“Acquaint now yourself with Him [agree with God and show yourself to be conformed to His will] and be at peace; by that [you shall prosper and great] good shall come to you” (Job 22:21 AMP).
There is a vast difference between merely knowing about God and actually knowing Him.
Theologians may quote many profound doctrinal truths about God and His mighty acts. They may even spend numerous hours of diligent study to acquire information about Him. However, knowledge of God and His ways is not gained through intense study about Him. Rather, knowledge of God is gained by intimate fellowship with Him.
Strong fellowship with God is the very foundation of strong faith in God. You become personally acquainted with God through His Word, through His Spirit, and through time spent with Him in prayer and worship. When you come to know God in a personal, intimate way, you become confident in His goodness and mercy, and you become confident in His ability and His willingness to meet your needs. And that confidence is faith.
Through the years, having ministered both as an evangelist and also as a pastor, I have listened to people make what they thought were confessions of faith. They would quote a long list of scriptures, and then recite what they were believing for.
But sometimes there was a certain shallowness in their statements and in the way they made them. Their words revealed more emphasis upon what they were believing for, instead of reliance upon the One in whom they were believing. It seemed these people were actually trying to convince themselves of the truth, instead of sharing true heart-felt convictions. It was no surprise to me when they eventually wrote me or called to say, “I believed God for such-and-such to happen, but it didn’t.”
That kind of “believing” is not faith. At best it’s hope; at worst it’s presumption. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). But faith must also be acted upon and developed. And strong faith is developed through an active, personal acquaintance with a personal God – not through impersonal, methodical manipulation of principles.
You need to know the principles of God’s Word, and it is important to memorize scriptures. However, it doesn’t matter how many scriptures you can quote; if you don’t know the God of the Scriptures, you’re missing it! Don’t stop short by acquiring only a knowledge about God and His Word. Move on to know God.
When you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are born again into a relationship with the living God. You become a child of God the Father. But after you become a child of God, it’s up to you to cultivate fellowship with God. It’s up to you to become acquainted with your Heavenly Father.
When you draw near to God, His Word assures you that He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Decide now that you will draw near to God by esteeming and obeying His Word and by entering into His Presence through prayer, praise, and worship.
I encourage you to make a decision in your own heart right now that you will become better acquainted with God. When you do, your life will be enriched beyond measure.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kenneth W. Hagin, President of Kenneth Hagin Ministries and pastor of RHEMA Bible Church, ministers around the world. Known for calling the Body of Christ to steadfast faith, he seizes every ministry opportunity to impart an attitude of “I cannot be defeated, and I will not quit.”
Rev. Hagin began preparing for his call to ministry—a ministry that now spans 50 years—at Southwestern Assemblies of God University. He graduated from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Tampa, Florida.
In his early years of ministry, Rev. Hagin was an associate pastor and traveling evangelist. Later, he went on to organize and develop RHEMA Bible Training Centers in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and in other countries around the world.
Kenneth W. Hagin’s array of responsibilities also includes International Director of RHEMA Ministerial Association International. He hosts the annual A Call to Arms® Men’s Conference, and with his wife, Lynette, cohosts RHEMA Praise, a weekly television program, and Rhema for Today, a weekday radio program broadcast throughout the United States. They also conduct Living Faith Crusades, spreading the message of faith and healing around the world.
Recognizing the lateness of the hour before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, Rev. Hagin has expanded his speaking schedule beyond his regular pastoral duties. To fulfill the urgent call of God to prepare the Church for a deeper experience of His Presence, Rev. Hagin delivers messages that reveal key spiritual truths about faith, healing, and other vital subjects. He ministers with a strong healing anointing, and his ministry leads the Body of Christ into a greater experience of the glory of God!
Kenneth W. Hagin and his wife live in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the son of the late Kenneth E. Hagin.