THE BENEFITS OF KNOWING GOD
Key Verse: “Submit
to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you.” (Job 22:21)
In Job
22:21-29, which section of scripture is introduced by our key verse, we are
told of the good, the blessing, the benefits which will come to us if we really
know God. Of course, there is a great
difference between knowing God and simply knowing about Him. Millions of people know about Him who do not
really know Him. There is a theoretical
and an experiential knowledge of God, and it is the experiential knowledge of
Him which is so vital.
How do we
know God? The words “return” and
“receive”, in verses 22 and 23, give us the answer.
(1) RETURN
– (verse 23). We have wandered from Him (Isaiah 53:6; Luke 15:13), and by
nature we are “far off”; therefore our first need is to return and be
reconciled to Him, to be “brought near” (Ephesians 2:13; 1 Peter 2:25). There is only one way back to God – look up
Isaiah 55:6-7.
(2) RECEIVE
– (verse 22). Having returned to the
Lord we must then receive Him and trust Him as our personal Saviour (John 14:6;
Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 3:20). Then we
must receive His law and obey His commandments (Joshua 1:8; John 14:15 and
21). Only thus shall we really get to
know Him, not only as our Saviour but as our Friend (John 15:14-15); our Sanctifier
(1 Corinthians 1:30); our Supplier (Philippians 4:19); and our Keeper (Jude 24)
– that is, we shall get to know Him as our all in all (Colossians 3:11).
There are degrees of knowing God. Compare John 14:9 with what Paul said thirty
years later – look up Acts 9:4-6 and Philippians 3:10. The measure in which we know God is
determined by the measure we receive from Him.
The more we receive (hear, obey, “live out”) His Word, the more we shall
know Him. What, then, is the good that
comes by knowing God? What are the
benefits of knowing God?
1. WE
SHALL BE BUILT UP
Verse 23
tells us this. In other words, by
knowing Him we become spiritually strong, virile, robust men and women – look
up Ephesians 6:10. Have you returned to
God by receiving Christ as your own personal Saviour? – then look up
Colossians 2:6-7 and 2 Peter 3:18. There
is no need to be a weak, anaemic Christian.
Be the Daniel 11:32 kind!
2. WE
SHALL DEAL DRASTICALLY WITH SIN
Verse 23
tells us this. Our bodies are the
temples (tabernacles) of God (1 Corinthians 6:19), and when and as we really
know God we shall share His hatred of sin and we shall deal with it – look up 2
Corinthians 7:1. A Christian who has
light views of sin certainly does not know God very intimately. But, “your tent” may refer not only to the
body but to the home and the business.
Have we dealt drastically with all sin and every doubtful thing in these
“tents”? – look up 2 Chronicles 29:16-17, and compare Psalm 51:6.
3. WE
SHALL BE GREATLY ENRICHED
Verses 24 and
25 tell us this. Notice verse 25, “…then
the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you”, so to know Him is to become enriched indeed –
gold and silver in abundance – look up Colossians 2:9, and verse 10! If you are a true believer, you are an heir
of God and a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:16-17). Possess your possession (Obadiah 17), and you
will experience perfect peace (John 14:27); fulness of joy (John 15:11); power
to witness (Acts 1:8); and grace
sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).
4. WE
SHALL DELIGHT IN THE LORD HIMSELF
Verse 26
tells us this. This means that we shall
be weaned away from earthly and temporal things, for which we may be very
grateful but which will always disappoint, and we shall find our true
satisfaction in the Lord Himself, who never changes and who will never
disappoint (Hebrews 13:8). As we get to
know God, our delight increases in His gifts, His service, His house, but most
of all, in Himself! Also, we begin to
find a new desire for the things which give Him pleasure – look up Psalm 37:4.
5. WE
SHALL RECEIVE ANSWERS TO PRAYER
Verse 27
tells us this. Prayer is the great
privilege of every Christian, even the youngest; but the testimony of the whole Bible and of
experience proves that it is the people who really know God intimately who
receive answers to their prayers – look up 1 John 3:22 and 5:14-15.
6. WE
SHALL HAVE A FRUITFUL TESTIMONY
Verses 28 and
29 tell us this. The people who are
effective witnesses for the Lord, by life or by lip, are the people who really
know Him.
(1) Look
at verse 28.
If we really know God and are working according to His gracious will,
none of our work will be lost – look up Mark 14:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:58; and Galatians 6:9.
(2) Look
at verse 29.
What a glorious promise of “results” in our work! – look up Psalm 107:2
and John 3:14-15.
7. WE
SHALL HAVE GOD’S SMILE UPON OUR LIFE
Verse 28
tells us this: “and light will shine on
your ways”. That speaks of His good
pleasure, of His guidance, of His blessing – look up Numbers 6:24-26; Psalm
90:17; Proverbs 4:18 and 10:22. How
wonderful!
Follow us on facebook@ Bismark Agyapong Gospel Network
Follow & Subscribe us on YouTube@ Bismark Agyapong GospelHub
Listen to our Podcast@ Bismark Agyapong
Listen to our radio@ Bismark Agyapong Radio
all copyright belongs to www.wordsoflife.co.uk