Tuesday, 24th February, 2026

Living In The Spirit Daily Devotional

Your guide to a daily walk with God.

Tuesday, 24th February, 2026.

Topic: A Journey to Bethel II Text: Genesis 28:10–22

In the previous part of this series, we examined humanity’s deep longing to encounter God. We observed how many desire what can be called a “Bethel experience,” and we established that the reality of Bethel is no longer confined to a physical location.

Rather, it now dwells in the life of every believer through the indwelling Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Because Bethel represents a place of divine encounter, where heaven intersects with earth, it is often accompanied by extraordinary manifestations.

Jacob saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven (Genesis 28:12), and Moses encountered God in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2–6). These spectacles, however, are not the essence of divine encounters; they are simply expressions of God’s sovereign self-revelation.

A common mistake many people make is that although they begin their journey genuinely seeking God, they become distracted along the way. Some lose sight of God Himself, while others pursue what they can obtain from His presence rather than pursuing God for who He is.

This tendency is especially evident in our generation, which has fallen prey to the deception of the “super-apostles” who measure spiritual maturity by the encounters they claim to have, yet true maturity is revealed in how deeply one knows Christ and how much one has been transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 11:5).

Because of an unhealthy lust for encounters, many pursue fruitless endeavors. If a physical Bethel still existed, many would travel far and wide, hoping that their efforts might compel God to reveal Himself. Yet divine encounters are not rewards for human labor; they are expressions of God’s mercy and occur according to His sovereign will (Romans 9:15–16).

Consider the contrast between Abraham and Jacob. Abraham built an altar at Bethel (Genesis 12:8), and although he had his own unique encounters with God and walked in the benefits of Bethel’s spiritual realities, he did not receive the vision of the ladder at Bethel.

Jacob, on the other hand, went to Bethel to sleep, yet encountered God in a dream. At that point, Jacob had just received the blessing and was now part of a divine purpose he did not yet understand. Hence, God revealed Himself to Jacob.

But upon waking, Jacob, lacking understanding, focused more on benefits and the things he could get from God rather than knowing God Himself (Genesis 28:20–22).

Beloved, seeking the face of God is a noble and pure pursuit. However, it is essential to examine our motives. Are we seeking Him to know Him, or are we seeking experiences, blessings, or testimonies we can boast about?

God is sovereign, and He may choose to reveal Himself with or without spectacular manifestations. Therefore, we must set our hearts to pursue Him and remain committed to His will, regardless of how He chooses to make Himself known.

The New Testament gives us a clear illustration of this truth. Paul received his apostleship through a dramatic divine encounter on the road to Damascus while persecuting the Church (Acts 9:3–6).

Matthias, however, received his apostleship in the quiet fellowship of believers waiting on the Lord. He was not confirmed by a vision, but through prayer and the casting of lots (Acts 1:24–26). Yet this does not make Matthias any less an apostle.

So before you take that journey to Bethel, ask yourself honestly: Are you seeking God for who He is and for His will, or are you driven by a desire for supernatural encounters and what you can gain from His presence?

Are you after the ladder and the angels, or the voice of the One who stands at the top of the ladder?

For the One who stands at the top of the ladder now dwells within you, and many have missed His voice while chasing experiences meant only to point them back to Him.

God bless you.

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