I Want to Know God, Where Do I Begin?

The subject is one of the first questions a new believer or an inquirer asks.

How Can I Know, Understand and Experience God?

Precious in the sight of God is His creation’s knowledge of Him. How He is known begins with the Word that proceeded out of His mouth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Without form and void, for darkness was upon it. But the Spirit of God was there moving, albeit, unseen.

Then the Word of God came into His creation, when God said, “Let there be light!” And there came light. That light was not the light God made in Genesis 1:16 but the true Light that the apostle John described as “the Word” in his gospel (John 1:1–12).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shines in darkness; and the darkness overcame it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (the Baptist). The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, that lights every man that comes into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name: Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

(John 1:1–13, KJV2000)

God Desires That We May Fully Know Him

Apostle Paul reminds us in his epistle that God “desires all men to be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). The truth is God Himself manifested in Christ, His Son (John 14:6). The well-known Christian author A.W. Tozer even so wonderfully expounds, to the limit of a book, on this precious treasure describing it as “The Knowledge of the Holy”.

We can hear the voice of the prophet Jeremiah as he earnestly exalts the glory of understanding and knowing God above other pursuits in this earthly life.

“Thus says the LORD,” he exhorts,

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight,” says the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23–24, KJV2000)

Faith in God comes to us when we hear the preaching of God’s Word (Romans 10:17). By faith, we receive the Spirit of the Son and are born anew, thus becoming children of God (Galatians 4:6).

In the same way, by His Word, as we read or hear under the unction of the Holy Spirit, we begin to know God, understand Him, and even experience Him (John 14:26; John 16:12–15). But one has to be born of the Spirit to really know and understand God who is Spirit (John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 2:9–11).

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:25–26, KJV2000)

I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father has are mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:12–15, KJV2000)

Truly, God reveals Himself to His people by His Word. But let’s look into the Scriptures and see how this is so.

God Reveals Himself by His Word

In the first three chapters of the book of Samuel, we read Samuel’s inspiring testimony from childhood, how intimately he came to know God. I entreat you to read it (if you have not). What a wonderful story!

After his mother, Hannah consecrated him to God, Samuel began his life in the temple under the oversight of the High Priest Eli. In those days (the time of the judges), physically there was no king in Israel, so every man did what was right in his own eyes.

Even the priestly service was being defiled. Eli being the High Priest did not faithfully minister the Word of God to the people. Without the ministering of the Word, people will not know God. There will be limited knowledge or revelation of God. The fear of the Lord will not be present in the people’s hearts.

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no open vision. (1 Samuel 3:1, KJV2000)

When the person whom God ordained to do His will, ignores Him, God will go to another who is willing. Let’s continue reading and I’ll expound on its context just a bit.

3 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, that he could not see; And before the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was lying down to sleep;

4 That the LORD called, “Samuel:” and he answered, “Here am I.”

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, “Here am I; for you called me.” And he said, “I called not; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.

6 And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel.” And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here am I; for you did call me.” And he answered, “I called not, my son; lie down again.”

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

(1 Samuel 3:2–7, KJV2000)

Based on verse 7, Samuel could not know God because he had not heard the word of God. But he is listening and open to instruction and this is an attitude pre-requisite for someone whom God can use.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here am I; for you did call me.” And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if He calls you, that you shall say, Speak, LORD; for your servant hears.” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel answered, “Speak; for your servant hears.”

(1 Samuel 3:8–10, KJV2000)

A Personal Testimony

My wife and I were baptized on the same night, in a bathtub, in an apartment complex called Mt. Sinai. The year was 1999. Shortly after our rebirth, we were encouraged to cultivate an intimate fellowship individually with the Lord. We did this by calling upon and praising His name, coming to His Word, listening, and speaking to Him, first thing in the morning, that is, upon waking up.

Briefly, this was how I began to know God. I had to purchase my own Bible (photo above). Early morning, as I read His word, I would converse with Him, telling Him what was in my heart. Just like a normal conversation, He would speak to me, I would hear Him speaking those words I was reading as if He was just standing in front of me.

That’s how I developed a deep love and conviction for His word. I know that His word is true for I heard it directly from Him. At times if I transgressed, He would expose and rebuke me and like a child, my heart would melt like water, weeping and confessing before His presence. Each time, I would rise up refreshed with burdens lifted off me, cleansed by the washing of the water by the word.

At other times experiencing His sweetness through His living word, tears would fall with joy unspeakable, right on my bible.

So I know verse 10 above is real, as the Lord came and stood before Samuel and called to speak with him.

We move on to verse 11.

11 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hears it shall tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all the things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever.”

15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he answered, “Here am I.” 17 And he said, “What is the thing that the LORD has said unto you? I pray you hide it not from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he said unto you.”

18 And Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD: let Him do what seems to Him good.”

(1 Samuel 3:11–18, KJV2000)

This is how a person can be a prophet of the Lord. He is faithful to speak what he received from the Lord, not leaving anything, nor adding anything, receiving everything that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and not letting any of God’s word fall to the ground.

19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and (Samuel) did let none of His words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. (1 Samuel 3:19–20, KJV2000)

So, how did Samuel know the Lord?

And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (1 Samuel 3:21, KJV2000)

Do you really want to know God? Begin your journey by diligently reading His word, believing it, trusting it, and obeying it. Verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book, again and again, read His word. And like a child, willing to listen, open to receive, ready to believe.

Get into the Word. Read the Bible.

The LORD bless you and keep you in your quest to know Him. The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.