How to Know God Personally: Use These Steps
Christians want to learn how to know God personally. After all, He’s God and we’re not. Before humans embark on a relationship with God, they need to see Him as relational and approachable. What does it mean to know God personally?
Enter Jesus.
He took on human form and endured circumstances akin to rotten tomatoes and other things that stink. A holy God understands it’s not exactly fun down here as a Christian, yet He doesn’t change to accommodate our suffering. He’s consistently the same. His constancy is what I depend on to move successfully around life’s curves.
Christians who desire to grow spiritually are naturally hungry and thirsty to read scripture and spend time with God. Does your local church provide adequate spiritual nourishment?
You need a church where like-minded individuals fellowship and grow in faith. However, not everyone is at the same level of spiritual growth. Sometimes it’s hard to meet the needs of everyone so some people falter while others flourish.
To counteract those differences, you can watch online Bible studies or purchase books like my Psalm 23 Bible Study or the Book of Ephesians Bible Study. You could attend a weekly Bible study at a different church. Study at home using a Bible translation you understand and other resources such as a concordance and Christian books. Rather than invest in Bibles you may not use, online sites like Bible Gateway have multiple translations to help you meditate on scripture.
If you feel something’s amiss in your Christian journey, keep seeking God to find out what that might be. The following suggestions will help you learn how to know God personally.
How To Know God Personally: Do These Things
Attend Christian Seminars – Aside from worshipping and learning about God at seminars, the Holy Spirit moves among people. For example, someone spoke these words to me at a seminar, “You will no longer be called wounded, but laughter.” When you hear a word of knowledge prophecy like that, if it’s from God you know right away because He prepares your heart in advance. In this instance, I didn’t expect that specific message but its truth registered with me instantly.
Listen to Sermons – The Holy Spirit alerts me who to listen to. I don’t turn off my brain or my spirit because someone has a worldwide ministry. God knows their hearts and He doesn’t want me to hear half-truths. Plus, because I stay teachable at any moment I can learn something new about God. That means there’s a lifetime of learning ahead of me because what we know (added together) about God doesn’t register on a nanoscale. He’s infinite.
Trust Him More – It’s hard being intimate with someone you don’t trust. Growth reaches an impasse. If I draw close to Him, He will do the same. So, I spend time in His presence whether it’s praying, reading or speaking scripture. I think about how awesome He is.
Three More Way To Know God Personally
Meditate on His Promises – Distractions are everywhere – smartphones, billboards, people, and disturbing language can overtake us. The Bible contains promises to counteract what goes on around us. Plus, God moves by faith. The only way I get more faith is to hear more of His Word, whether spoken or read.
See God as Your Greatest Treasure—Gold
Job 22:23–26 – If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you. Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
Job who spoke that scripture lost everything, except God, in a short time. If God becomes gold in my heart, He reveals more of Himself to me. I want Him to become my delight, my every pleasure. My goal is to love the Giver more than stuff by enjoying Him as a person. Even if I fail, I’ll never stop trying.
Love Others – God is all about loving people. When I love Him more than anything else, love overflows and has to go somewhere. God prefers that love spills over to others. The two commandments God gave back to back – Love God, love others – are how to know God personally. Being intimate with God helps you learn more about Him.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Any relationship takes consistent effort. Use these helpful tips to make instant changes.
- Seek God as soon as you wake up. So much in life competes to take the Lord’s place: TV programs, activities, and friends. Unless He’s at the top of your list, He falls to the bottom. Draw near to Him, your first love.
- As you seek Him early, set aside time to pray with Him, read the Bible, and meditate on His Word. Keep a spiritual journal to reveal thinking patterns that keep you from getting to know Him.
- Keep these scriptures in your heart as well as other favorite verses. Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
- Never listen to negative chatter in your head. You have an enemy that weakens your relationship with God. He’s the first one to convince you that faith is slipping when it’s not. I can’t say this enough. The more scripture you put inside of You, the closer you are to Jesus. He is the Word of life. Put anything else inside you in abundance (besides Jesus) and your soul (mind, will, emotions) experiences spiritual death. Dominant thoughts and emotions lead you. You decide what those thoughts are.
- Listen to worship music frequently to uplift your spirit and feel His presence and protection. Praise music helps you enter the Holy of Holies and commune with God (Jesus died to give you free access to the throne room).
- Obey Him quickly when He tells you to do something. Sometimes God doesn’t seem near because He’s waiting for you to do the last thing He said. It could be something as simple as giving away a coat, taking food to a neighbor, or fasting. You already know what it is. I’d guess something came to your mind, right now. Right? Don’t be like Jonah and run from God.
Getting to Know God Intimately
The more of God you want, the more satisfied you become.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;with singing lips my mouth will praise you.On my bed I remember you;I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:5-8
Remember, God wants to commune with you even more than you with Him. Don’t miss those precious opportunities worth more than gold. He will become more real to you than your closest earthly friend.