Experiencing and Knowing

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];  [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!” Ephesians 3v17-19 (AMPC)

It is possible to go through an experience without really learning from it, and without gaining more insight into who God is. Importantly, when facing obstacles, problems, giants, we need to know who our God is. I think of the 12 men who went to spy out the land of Canaan, and the children of Israel and the different experiences that they had with God – the plagues in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and God keeping them as they came to the edge of Canaan. The reactions of the different parties were disparate when faced with the evil report of 10 of the spies that the promised land was good but there were giants in it: “Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night.  Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained.  “Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the whole community of Israel. Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, He will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey.  Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” Numbers 14v1-10 (NLT). The people were discouraged and not even looking at who God was or what He could do, while Joshua, Caleb, Moses and Aaron stood in awe of God and what He could do. We know that “… but the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God]” (Daniel 11v32, AMP). Indeed, there is a difference between passing through experiences and getting to know God through those experiences. I pray we would truly know God and not rebel against Him, but continue to see trials as opportunities to grow in our faith and dependence on God.

Supplementary Text and prayer

I pray [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! (Ephesians 3v19, AMP)