Get To Know God
There was a time in my life when I struggled with all
types of fears and insecurities, constantly worried about
the future, my job, my ministry, and my family.
Needless to say, I wasn’t really enjoying my life!
However, over time, the Lord helped me to change…
and He helped me understand an important key to truly
enjoying life. It all begins with what the apostle Paul
says in Philippians 3:10…something I believe we
should all pray regularly…
“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know
Him [that I may progressively become more
deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…
understanding the wonders of His person more
strongly and more clearly]…” (AMP).
You see, when we get to know God— really know Him
—it fills us with hope and confidence because we
realize He’s greater than any situation we will ever
encounter. Understanding God’s character and
incredible love for us allows us to relax and trust Him
in ever area of our lives.
Knowing God’s Names
I’ve found that we can learn so much about the Lord
by examining His many names found in the Bible.
Each one reveals a unique aspect of His character
along with a very specific promise for our lives.
The Bible says He is Jehovah Jireh , which means
“Your Provider.” He’s Jehovah Rapha, “Your
Healer,” and Jehovah Shalom , “Your Peace.”
The Lord is also referred to as Jehovah Nissi , “The
Lord Our Banner.” This means He is our “victory”:
we can expect God to help us win our battles over sin,
addictive habits, pain from the past, and anything else
that stands in the way of His great plan for our lives.
Knowing God’s Strength
Satan wants us to think about all the things we can’t
do. He wants us to compare ourselves to others and
focus on our weaknesses. However, when the Lord
looks at us, He sees our potential! He wants us to
focus on how much we can do; He wants us to lean on
His strength and ability to do the great things He has
planned for us.
The story of Gideon in the Book of Judges is the
perfect example…
At this point in history, the Israelites were being
oppressed by the Midianites, who were destroying their
land and stealing their cattle. The Israelites had lost
their freedom and were crying out to God for protection
against their enemies.
One day, as Gideon was working in his father’s
winepress and trying to hide from the enemy, the Lord
appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, you
mighty man of [fearless] courage...Go in this your
might and you shall save Israel from the hand of
Midian. Have I not sent you?
“Gideon said to Him, Oh Lord, how can I deliver
Israel? Behold, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh,
and I am the least in my father’s house.
“The Lord said to him, Surely I will be with you,
and you shall smite the Midianites…” (Judges
6:12,14-16 AMP).
In Gideon’s mind, he was the last person qualified to
lead Israel’s army to a victory. However, after more
encouragement from the Lord, Gideon finally agreed.
As Israel’s army of 32,000 men were preparing to go
into battle, the Lord had Gideon send all but 300 of
them home. God wanted them to totally depend on
Him .
The Lord was about to teach Gideon (and us) an
amazing lesson: No matter what we have or don’t
have, God can make up the difference when we place
our trust in Him.
That day, Gideon and his 300 soldiers overcame the
entire Midianite army—a force of more than 135,000
men!
Knowing God’s Faithfulness
I think most of us in some way can relate to Gideon.
I remember back in the 1980s when I was still holding
small conferences in my hometown of St. Louis,
Missouri. Each week, we relied on a certain number of
attendees to help cover the costs of the building and
other expenses.
Well, one particular week, we had a snowstorm and
attendance was down. Even while I was teaching, I
was worrying about the bills, wondering how it would
all work out. Then the Lord spoke to my heart and
said, “Joyce, it doesn’t matter how many people are
here. Whether attendance is high or low, I can save
you either way. ”
That day someone gave an unusually large donation,
more than covering what we lacked due to low
attendance. Like Gideon, I learned the lesson that God
can save us whether we have “many” or “a few.”
Maybe you’re like Gideon. Maybe the Lord is asking
you to step out in an area that seems impossible, or
you’re facing an issue that seems way too big to
handle.
Whatever it may be, I want you to know that you’re
in a great place for a miracle. The God of all the
universe—Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord Our Banner”—
is on your side, and He never loses a battle!
I encourage you to get to know God more and more.
Read and study His Word. Talk to the Lord like He’s
your best friend and ask Him to reveal His love and
character to you in a greater way.
Because when you get to know Him— really know Him
—it releases new hope and confidence in the One who
can change every single area of your life.
types of fears and insecurities, constantly worried about
the future, my job, my ministry, and my family.
However, over time, the Lord helped me to change…
and He helped me understand an important key to truly
enjoying life. It all begins with what the apostle Paul
says in Philippians 3:10…something I believe we
should all pray regularly…
“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know
Him [that I may progressively become more
deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…
understanding the wonders of His person more
strongly and more clearly]…” (AMP).
You see, when we get to know God— really know Him
—it fills us with hope and confidence because we
realize He’s greater than any situation we will ever
encounter. Understanding God’s character and
incredible love for us allows us to relax and trust Him
in ever area of our lives.
Knowing God’s Names
I’ve found that we can learn so much about the Lord
by examining His many names found in the Bible.
Each one reveals a unique aspect of His character
along with a very specific promise for our lives.
The Bible says He is Jehovah Jireh , which means
“Your Provider.” He’s Jehovah Rapha, “Your
Healer,” and Jehovah Shalom , “Your Peace.”
The Lord is also referred to as Jehovah Nissi , “The
Lord Our Banner.” This means He is our “victory”:
we can expect God to help us win our battles over sin,
addictive habits, pain from the past, and anything else
that stands in the way of His great plan for our lives.
Knowing God’s Strength
Satan wants us to think about all the things we can’t
do. He wants us to compare ourselves to others and
focus on our weaknesses. However, when the Lord
looks at us, He sees our potential! He wants us to
focus on how much we can do; He wants us to lean on
His strength and ability to do the great things He has
planned for us.
The story of Gideon in the Book of Judges is the
perfect example…
At this point in history, the Israelites were being
oppressed by the Midianites, who were destroying their
land and stealing their cattle. The Israelites had lost
their freedom and were crying out to God for protection
against their enemies.
One day, as Gideon was working in his father’s
winepress and trying to hide from the enemy, the Lord
appeared to him and said, “The Lord is with you, you
mighty man of [fearless] courage...Go in this your
might and you shall save Israel from the hand of
Midian. Have I not sent you?
“Gideon said to Him, Oh Lord, how can I deliver
Israel? Behold, my clan is the poorest in Manasseh,
and I am the least in my father’s house.
“The Lord said to him, Surely I will be with you,
and you shall smite the Midianites…” (Judges
6:12,14-16 AMP).
In Gideon’s mind, he was the last person qualified to
lead Israel’s army to a victory. However, after more
encouragement from the Lord, Gideon finally agreed.
As Israel’s army of 32,000 men were preparing to go
into battle, the Lord had Gideon send all but 300 of
them home. God wanted them to totally depend on
Him .
The Lord was about to teach Gideon (and us) an
amazing lesson: No matter what we have or don’t
have, God can make up the difference when we place
our trust in Him.
That day, Gideon and his 300 soldiers overcame the
entire Midianite army—a force of more than 135,000
men!
Knowing God’s Faithfulness
I think most of us in some way can relate to Gideon.
I remember back in the 1980s when I was still holding
small conferences in my hometown of St. Louis,
Missouri. Each week, we relied on a certain number of
attendees to help cover the costs of the building and
other expenses.
Well, one particular week, we had a snowstorm and
attendance was down. Even while I was teaching, I
was worrying about the bills, wondering how it would
all work out. Then the Lord spoke to my heart and
said, “Joyce, it doesn’t matter how many people are
here. Whether attendance is high or low, I can save
you either way. ”
That day someone gave an unusually large donation,
more than covering what we lacked due to low
attendance. Like Gideon, I learned the lesson that God
can save us whether we have “many” or “a few.”
Maybe you’re like Gideon. Maybe the Lord is asking
you to step out in an area that seems impossible, or
you’re facing an issue that seems way too big to
handle.
Whatever it may be, I want you to know that you’re
in a great place for a miracle. The God of all the
universe—Jehovah Nissi, “The Lord Our Banner”—
is on your side, and He never loses a battle!
I encourage you to get to know God more and more.
Read and study His Word. Talk to the Lord like He’s
your best friend and ask Him to reveal His love and
character to you in a greater way.
Because when you get to know Him— really know Him
—it releases new hope and confidence in the One who
can change every single area of your life.
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