Cultivating Prophetic Encounters
Katia Adams • May 7, 2018
We are the children of a Papa who loves us, and we have been wired with His supernatural DNA. So why is it sometimes difficult to experience supernatural encounters with him? Here are a few handles that have helped me personally cultivate those powerful, life-changing moments.
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Hi, guys. I just want to share something with you. It’s something that I get asked about a lot which is how I’ve developed experiencing supernatural encounters, and how I’ve grown in that area, both in the prophetic, but also just in meeting with God and getting to know him for myself. Often, people hear Julian’s story, and they kind of step back a little bit because Julian’s a prophet, so it makes sense that a prophet would have encounters. But I get asked this question as someone who isn’t a prophet, but someone who is able to prophesy because I’m a daughter of God, so I get to do that. Firstly, I wanna say I’ve developed this in God based on the foundation of knowing that he’s a good Poppa who wants to speak to me, and who is speaking to me. And that he’s designed me with everything inside of me to be able to hear it.
I think sometimes we can disqualify ourselves because we don’t feel like we have a special gift. But actually, the Bible tells us as children of God that we’ve been wired with supernatural DNA. He’s put his seed in us which means that we’re able to hear him because we are his children, and that’s how we’ve been designed. So first and foremost, I’d say if you’re on a journey in experiencing God, in having more encounters with him, I would want to encourage you to kind of put all that you grow on this foundation. That he’s a good Poppa who is speaking, and you are his child. And by nature of being his child, you’ve been designed with everything so that you can hear him. And the second thing I’d say is that just personally, I found that when people started talking to me about some of their own experiences, if I heard someone using big words or kind of impressive words, even words just like, “I had a vision” or “I had a trance,” those words would make me feel like somehow that I was disqualified or disempowered because those words seemed so big and my experiences at that point seemed so small.
And so I wanna encourage you, right from the outset, don’t allow yourself to be disempowered or disqualified by the use of spiritual sounding words. In reality, everyone’s experiences are different, but words like visions or trances, all they mean is that someone is seeing something in their mind’s eye. And so it’s like your imagination. It’s like what happens when you close your eyes, and you see images in front of you. That’s simply what a vision is too. So don’t be put off by spiritual sounding words. You can have encounters with God because you are His child, and that’s what he designed you to have. I wanna give you a few handy tools that I’ve learned. I used to have a lot of static pictures in my mind. So if I close my eyes, I could just see what almost look like a photo in front of my eyes. Sometimes, not even that clear, but a static image, a standstill image.
And I wanna encourage you, however, you’re starting off, whatever you have in your hands is a good place. It’s not just small. It’s not insignificant. Actually, whatever you have, whether it is that you might say to me, “Oh, I hear God with just like a little whisper in my mind. That’s all I hear. I don’t have any visions. I just get a whisper.” That’s a really great place to start because all of our first step experiences, if you like, like my pictures and maybe the whisper that you hear are a doorway into more. And so, this is the first tool and probably the most important tool that I can share with you. Something that has transformed my experiences with God is I recognize that my first step experience was a doorway into more. And God was asking me to engage my imagination, to press into the more.
Now, sometimes, we can get nervous about the use of our imagination because we think, “Oh, that means I’ll be making it up.” But actually, using our imaginations is incredibly biblical. And the reality is God gave us our imaginations as a setting, as a context to experience Him. If you don’t believe me, look into Ephesians 1. It talks about how in partnership with the Holy Spirit who brings wisdom and revelation, the eyes of our hearts should be enlightened. That basically means your imagination should be enlightened. It should be opened up so that you can grasp the hope that you’ve been called to. So that you can understand the riches of your inheritance so that you can understand the greatness of his power. Essentially, that means that your imagination is integral to experiencing God and to encountering the kingdom and so don’t discount your imagination.
Your imagination is not just you making things up, but is actually a context that God has given you so that you can press in for the more of encounter. And so I wanna encourage you with whatever is your first step experience, whether it’s a picture or whether it’s a still quiet whisper in your soul, whatever it is, I wanna encourage you, at that point, to close your eyes and to start engaging your imagination. And simply to start asking yourself if it’s a voice that you hear, what might the person who’s speaking to me look like? What might the heavenly room where God is look like? And start just pressing in by imagining those things or if it’s a static picture like I used to experience, I started asking myself if I saw a door or a garden that was static, I started imagining what that thing would become like if it came alive.
And as I started engaging my imagination, I suddenly found that what had started with me pressing in, soon became something that was drawing me in, in and of itself because it became a very real and vivid encounter. And those static images that I had in my mind’s eye actually became gateways to see God, experience Him, and know Him better. And so, I want to encourage you as you do this, this really is a journey with Jesus. It’s a way of experiencing him, so fix your eyes on Jesus, say, “Holy Spirit, I wanna know you more. I don’t wanna make things up. I don’t wanna imagine you in my image. I wanna see you for real. But I want the eyes of my heart to be enlightened by you, Holy Spirit so that I can experience you, so that I can engage with you the way that you intended for me to engage with you.”
And then allow him to breathe on your imagination, lean in on your imagination, and let him take you into experiences that you’ve only hoped for, that you’ve only imagined before, but now, you’ll actually get to experience. He’s a good Poppa. He is speaking to you. He designed you to hear Him. This isn’t only for special Christians somewhere, this is for every Christian, this is for every child of God. And whatever your first step experiences, don’t belittle it, don’t discount it because it isn’t a vision or a trance. That is an invitation by God, your first step experience, and so lean into that invitation, engage your imagination, and then trust him to take you into experiences with Him.
By Julian Adams
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January 3, 2025
We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful. One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant. The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is. Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty. Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty. In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine. You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story. Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours. Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.
By Julian Adams
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July 17, 2024
Rejection is a powerful force that can shape the trajectory of our lives, often in ways we don't fully realize until much later. For me, this journey began in childhood. I was born with a cleft palate, which affected my ability to speak, and coupled with my passionate devotion to Jesus, I faced daily ridicule and rejection throughout my school years. My speech and my fervent faith made me a target, and I found myself isolated and misunderstood. Despite the rejection, something beautiful began to grow within me: a deep and abiding friendship with Jesus. Through profound encounters with the Lord, I began to walk in the prophetic. This newfound gift led me to public ministry, where I started releasing prophetic words. However, beneath the surface, I was carrying an immense amount of pain that I hadn't dealt with. This pain manifested as a lifestyle of performance, driven by the need for acceptance and validation. Though I was a new creation in Christ, I was living as if I were still bound by my old wounds. In Matthew 23:27-28 (MSG), Jesus describes the Pharisees as "manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it's all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you're saints, but beneath the skin, you're total frauds." These words struck a chord with me because I realized I was living like a professional Pharisee. Outwardly, I appeared to have it all together, but inside, I was disconnected from the healing process that God wanted to take me through. This disconnect had a significant impact on my prophetic ministry. My words, especially those concerning sin, were often harsh and unkind, reflecting my damaged perspective of myself and the world. It wasn't until I began to address my heart issues that my approach to the prophetic truly changed. God started speaking to me about the connection between my gift, my performance, and my worth. Through this process, He took me back to moments of pain and difficulty from my childhood and even into my adult life. In one profound moment, God said to me, "Son, I want you to grow up and be a child." This statement might seem paradoxical, but it revealed a crucial truth: the posture of the kingdom is one of childlike fascination and trust. My journey into sonship transformed how I viewed the prophetic and how I ministered to others. No longer driven by judgment and legalism, I began to approach people with love, kindness, and the heart of the Father. Understanding my identity as a beloved child of God allowed me to see others through His eyes. This shift not only brought healing to my heart but also enabled me to minister more effectively and compassionately. Rejection and pain had shaped my early years, but God's love and healing power brought me to a place of wholeness. This journey has taught me that dealing with our heart issues is essential for authentic and impactful ministry. As we pursue wholeness, we open ourselves to deeper intimacy with God and greater effectiveness in serving His people. If you find yourself struggling with similar issues of rejection, pain, or performance, I encourage you to invite God into those wounded places. Allow Him to heal and transform you, just as He did for me. Embrace the posture of childlike wonder and trust, knowing that you are deeply loved and valued by your Heavenly Father. In this place of wholeness, you will find the freedom to live and minister authentically, reflecting the heart of God to a world in need.
By Julian Adams
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July 21, 2023
In my years of teaching people the prophetic and how to hear God's voice, I've learned several practices that help people hear Him. Here are a few of my most helpful!
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