating and encounter.

Verses 8-10 show His wooing and alluring…the bride hears her beloved coming with zeal…presenting Himself with youthful vigor and excitement… As He stands gazing and longing for her to catch a glimpse of Him. All the while stirring a longing in her heart to be with Him.

Verses 11-13 shows the initiation on His part…Her beloved cries out…”Rise up my love, my fair one, and COME AWAY!!!! He is encouraging her that it’s a time of rest and encounter.

Verse 14 is the encounter…In the secret places of the stairs…

Read this from a heavenly perspective/mindset. Our beloved isn’t crying out to our fleshly soulish man. He is speaking to our spirit man to rise up and come away with Him. The winter is past of the soulish reign as we learn to live from our spirit man and not the flesh. As we mature into living from our spirit man we will encounter Him in the secret of the stairs.