“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” Matthew 16:17.
#1: Each Follower of Christ can only gain an experiential knowledge of the fullness of Christ by the power of God, working gradually through His Spirit in that person’s life.
#2: The Follower of Christ does not get to understand the fullness of Christ just by physically attending to Christ – church attendance or communal devotions; the other disciples did not fully understand who Christ was.
#3: There are advantages and blessings that accompany the personal, experiential, knowledge of Christ, which the Holy Spirit bestows on those who diligently seek that knowledge.
#4: Ordinarily, we know someone by learning about them. If possible, we converse with them and search writings to read in-depth about them. When it comes to knowing Christ, we do the same things, but we have to do it under the leading and tutelage of God’s Spirit.
So, how can we know God better? 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 1 Cor.2:11.
The Apostle’s Prayer for the Ephesians, and by extension, all of us:…….17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe…..” Ephesians 1:17-19.
As we proceed on our Lenten journey this year, may the Holy Spirit daily bring us into a fuller revelation of Christ, and a fuller awareness / experience of His great power. Amen.
Hilltop Thoughts, Valley Strengths 