Knowing God personally

[BenFTW]

how does it sound like. im not hearing nothing. ever. maybe its because i live like the devil.

im pretty sure God operates in a way where, u gotta clean up ur life and then He speaks to u. not that He first speaks to u like a good friend in all positivity and glory and only then u clean up ur life..........

Why do you live like the devil? Are you not born again? Made anew? Dead to sin and alive unto God? Do you see how God has created you, saved you from your sins and raised you with Christ? You are not a slave to sin, but righteousness. This is the truth, do not be deceived. Let God's truth transform you, renew your mind.

As for hearing the Lord, and being clean, do you not know that your sins of scarlet are as white as snow? The blood of Jesus has given you the remission of your sins. Read Hebrews and learn of your right standing with God, who doesn't impute your sins to you but has taken them from you. Muzungu, there is no veil or barrier between you and God. Jesus paid for sin to reconcile you to God. Has Jesus failed? By no means, you are redeemed! So seek the Lord, pray. Listen.

 

[BillG]

how does it sound like. im not hearing nothing. ever. maybe its because i live like the devil.

im pretty sure God operates in a way where, u gotta clean up ur life and then He speaks to u. not that He first speaks to u like a good friend in all positivity and glory and only then u clean up ur life..........

Ok maybe I am not getting what you are saying but this is what I hear you saying.

I don’t hear from God because I live like the devil. God will speak to you if you clean up your life and it’s only when you do then you can clean up your life.

Is that what you are saying?

If so then I would have to disagree with you.

Did not Jesus speak to sinners first, the broken hearted, the marginalised. Zaccheus comes to mind.
The adulteress woman comes to mind, Paul comes to mind, David comes to mind.

 

[Cee]

You don't clean yourself up to come to Jesus.

You come to Jesus to be cleaned up.

In fact, Scripture teaches it's His word that cleans us.

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

 

[BillG]

You don't clean yourself up to come to Jesus.

You come to Jesus to be cleaned up.

In fact, Scripture teaches it's His word that cleans us.

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN

And multiply that a thousand times.

 

[Cee]

Muzungu -

Here's a bit of practical help I've found helped me:

The first key to hearing the voice of God is believing you can.

The second key is believing you are.

The third key is comparing what you're hearing with who Scripture reveals Him to be.

If you want to grow in relationship with God, look at Scripture from a different lens. Read it to discover who God is not what you must "do for eternal life", underline areas that describe Him and then speak to Him through each lens of revelation.

For example:

When it teaches He is your Father, address Him as His child, ask Him what He says about you as His child... write down what He says and compare it to who Scripture reveals Him to be... then listen to other believers who know His voice... and you'll start to see the thread of God on your life.

 

[Mooky]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry if you weren't looking for an elaboration but hey, why not try to take something someone may have meant to tear down and use it for good? He doesn't know the intent of your heart, and to question that can indeed be offensive. I tell you from experience that the Lord spoke to me of lip service and that is offensive. Consider, however, how offensive it was of me to speak of desiring God and yet not seeking Him as I should? He would be offended because it is His desire that we seek Him, and yet what? Have I professed love and yet not expressed it in word and deed?

See where I am going with this? I by no means was questioning your sincerity, and neither should another judge your heart. I was just explaining what he may have meant, minus any and all hostility of judgement.

No need to apologise.I am quite aware that you were merely clarifying what was said and so my challenge was to the Post in question- not yours.All good.

 

[FlSnookman7]

Just wondering how I can know God personally instead of knowing about ​Him?

When I was 1st saved I found that when I journaled I would hear from God. Later He starting communicating to me in a few different ways. I still find that the more I read His Word and the more I pray the more I hear Him. Hope that helps.

 

[oldethennew]

most definitely, FIS,

true, heartfelt'-'journaling'-writing-down-our-souls-to-God in our Love, Trust, and Hope',
can 'reap so many rewards'; for if our hearts desire is to Love and abide in Him/His Kingdom,
then, our separation from the world and it's power, just keeps drawing us closer and closer
into our Father's Mansion...
so many ways that He paves to bring us into His Fold...but we have to be open to them,
awake and aware of what is going-on all around us, use your gifts Faith and Trust, etc,...

 

[G00WZ]

Just wondering how I can know God personally instead of knowing about ​Him?

Focus on Christ, some get there by listening to and singing hymns, some meditate, some by praying/ talking to God.. I would say anything that is good that promotes your focus on Christ/ God will get you there... Also while you focus pay attention to who He is and what he is about, what he has done, what he will do, what he promised.. And don't try to strain yourself either, it is something that is allowed open, not forced.. Also while doing this agree with who Christ says you are in him(doing this is picking up your cross and denying yourself * Matthew 16:24 *).
The more you do this daily and identify with who Christ says you are the closer in relationship you get, especially when you start to move in things of the spirit... It is a process and you grow into it spiritually and Holy Spirit is there to guide/ teach you.




The practice of letting go of self is important because most of the time what keeps a person from God is them self, false identity's, ego, pride,knowledge of self exalting itself over the knowledge of God.. and many more. It goes deep, all the way back to the tree of KNOWLEDGE of good and evil. A lot of earthly natural knowledge learned has no place in the Kingdom, and your mind has to be pretty much blank and accepting and agreeing like a child when focusing on God. but yea.. I know i probably lost someone with all of this, so i will keep it at that for now lol.


I will say this though, you will get there though, just allow it, and don't be afraid to unlearn some things on the way.

 

[MarcR]

The Bible calls Jesus the Word of God. Jesus, and Paul both call Scripture the Word of God.

IMO reading the Bible (especially the NT) is one way to get to know God personally.

Another important way to know God personally is through prayer. I'm not talking about asking for things or giving thanks though you should do that too. I'm talking asking god questions that trouble you and expecting answers. The answers will probably not be audible, and it may take some time to learn how to listen; but God will speak to your heart and you will learn to recognize His 'voice'.

 

[Ariel82]

Just wondering how I can know God personally instead of knowing about ​Him?

Prayer

That is the only way I know how to get to know God personally.
.reading the Bible will tell you about God and how he interacts. Sometimes God can speak to us through the Bible and the people He places in our lives.

However for me, prayer is when I feel the closest to God.

How do you get to know your best friend or spouse personally?

You talk to them and do things together.

Prayer is not just about talking to God but also listening to God's answer.

 

[NayborBear]

What are you trying to say exactly?

I apologize! Thought you was a guy!

 

[Desertsrose]

Just wondering how I can know God personally instead of knowing about ​Him?

Hi Mooky,

Through faith, it's all a life-long relationship with the Lord isn't it.

Philippians 3:7-11
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Paul counted everything in his past as loss, he died to it all because he saw something of greater value and that was getting to know Jesus Christ his Lord. Through the new birth he received a righteousness through faith in Christ so that He would know Christ and know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

Here we see that to know the Lord takes a life of selflessness. We die to our old way of life and live for Him counting our old life as loss to live to serve and please our Lord.

Through faith we get to know the Lord - we will know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings.

And we all know that the power we experience for life and godliness is the divine power of the Holy Spirit.

Something one pastor said was that when we pray, we tend to do all of the talking and then we're done. Prayer is a two way conversation and it's being real with God. It's speaking to Him as your loving heavenly Father. It's waiting on Him to hear that inner voice speaking to our heart. Waiting on God tends to be a lost virtue.

It's also reading and studying God's word and allowing it to do it's powerful work in us as we work with God in humility in submission to His will.

It's also fellowshipping with God's people.

It's listening to gifted men who rightly divide God's word of truth.

It's walking in holiness and righteousness as we stay in step with the Holy Spirit.

It's as we abide in Christ.

It's as we are that living sacrifice ...... Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

We see and get to know God in all these ways He works among His body. And as we mature in Him, the more we'll get to know Him.

 

[loveme1]

It feels like He is a million miles away in outer space sometimes.

Have you received the Holy Spirit Baptism since believing? Seek and you will find my dear..

 

[Stunnedbygrace]

Oh, mooky, it sounds to me like you are on a fast. (Not the fast that men do, but the true Fast - in spirit.) THAT fast is not something we choose to do. It is something God does. He removes our Bread. We can't sense Him as we have become accustomed to doing.

It is only in your own senses that you can't sense Him at times. He never abandons you.

I'll tell you some things that have helped me to bear and understand what a fast in spirit is.

This can be found in Exodus where it says God allowed them to become very thirsty in the desert. It gives His reason for this. It says He allowed them to become very thirsty (which is what you are speaking of and experiencing, in spirit and truth), to SEE WHAT THEY WOULD DO. He wanted to see if they would keep having faith despite their discomfort or if they would complain about what He was doing.

So He did it for the reason of testing their faith. He did it to GROW their faith.

John of the Cross describes what you are experiencing as akin to when a mother refuses her breast and sets a child down to walk on it's own two feet and to move on to eating solid food. And the child detests it and wants the comforts it has grown accustomed to. But those comforts are removed for the good and growth of the child.

John wrote a book called "Dark Night of the Soul." I think it might help you some in these fasts in spirit. I recommend you read only the first half of the book right now and just leave the second part for later. The first part deals with what you are experiencing. John describes it all in a way that you might grasp, but if it does not help you at all, then just ignore it. But I think it may help your understanding as He puts us on these fasts in order to actually give us MORE light, even though it just seems like dryness and darkness for a time.

 

[Stunnedbygrace]

I guess I'll say one more thing mooky. It is very hard to read your bible or to pray during these times. If you can't sense Him, and if He isn't there (but He is there and it just seems like He isn't) then reading the bible is just distasteful, because without Him teaching you as you read, what's the point?

When you try to push the reading or the praying, you seem to be met by only a wall of darkness, dryness and distaste. I think this is because we are trying to get that comfort of a sense of His presence when He has removed it for a purpose. So to push the matter is to fight what He is doing. The truth is that your prayer becomes short simple phrases as if you have no strength or breath for anything more. Phrases like: I miss You, but I trust that You know what You are doing.

There really aren't any long prayers during a fast in spirit if we are submitting to what He wills for us, which IS the fast from His presence to our senses. I think we find a few phrases that help us somewhat and we repeat them over and over with sighs. Like...I know You will never abandon me because You have promised, so what appears to be happening can NOT be what's happening. Or...I miss You. Or...as a deer pants for water, I pant for You. You are doing well if you can pray just even that little bit when you are in such darkness and dryness.

The truth is that when all seems so dark, we are being assailed with MORE light and it is like when we leave a dark movie theatre and are blinded by the sun until our eyes adjust.

I will shut up now. I just know what you are feeling and the frustration, fear and sadness. The thirst.

 

[joaniemarie]

It feels like He is a million miles away in outer space sometimes.

Actually., for some of us that is the way it's supposed to be because it is how we first learned how to walk by faith and not by sight. What I mean is that desire to feel close to Jesus is good and right and needed., but it needs to be changed to be based on faith and not by situations or feelings or better said ., our old manner of living and knowing.

Those feelings of closeness and love will come (don't worry) The filling of the Holy Spirit is overwhelming to the senses and sort of blows our old manner of relating to Jesus out of the water into something different. Knowing God's love and grace in Christ changes our daily lives.

It's the kind of living water the Holy Spirit gives that holds you up when you're alone in a hospital room and the Dr. gives you a bad report. Or when you're driving down the road and another human being is dead in a car crash only a few cars a head of you and the brevity of this life is thrown at you. Then you are upheld by the truth of Jesus Christ and the faith that is described in Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, [SUP][a][/SUP]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].


Not only that., but the Holy Spirit is real. He is the One who upholds us in life. It's not our limited understanding of truth in life because we really don't know how to conduct our selves here on earth in such a way that we can protect ourselves from all the evil there is. We need the Holy Spirit's guidance and comfort to go through successfully. And that is whey Jesus didn't leave us alone here.

John 7:38-39
[SUP]
38 [/SUP]He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
[SUP]
39 [/SUP]But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).

It's actually a very good thing for you to not be able to "feel" what you want right now. Because it will show you how to "walk" in newness of life. That need of putting off the old manner of living that needed to see and feel first., and reaching for the Holy Spirit who will show you how to walk in newness of life by faith even while in this physical body that still has feelings and emotions. We will have opportunity to learn which to listen to and obey. Our own senses or the Holy Spirit's leading.

I'm still learning how to do this in each and every situation that comes along in life. So I'm not putting you down or saying you are immature. We learn how to walk in the Spirit by being drawn in by Him. He sometimes and often uses the needs we have and our many adequateness and the experiences we go through to teach us His ways.

We then learn we actually NEED to see Him and follow Him this new and living way every day and wonder how we managed as Christians before. We can't succeed without walking in the Spirit of truth. And I believe for all the years I didn't, the Holy Spirit kept me by His grace.

 

[NayborBear]

What are you trying to say exactly?

After thinking about your defensive response/s to an explanation I gave, you claim to be genuine in your walk. But, yet, you are asking how YOU can get to know God, more personally? If the efforts in your walk, are as genuine as you claim, it appears, in my mind anyway, that you already know God personally. My response is a "symptom" of what occurs, when, like a foolish virgin, she gives her oil, to other foolish virgins. What ends up happening, is that the oil you give, is wasted in "fruitless efforts", so that neither the ones you gave your oil to, nor you, have any, or, in your situation anyway, enough left, in continuing while you are waiting. You ask for more personal? Just STOP! STOP giving your oil away! The oil you give away is FOR YOU!...And, ONLY YOU!

This happens quite often when believers, in a "false sense of security of salvation", get punked! And this can happen, when people start conversations, where someone is asking, or looking, for answers from believers, who, sometimes in ignorance, but, most times not, keep digging deeper and deeper (a "rabbit hole"), into your oil! Causing you to expend YOUR oil, in carrying THEM! You have to become COGNIZANT of when this occurs! Sometimes? It's God Himself, testing/tempting, proofing, refining, YOU! It's like God saying: "So ya wanna know ME better, eh? I see ya know of, believe, and have accepted my only begotton, and have confessed Him before men! And, He has confessed YOU, to ME! Okie dokey snookems, let's see what ya got?"

Wanna say more. got an appointment! gotta run!......later!

 

[BillG]

Have you received the Holy Spirit Baptism since believing? Seek and you will find my dear..

Hi loveme1,

I hope all is well with you.

Can I ask you to clarify what we mean by receiving the Holy Spirit Baptism since believing.

Is this different than the Holy Spirit indwelling in us when we placed our faith in Jesus?

Ta

Bill (aka the Glaswegian)

 

[Mooky]

After thinking about your defensive response/s to an explanation I gave, you claim to be genuine in your walk. But, yet, you are asking how YOU can get to know God, more personally? If the efforts in your walk, are as genuine as you claim, it appears, in my mind anyway, that you already know God personally. My response is a "symptom" of what occurs, when, like a foolish virgin, she gives her oil, to other foolish virgins. What ends up happening, is that the oil you give, is wasted in "fruitless efforts", so that neither the ones you gave your oil to, nor you, have any, or, in your situation anyway, enough left, in continuing while you are waiting. You ask for more personal? Just STOP! STOP giving your oil away! The oil you give away is FOR YOU!...And, ONLY YOU!

This happens quite often when believers, in a "false sense of security of salvation", get punked! And this can happen, when people start conversations, where someone is asking, or looking, for answers from believers, who, sometimes in ignorance, but, most times not, keep digging deeper and deeper (a "rabbit hole"), into your oil! Causing you to expend YOUR oil, in carrying THEM! You have to become COGNIZANT of when this occurs! Sometimes? It's God Himself, testing/tempting, proofing, refining, YOU! It's like God saying: "So ya wanna know ME better, eh? I see ya know of, believe, and have accepted my only begotton, and have confessed Him before men! And, He has confessed YOU, to ME! Okie dokey snookems, let's see what ya got?"

Wanna say more. got an appointment! gotta run!......later!

You are not a very nice person so you are going on ignore.