Increasing in the knowledge of God – Part 2

Key verse:Colossians 1:9-10: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” (NIV).

Increasing in the knowledge of God is a lifelong pursuit for every true child of God. Increasing in the knowledge of God is a maturing process for every believer. Apostle Paul epistles are filled with instances of Paul emphasising the need for Christians to grow in the knowledge of God. In Colossians 10, the Apostle Paul prayed for the church at Colosse that they might, among other things, increase in the knowledge of God.

Also, Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they might grow in their knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17). Furthermore, the Apostle Peter prayed for the church at large: “May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord,” (2 Peter 2:1). In 2 Peter 3:18, Peter prayed a similar prayer that the church would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This is a very powerful prayer and I pray the same for you. God wants us to know Him better each day, and we can only do so by increasing our knowledge about Him through the study of His word, personal communion with Him, fellowshipping with other Christians, among others.

Apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:16-17, prayed for the Ephesians believers so that they might have a deeper understanding, not just of the word of God, but also of the God of the word. Knowing God and fearing God are very crucial to the Christian life. It is one thing to study several chapters of the word of God, but another thing to know about the God of the word. The word for knowledge is the word epignosis, which means more than just fact. He has already given them facts. Apostle Paul says: “Now I want something deeper for you. I want you to know God. I want you to have a deeper understanding of God.” That word epignosis means “the fullness of knowledge.” It means to not only know it, but also to understand and experience God at personal and intimate level. In other words, it means knowing God intimately beyond the stories you know about Him.

The Holy spirit empowers the believer with wisdom and revelation of God. Paul prays for a “spirit of wisdom and of revelation,” meaning a deep, insightful understanding of God’s character and purposes.

There is no higher knowledge than the knowledge of God. Ask Moses (Exodus 33) and Paul (Philippians 3).

Knowing God is acquaintance with God Himself. Knowing God is experiential and not theoretical. To increase in the knowledge of God, we must study the Bible because the Bible is the revelation of God. We must thirst for the knowledge of God. Matthew 5:6 says: “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” We should spend much time in the study of His Word. In the Bible we hear the voice of God throughout teaching us, comforting us, correcting us, lifting us up to know Him as the true God. We also grow in the knowledge of God through prayer. Deep things about God are revealed through prayer. Jeremiah 33:3 says: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

• Today’s nugget: Knowing God is a higher knowledge. Prayer: Lord help me to increase in knowledge of You. Prayer lines: 08033299824.E-mail: [email protected]. Rev. Abel UkachiAmadi, General Superintendent,
Assemblies of God Nigeria