What does it mean to really know God? Can you know Him like a friend or do you know Him like a celebrity only? One is to know Him intimately and have a real relationship with Him while the other is to know Him from a distance and know of the things He has done in other people’s lives. For instance, Moses knew of God’s ways while the children of Israel knew of His works only. A theologian can know the Bible better than you but you can know God better than the theologian. So how do you get to know God on a more personal, intimate level? Surrender.

When most people are first saved and come to Christ, most accept Christ as their Lord and Savior but few ever hear about the Holy Spirit, at least that’s how it was for me. I never knew of God being someone I could commune with and do life with via the Holy Spirit. God Himself introduced Himself to me and that is really upsetting that He had to introduce Himself rather than the church where I was baptized with water. I used to think only pastors had that access to talk to God. I felt like only people who read the Bible every day and prayed for hours on end had that access to God. Come to find out, that is a lie and God is constantly looking for a relationship with His long, lost children, which is all of us.

Jesus didn’t come for the religious leaders. He came for the lost, the hopeless, the sinful, and the outcasts. His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection after 3 days made it possible for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on all men so that you and I could personally know Jesus.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons  and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28

If Jesus didn’t become the Ultimate Sacrifice, there wouldn’t be an atonement for all the sins of the world. If He didn’t die and wasn’t resurrected and then ascended to heaven, the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have the opportunity to be poured out on those who choose to seek a relationship with God. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross gave us access to the Father through the Holy Spirit.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7

If you truly follow Christ and His ways, you must have the Holy Spirit to help you through your struggles and trials. You must crucify your flesh and follow Christ.

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:24-26

I have struggled with addiction ALL of my adult life. From 18 to 33, I have struggled with various substances in one way or another. Even in my walk with Christ, the enemy or myself (not sure which, probably both) has deceived me into taking certain substances that I have had a struggle getting off of. Only the Holy Spirit has been able to help me stay sober for an extended period of time. Before that, the only time I didn’t get high before I knew God was when I didn’t have the money to get high. God has been the only answer in my struggle with addiction, despite the enemy hindering me on my walk with Christ. All in all, I’m not sure if I still have a spirit of addiction or if it’s just the flesh that still causes these cravings, but what I do know for sure that Christ has been with me the whole time and is the only reason why I am sober right now. If it wasn’t for ever knowing Him, I personally feel that I wouldn’t have a reason to ever get sober. My “need” to be numb is something I know was generational at least down to 3 generations on both my mom’s side and my dad’s side. It is something that has progressively gotten worse with each generation. Because of Christ, I now have the power to break this generational curse.

My point is, a lot of people know of Christ but I truly know Christ for myself via being filled with the Holy Spirit and I need Him daily to stay away from my cravings and desires. Without Him, I would be dead or living under a bridge. He helped me break the stronghold heroin and meth had over me years ago when I first met Him. He rescued me from hell and the grave. It wasn’t the Bible and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that saved me, but Christ Himself. I truly believe everyone needs to know Christ on a personal level along with reading the Bible. I have known Christ for 3 years and have yet to read the whole Bible because no one stressed how important it was for me to read it. In the beginning, Christ would always speak to my heart and point me to a Bible verse when I was struggling, but now it is time to mature in Christ and read the whole Bible for myself so that I will be filled with His Word and stop being deceived by the power and influence of the enemy.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17

So for all of those who are struggling right now with various things and situations, turn towards Christ and He will help you overcome anything that is standing in your way of becoming the person whom Christ made you to be. God will not leave you nor forsake you. The plans He has for you are so much better than anything you could ever imagine. Don’t give up. Turn towards Jesus when your strength is running low and in every situation you face that is bigger than you.