Top 14 Experiences with God from the Bible And What We can Learn

I was thinking the other day, about how people in the BIble experienced God. It feels like we don’t hear stories like that much anymore. So, I decided to explore Bible stories where people have experiences with God and see what we can learn from them.

People who have experiences with God in the Bible have so much to teach us. They show us that God is faithful, powerful, kind, and so much more. These experiences often resulted in increased faith and dependency on God. Experiences with God can happen today, though maybe not in the same way. We can experience God today through prayer, reading the Bible, loving others, and living in a community of faith.

Top Bible Stories Where Someone Experiences God

The Bible is full of stories with people who have experiences with God. Let’s look at the top 14 experiences with God in the Bible and see what we can learn from them. Ready?

Moses

The first story we’ll look at is the story of Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3).

Moses was a prince in Egypt when he was forced to flee for murdering an Egyptian. He spends the next 40 years in the wilderness getting married, having a family, and being a shepherd. But his people are still slaves in Egypt.

One time Moses was leading the sheep to pasture, and he came across a bush on a mountain that was on fire but not burning up. A strange sight. So, he went to investigate. There, he experienced God. God spoke to Moses from the bush and called him to set the Israelites free.

What we can learn: From Moses’ encounter with God we can learn that experiences of God can lead to a calling from God. God called and equipped Moses to set the people free.

Balaam

The next story of an experience with God that we will look at is the story of Balaam (Numbers 22:21-41).

Balaam was a foreign priest hired by the king of Moab to place a curse on the Israelites after they came up out of Egypt. On Balaam’s journeys to Moab from his homeland an Angel of the Lord appeared to him three times standing in the way.

Balaam could not see the Angel of the Lord, but his donkey could. So, the donkey would turn around or stop every time the Angel of the Lord was in the way. This caused Balaam to beat the donkey.

After the third time, the Angel of the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey and the donkey spoke to Balaam. Finally, the Angel of the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw why his donkey was behaving the way it was.

What we can learn: From this story of an experience with God, we can see that sometimes we don’t know we encounter God until after the fact. We can also learn that God can use these experiences to correct our misunderstandings about him.

The Philistines

The third experience with God that we will look at is the story of the Philistines (1 Samuel 5).

The Philistines were at war with Israel and they ended up capturing the Ark of God. They took it back to their territories. Now, in the temple, God’s glory was supposed to reside between the cherubim over the ark of God.

So, the Philistines had taken the Ark and brought it into their temples. God began to inflict devastation on the people. It was so bad they moved the ark to another city. But God did the same thing. Things got so bad they sent the Ark of God back to Israel.

What we can learn: From the Philistine experience, we can learn that experiences with God are serious moments. God relates to us how He chooses. Experiences with God can include salvation and judgement.

Elijah

The fourth Bible story experience with God that we will look at is the story of Elijah. Specifically, after he fled to Horeb (1 Kings 19).

Elijah had fled for his life and lived in a cave. God came to him and asked him what he was doing. Elijah responded that he had spent his life serving God, and now everyone else who served God was dead, and so Elijah was running for his life.

God told Elijah to go stand in the mountain in the Presence of the Lord, because God was going to visit. A great hurricane force wind blew by, but God was not there. Then a mighty earthquake came, but God was not there. Then a raging fire roared, but God was not there. Then Elijah heard a gentle whisper; it was God.

What we can learn: So, what can we learn from Elijah’s experience with God? Well, our experiences with God might seem mundane or unimpressive, but God is there. Even in the simple and small things God is there. A kind smile to a stranger can demonstrate God’s great love.

Isaiah

Let’s turn to Isaiah’s experience with God. This story of an experience with God can be found in Isaiah 6.

Isaiah has this crazy vision where he sees the very throne room of God in heaven. There are flying angels talking to one another with voices so loud they shake the building, Smoke is all around. It’s an intense scene.

And Isaiah, says, “Woe to me! I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

After this, Isaiah is cleansed and called to go and share God’s message with the people of his day.

What we can learn: From Isaiah’s story and experience with God, we see that experiences with God remind us who God is and our place before Him. God is King over all Kings. And we are broken, fallen, sinful people.

Ezekiel

Next, let’s look at Ezekiel’s vision of God (Ezekiel 1).

If Isaiah’s vision of God was intense, then Ezekiel’s was even crazier. There were living creatures with multiple faces from different animals. They had many wings. There was wind, and wheels, and fire, and lightening, and thunderous voices. Just take a minute to read it from Ezekiel 1, it’s pretty crazy.

Ezekiel said, “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”

Like Isaiah before him, he was called to be a prophet.

What we can learn: We can learn that experiences of God reveal exactly who God is. When we experience God’s love, there is no question that God is love. When we experience God’s grace, there is no question that God is gracious. When we experience God’s glory, there is no question, no arguing, about whether or not God deserves that glory. It’s just a fact.

Jonah

The seventh story (if you are keeping count) is the story of Jonah.

Jonah was called to be a prophet, but ran away from God and God’s calling. While he was on the run, he was caught up in a storm at sea. This storm was a result of his actions.

In order for the storm to stop and the ship he was on to not be destroyed, he told the crew to throw him overboard.

So, Jonah was thrown overboard, swallowed by a big fish, and ended up doing what God called him to do in the first place.

What we can learn: So, what can we learn from Jonah’s experience with God? Well, experiences with God may not always be cool or exciting. Instead, they could be gross, but it will still result in us returning to God. God will chase us down when we stray.

Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego

Next, let’s look at the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3).

These men were important officials in the Babylonian empire. They were Jewish men who were taken captive and trained to work in the Babylonian government.

One day King Nebuchadnezzar, had a great statue of himself built and ordered everyone to bow down and worship it. If they did not they would be thrown into a blazing furnace.

Guess what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did? They did not bow down. So, the king had them thrown into the fire. Later, the King was looking in the fiery furnace and noticed four men in there, and still alive! But he had only thrown three men in.

The fourth person looked like a son of the gods, according to Nebuchadnezzar. The King called the three men out and praised God. Then, he issued a proclamation that everyone was to worship their God.

What we can learn: This shows us that experiences with God can point others to Him. Experiences with God should result in a spread of the gospel.

Unnamed Crowds (Jesus’ Miracles)

Throughout, Jesus’ earthly ministry, He healed many people and performed numerous signs and wonders. These miracles led to crowds of thousands following Him, hoping to catch just a glimpse.

Imagine for just a moment, seeing enough food for thousands come from a boy’s lunch box. Or picture lines of people in great need and suffering, waiting to be healed. Then imagine them after their experience with Jesus, walking away healed, completely new.

What we can learn: We can learn from these numerous experiences with God that such experiences can have spiritual, physical, and emotional impact. God is not limited to meeting just our spiritual needs alone. Nor does He care solely for our earthly needs. God’s approach is holistic.

Man born blind

Let’s look now at a specific example. The man born blind (John 9).

Jesus and the disciples were walking and came across a man who had been born blind. The disciples asked why he was blind. Was it because of his sin or his parents sin? Jesus responded by saying that it was neither. Rather, it was to give God glory.

Jesus proceeded to spit on the ground, mix up mud, and put it on the guy’s eyes. He told them to go and wash his eyes. The man did so, and he was able to see.

Later, Jesus ran into this man again and asked him if He believed in the Son of Man. The formerly blind man asked who the Son of Man, so that he could follow him. Jesus said that He was the Son of Man.

He then said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” What an interesting thing to say. But from it we can learn about experiences with God.

What we can learn: Experiences with God can convict us of our sin and need for forgiveness.

Peter, James, John

For our 11th story, let’s look at Jesus’ transfiguration (Matthew 17).

One day Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a mountainside and revealed His glory to them. The Bible says, “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”

And, “a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Peter, James, and John fell down and worshipped God.

What we can learn: This story of an experience with God shows us that experiences with God can lead to a deeper and clearer understanding of Him. Experiences with God ought to lead us to worship and obey Him.

Mary Magdalene

The next story that we will look at is the story of Mary Magdalene and her experience with the resurrected Lord (John 20:11-18).

Mary went to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body with spices. But when she got there, the stone was rolled away and his body was missing! She assumed someone stole.

So when she saw a man standing there, she assumed he was the gardener and asked what he did with Jesus’ body. Jesus called her name. She ran toward him ready to hug Him. But, Jesus said, not yet, but go and tell the disciples I am alive.

Mary’s experience with God might not be as showy as Ezekiel’s but it is filled with God’s love, concern, and compassion for our emotional well being.

What we can learn: We see here, that experiences with God can bring healing to our emotional pain and scars. God cares about you. He cares about how you feel. He wants you to feel and experience His love for you.

Paul

The 13th story of an experience with God that we are going to look at is the story of Paul’s conversion (Acts 9).

Paul started out his relationship with Jesus as someone who persecuted Christians. He was there when they stoned Stephen to death. He was the one they sent to arrest and beat followers of The Way. In short, Paul was terrorizing the early Christian community.

He was on his way to continue his campaign of terror when he had an incredible experience with God. A bright light flashed around him, and he fell to the ground and heard a voice say, “Why do you persecute me?”

It was God. Paul was persecuting Jesus. This experience with God led to his conversion, and future missionary work around the known world. Paul became a great servant of the Lord and wrote most of the New Testament.

Many people may not be Christians today if it was not for this experience Paul had with God.

What we can learn: We can learn from this that our experiences with God, or even other people’s experience with God, can have impacts that we don’t ever get see. Why? Because it has a far greater impact than we may ever know.

John

The last story of an experience with God in the Bible that we are going to look at is John’s revelation vision.

A lot happens in the book of revelation, far too much to discuss here at the moment. So, we will save that for another time.

But what we can say here is that John saw God’s plan for His rule and reign on earth. John saw Jesus on the throne judging and saving people. God is the ultimate judge.

John recorded, in his gospel, a statement by Jesus when he was talking about the end times, the things John now saw in his vision. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John’s revelation vision isn’t meant to scare us, but to encourage us and strengthen us to overcome in the difficult times, in the face of persecution. Why? Because great is our reward.

What we can learn: John’s revelation experience shows us that experiences with God can comfort us and prepare us for difficult times.

Does an Experience with God increase your Faith?

All of these biblical stories of encounters with God show us that when we experience God our faith will grow. Our relationship with God grows. Our understanding of who He is, what He’s done, what He’s doing, and who we are is made clear.

Experiences with God changes lives. Because we experience His faithfulness, His kindness, His love, His grace. We get to know more and more of it. We are transformed by it, and as a consequence are made whole by it.

Our greatest experience with God, as Christians, came when we first accepted Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. That was just the beginning, there is so much more in store. We get to experience, see, and learn how deep and wide and high and long is the love of Christ.

How to Have A Spiritual Experience with God

This transformative power of experiences with God begs the question: How do we have these experiences with God? What can these encounters with God look like? Check out this article about how to have an encounter with God to find the answer the second question. To find the answer to the first question, keep reading.

Well, if we look back at these stories and other stories of experiences with God, we can see that people who had experiences with God after their initial conversion experience were people who:

• Studied Scripture
• Prayed
• Loved Others
• Lived in a Community of Faith

These are ways that we can experience God today. We can experience God through His word, through people who have a relationship with Him, through conversations with Him, and through loving others like Him.

Jesus said it best,

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

If we want to have a spiritual experience with God, then quit trying so hard to find one. Instead, live for God and others. Love God. Love others.

Let me know in the comments below your favorite or coolest Bible story that involves an experience with God.