KNOWING GOD By: Major Frank Materu
Key Scripture: Philippians 3:10 (KJV)
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”
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INTRODUCTION
Many people believe they are learning about God, yet they have never truly committed themselves to knowing Him. They collect information, repeat teachings they have heard from others, and build their understanding upon human explanations without seeking the personal revelation that comes through a genuine relationship with the Living God.
There is a difference between knowing facts about God and truly knowing Him. A person may possess religious knowledge, understand biblical terminology, and speak confidently about spiritual matters while remaining unwilling to surrender their life to God's authority. True knowledge of God goes beyond information. It involves fellowship with Him, obedience to His Word, submission to His Spirit, and a willingness to follow wherever He leads.
God desires His people to know Him personally. He wants His Spirit to guide them, rule their hearts, and reveal His character through their lives. He calls us to walk with Him through seasons of humility, correction, suffering, renewal, and spiritual victory.
However, many people limit their understanding of God by placing Him inside the boundaries of human opinions and religious systems. They accept what others tell them without seeking God for themselves. When their expectations are challenged, they may become confused, offended, or even turn away from faith.
Therefore, we must pursue the Lord sincerely, remain teachable, and allow His Spirit to lead us into a deeper understanding of His truth. We must not become satisfied with merely hearing about God when He invites us to know Him.
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KNOWING ABOUT GOD IS NOT THE SAME AS KNOWING GOD
A person can acquire extensive religious knowledge without developing a genuine relationship with the Lord. Information alone cannot replace fellowship, and familiarity with Scripture does not automatically produce obedience.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” — John 17:3 (KJV)
Jesus reveals that knowing God is central to eternal life. This knowledge is not merely intellectual recognition that God exists. It involves coming into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ and learning to live under His authority.
Some people form their understanding of God entirely through what they have heard from other people. They repeat teachings, traditions, and opinions without examining them in the light of Scripture or seeking a deeper relationship with the Lord.
Consequently, their understanding may become distorted. They may know religious language but fail to recognize God's character, His holiness, His mercy, and His authority over their lives.
God calls us beyond second-hand information into personal fellowship with Him. We must study His Word, pray, obey His instructions, and allow the Holy Spirit to correct our understanding. True knowledge of God should transform how we think, how we live, and how we respond to His will.
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ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LEAD YOU
God desires His Spirit to guide His people rather than allowing human pride and personal opinions to govern their lives. He calls us to surrender to His authority and recognize Him as Lord over every area of our existence.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” — Romans 8:14 (KJV)
Being led by the Spirit requires a willing heart. We must be prepared to receive correction, abandon wrong attitudes, and follow God's direction even when it differs from our preferences.
Many people want God to confirm their plans rather than lead them according to His own purposes. They seek His approval for decisions they have already made, but resist Him when He calls them to change direction.
However, knowing God means allowing Him to rule us. He is not merely someone we consult when we need help; He is the Lord whose wisdom and authority must shape our decisions.
As we follow His leading, we learn more about His faithfulness, His holiness, and His transforming power. We discover that spiritual growth involves continual surrender and obedience, not simply the accumulation of religious knowledge.
Let us therefore ask the Lord to govern our hearts and teach us to recognize and follow His truth.
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KNOW GOD THROUGH HUMILITY AND TRANSFORMATION
Knowing God includes learning to humble ourselves before Him. We cannot fully appreciate His grace while insisting on our own greatness, nor can we grow spiritually while refusing to acknowledge our need for His correction.
Paul expressed his desire to know Christ not only through the power of His resurrection but also through the fellowship of His sufferings. This reveals that knowing the Lord involves more than celebrating victory. It also involves remaining faithful through trials, surrender, and the death of selfish desires.
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings.” — Philippians 3:10 (KJV)
God may lead us through seasons that expose our weaknesses and challenge our self-reliance. During such times, we learn to depend on His strength rather than our own abilities. We discover that His grace is sufficient and that our lives must be shaped according to His purposes.
We must not assume that hardship means God has abandoned us. Nor should we seek suffering for its own sake. Rather, whatever circumstances we encounter, we must remain faithful to Him and allow His work to produce spiritual maturity in us.
The more we surrender to God, the more we learn to trust Him beyond our limited understanding. Our goal must be to know Him more deeply and become increasingly conformed to the character of Jesus Christ.
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DO NOT LIMIT GOD TO HUMAN EXPECTATIONS
Some people place God inside rigid boundaries created by their own understanding or by the opinions of others. They assume that God must always act according to a particular pattern, and when their expectations are not fulfilled, they struggle to recognize His work.
But God is greater than our assumptions. His wisdom exceeds our understanding, and His purposes cannot be reduced to human preferences.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” — Isaiah 55:8 (KJV)
We must therefore remain humble and teachable. This does not mean accepting every claim that someone makes in God's name. All teachings and spiritual experiences must be tested against Scripture, because God does not contradict His own truth.
However, we must also avoid assuming that our personal experience represents the full extent of what God can do. He may lead different people through different circumstances while remaining faithful to His Word and character.
Let us not become imprisoned by human expectations. Instead, let us seek the Lord, study His Word carefully, and allow Him to correct our assumptions. We must be willing to learn rather than imagine that we already understand everything about Him.
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DO NOT JUDGE THE END OF ANOTHER PERSON'S JOURNEY
We must exercise caution when judging how God is dealing with other people. We may observe a person's present condition without knowing what God will accomplish in their life. Therefore, we should not hastily condemn someone or assume that we know the final outcome of their spiritual journey.
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” — Matthew 7:1 (KJV)
This does not mean abandoning discernment or refusing to correct wrongdoing. Scripture calls believers to uphold truth and exercise righteous judgment. However, we must distinguish between identifying conduct that contradicts God's Word and presuming to know the ultimate outcome of another person's life.
Our responsibility is to proclaim God's Word faithfully, live in obedience, and allow the Holy Spirit to work. We must not waste our strength in anger, resentment, or endless arguments about people whose circumstances we do not fully understand.
Let us remain faithful to the work God has entrusted to us. Teach His Word, uphold His truth, pray for others, and trust Him to deal with each person according to His perfect wisdom.
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SEEK THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT, NOT EMPTY RELIGIOUS APPEARANCES
Jesus rebuked those who concentrated on minor religious details while neglecting the weightier matters of God's law. They were careful about small matters but overlooked justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
“Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” — Matthew 23:24 (KJV)
This warning applies whenever people become so absorbed in outward religious practices that they neglect the character and obedience God desires. They may argue over details, defend traditions, and criticize others while failing to cultivate humility, mercy, righteousness, and love.
We must not allow religious activity to replace genuine fellowship with God. Nor should we use our knowledge of Scripture to exalt ourselves over others.
The written Word of God is essential and must never be dismissed. It reveals God's truth and provides the standard by which our beliefs and conduct must be tested. At the same time, we must not approach Scripture with pride or use it merely to win arguments. We need the Holy Spirit to help us understand and apply God's Word faithfully.
The Spirit of God brings life as He works in agreement with the truth He has revealed. Therefore, let us seek both sound understanding of Scripture and genuine transformation of the heart.
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SEEK GOD DILIGENTLY, AND GROW IN HIS KNOWLEDGE
God invites His people to seek Him sincerely. We must not become weary in prayer or assume that our present understanding is sufficient for the rest of our lives. There is always room to grow in our knowledge of His character, His truth, and His purposes.
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)
Seeking God requires sincerity, perseverance, and a willingness to obey what He reveals through His Word. We must not approach Him merely to satisfy curiosity or obtain benefits while remaining unwilling to submit to His authority.
As we seek Him, we learn to trust His faithfulness and depend on His strength. He teaches us through His Word, corrects our attitudes, and helps us grow in spiritual maturity.
Let us therefore continue pursuing the Lord. When we are weak, let us seek His strength. When we lack understanding, let us ask for His wisdom. When we discover sin in our lives, let us repent and return to Him.
The goal is not simply to know more religious facts but to know God more deeply and live in a manner that honours Him.
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SUMMARY
Knowing God is more than possessing information about Him. It involves personal fellowship through Jesus Christ, submission to His authority, obedience to His Word, and a willingness to be led by His Spirit.
We must not limit God to human opinions or judge the final outcome of another person's journey. Instead, we must remain humble, test teachings against Scripture, proclaim God's truth faithfully, and pursue a life transformed by His presence.
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CONCLUSION
God desires us to know Him, not merely to speak about Him. He calls us into a living relationship in which His truth shapes our understanding, His Spirit directs our steps, and His authority governs our lives.
Let us abandon spiritual pride, reject narrow human assumptions, and seek the Lord with sincere hearts. As we follow Him through seasons of joy, correction, difficulty, and renewal, may we grow in our understanding of His character and become more like Jesus Christ.
CALL TO ACTION
Examine your relationship with God. Are you satisfied with what you have heard about Him, or are you actively seeking to know Him personally? Are you allowing His Spirit to lead you, or are you depending entirely on your own understanding and the opinions of others?
Return to the Lord with a humble heart. Study His Word, seek Him in prayer, obey His instructions, and remain willing to receive correction. Make it your daily pursuit to know Him more deeply.
FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT
People of God, never become satisfied with merely knowing about the Lord when He invites you to walk with Him. Keep seeking Him with a sincere heart. Allow His Word to instruct you, His Spirit to guide you, and His grace to transform you. Do not become discouraged by the challenges along the way. As you continue to seek Him faithfully, you will grow in spiritual understanding and learn to depend more fully on His wisdom, strength, and unfailing faithfulness.
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Heavenly Father, I come before You in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I am a sinner and need Your mercy and forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and rose again. I repent of my sins and receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. Forgive me, cleanse me, and make my heart new. Deliver me from spiritual pride, false understanding, and dependence on human wisdom apart from Your truth. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and teach me to know You personally through Jesus Christ. Help me to study Your Word faithfully, obey Your commands, and follow Your leading each day. Give me a humble heart that continues to seek You and desires to grow in Your knowledge. May my life bring glory and honour to Your holy name. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
