The greatest blessing for every Christian is to know God. Paul believed this when he wrote “I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil 3:8); and, even 30 years after his initial experience of coming to know Christ, his great desire was “ that I may know Him” (Phil 3:10). He also prayed that God the Father would give His children “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph 1:17) and that they would “increase in the knowledge of God.”( Col. 1:10). Peter also wanted his readers to enjoy great grace and peace “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2). It should be, therefore, our desire and prayer to grow in our knowledge of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ
What do we need to do if we are to know God better?
- We have seen in this series of studies that the knowledge of God involves and requires four elements
- We need to LEARN from the Bible what God is like and understand His attributes.
- We need to WORSHIP God on the basis of the truths we have learned.
- We need to spend time in intimate FELLOWSHIP with God speaking to Him and listening to Him.
- We need to FOCUS our thoughts on God, and the truths we have learned about Him, especially when we face problems.
As we learn about God, as we worship God, as we fellowship with God and as we focus on God, we will give Him His rightful place in our lives and ministries, and we will .get to know Him better. And, as a result, God will bless us in many ways and give us the strength and grace we need for every situation in our lives and ministries.
Knowing God will help you in your prayer life.
The more you know about God and the better you know Him, the more you will know to Whom you are speaking, and the more you will be able to trust Him for the answers. All the great men and women of the Bible show a deep knowledge of the One to Whom they were praying. Read how Nehemiah started his prayer in Neh. 1: 5,6, how Daniel commenced his prayer in Dan. 2:20-23 and how the apostles prayed in Acts 4:24. These were men who knew their God and were better able to pray to Him.
Knowing God will help you to worship Him.
How can we worship Him if we do not really know Him? Worship is based upon truth. The Lord Jesus rebuked the woman of Samaria by telling her “You worship what you do not know” (John 4:22). As we read David’s worship of God in 1 Chron. 29:10 -13, we see that it is based upon the truths he had learned about God and his knowledge of Him. And in verse 13, on the basis of what he has said to God, he concludes his worship “Now therefore, our God, we thank you and praise Your glorious Name.”
Knowing God will help you be strong.
Daniel wrote in Dan. 11:32 “the people who know their God shall be strong”. We all need to be strong –spiritually strong–and able to withstand temptation, opposition and discouragement; and we can see this spiritual strength in the life and ministry of the man who wrote this. As a young man he would not risk defilement with the food he was offered (Dan. 1), and as an older man he would not suspend his practice of praying three times daily despite the threat of death in the lion’s den (Dan. 6).
Knowing God will help you in your service for Him.
We read again Dan. 11:12 “The people who know their God shall…carry out great exploits (or take action)”. Knowing God does not turn us into mystics and recluses. It stimulates and galvanises us to action, and to obedience to God’s commands. Daniel, the man who knew God, illustrates this truth by being busy in prayer (Dan. 9), by being busy helping others to understand God’s will and God’s word (Dan. 2 and 4) and by being busy in his key role of leadership (Dan. 6).
Knowing God will give you great peace in all situations.
When you see clearly that God is on the throne and in complete control of everything and everyone, you will have perfect peace. Isaiah never forgot that he had seen the Lord seated upon a throne (Isaiah 6) and was able to write “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You” (Isaiah 26:3). And Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 1:2 that “grace and peace are multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”.
Knowing God will give you everything you need.
Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:3 that God has given us ALL things we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. This includes wisdom (Eph 1:17), freedom (Gal 4:9) and spiritual growth (Col 1:9-11).
Knowing God will help you handle your problems.
We have seen that the person who has learned about God, has worshipped God, has enjoyed fellowship with God and who knows how to focus upon God when problems come, will be given the strength to handle those problems. (Matt 11:28).
