The only way for us to walk in joy and faith is to become intimately acquainted with God.
Remember, Paul didn't say in 2 Timothy 1:12, "I know what I have believed." He said, "I know whom I have believed."
The entire New Testament is all about developing a close communion with God. That's why Jesus died on the cross - to give us a way back to the Father. If we don't have that kind of intimate fellowship with God, we cannot serve Him with our whole heart.
I once heard someone say to another believer, "I know the Word of God."
The other person responded, "Yes, but do you know the God of the Word?"
I thought that was such a good answer. God doesn't want us to just know His principles or His steps to victorious living. Thank God for those principles and those steps!
They are great teaching tools. But if we don't cultivate a close fellowship with God, His principles won't do us a bit of good.
That's why so many people are preaching faith and then falling by the wayside. You may know some of those people. They may have started out with you pursuing the things of God years ago. But now you look around and say, "Where are those people today?"
They knew how to teach the principles, but they didn't maintain a close fellowship with God.
I don't want to fall by the wayside. My faith is not just in the Bible; my faith is in the person who wrote the Bible. I don't just love the Book because it's a book. I love that Book because I love Him!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”
