THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING GOD.
TEXT:
"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." (1st Corinthians 15 verse 34, King James Version)
There's nothing as exciting and rewarding as knowing God. God's people perish for the lack of knowledge (Hosea 4 verse 6). Apart from this, we discover that ignorance leads to captivity (Isaiah 5 verse 13; Hosea 4 verse 6; cf:- John 8 verse 32); it leads to God rejecting men (Hosea 4 verse 6); it leads men to hell (Isaiah 5 verse 14); it makes men to go dry, thirsty and famished (Isaiah 5 verse 13). But the knowledge of the Truth brings freedom, deliverance and liberty (Jn 8 verse 32). Note that the truth does not make you free, but it is the knowledge of it that makes you free (John 8 verse 32).
It's true that God has brought salvation to mankind through His Son Jesus. But on the contrary, we have many Christians whose life experiences are an antithesis of their faith and the Word of God. What happens to them in reality is a far cry from the truth of God's Word. Aren't there a good chunk amongst God's children who suffer satanic oppression when in truth, they are not supposed to? The list goes on. Frankly, something is wrong!
The knowledge of God is accessible from God's Word, and it's trite that the extent to which you enjoy salvation depends on your knowledge of Him. The biggest problem among God's people today is that of the lack of the knowledge of God. There's a general apathy among God's people with knowing Him. A good number is after miracles, signs and wonders and very few are after knowing the Source of Life and miracles. But the desire of God is that we know Him (Hosea 6 verse 6).
When you truly know God, so much will change in your life. In fact, the more you know Him, the more your faith in Him rises (Romans 10 verse 17). Whether you like it or not, your faith level has a major role to play in your access to the promises of God. As you renew your mind with God's Word, your mind becomes synchronized with His thoughts. You begin to see things the way He sees them. This serves to fizzle out your base thoughts, replacing them with those of God.
There are things you'll notice, among others, as you begin to renew your mind with God's Word:
- that you are in Christ a new creation; old things have passed away and all things have become new.
- that God is Love and that He loves you dearly and as a result, He won't allow anything evil upon you.
- that through Christ, you are His Child and He's your Father.
- that He has a beautiful plan for you.
- that He is worthy to be trusted to fulfill His beautiful plan for you.
- that your enemy, the devil has been
defeated and remains defeated for
you. That at best, he's a toothless
bulldog!
- that having been divinely
programmed in Christ for success, all things, no matter what they may be, work together for your good.
- that you can never be defeated in
life.
- and so much more!
Dear friend, you can't have these truths from God firmly rooted in your spirit and not be at rest and a success. Whatever challenge it is that you currently have is just a phase. As long as we remain in the world, we will have problems thrown at us. But God's Word to you is:
"Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you ... " (Exodus 14 verse 13)
PRAYER:
Father, I thank You because Your knowledge illuminates me. Towards this end, I strive to know You daily, in Jesus name.