And We Will Pursue the Knowledge of the Lord

And We Will Pursue the Knowledge of the Lord

A longing soul is never finished in his pursuit of knowing the Lord. The glory of the Lord is such that, when we have tasted that it is good, we want to have more. Therefore Peter says, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” How do we grow in the knowledge of Him? We must first be in intimate communion with Him.

1) “Stay close to God and He will stay close to you.” Jas. 4:8.

Many people believe that staying close to God means that they shall continually go to Him. It is a constant movement toward God, but people draw back and then they draw near to Him again. This understanding is the result of bad experiences. One day a person presses in to God’s presence. He goes through the thick wall that hinders his prayer, and then everything is open. Now he has come near to God. And yet it is often evident that when he is among people, this intimate nearness of God vanishes, and when he goes back to praying, he encounters this closed door anew, this wall that is a hindrance to prayer. Then he begins once more to move closer to God. This is what they call staying near Him—but that is not what it is. It is pressing into Him. But once a person has pressed into Him in this wonderful nearness, we are told to stay close to God. That is where the soul shall remain. He shall remain there so that he avoids having to press through this wall again that is in front of him when he begins to pray. But what is it that hinders God’s children from abiding in this inner, glorious state? The answer is: unfaithfulness! When a soul presents himself before God’s face, he must make his abode there, and he must not forsake His face when he gets together with people. Notice that when you depart from this intimate connection with God and you meet a brother or sister who speaks about superficial things, engaging in lighthearted conversation, and you go along with it, you lose this intimate connection; and when you are alone, the wall is there again, and you must once more press into God. Live in such a way among people that you never lose this inner state. Deny everything that wants to tear you away: lighthearted talk, empty jesting, and much more—everything else that leads you away from God’s face. This is self-denial! In this way you will have many battles and conflicts, but if you love God’s presence and His pleasure over you—that which is your joy—you must walk in this way. Then you need not always meet this wall when you go to God in prayer. Only your unfaithfulness creates this wall. Stay close to God, and He will stay close to you. Behold, this is an exceedingly great promise. Think of the significance of God Himself staying close to us! However, you will not taste of this intimate fellowship if you always go back and forth. But if you stay there, and if you are willing to accept the costs that go with it, then you can advance in His presence. Only then can you seriously begin to pursue the knowledge of the Lord.

2) The one who presses in takes it by force.

When you have thus confirmed your position before God’s face after you have pressed in, you stand in the presence of all the glory that is in God’s kingdom. From this position you press in further and take the content of the kingdom of God by force. For when God stays close to you, you are receiving power to take it by force. Paul says: Just as we received Christ as Lord, so we shall walk in Him. And what do we find in Him? Well, in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Can we gain it? Yes, when we walk in Him, we pursue the knowledge of everything that is in Him. Paul prays for the Colossians that they might attain to all riches of fully assured insight. However, it wasn’t sufficient for them to have seen the glorious treasures—that they gained insight into them—but they should also advance so far that they could possess all these treasures; they were to attain to all the riches. This is indeed a race. It is a race for treasures for whose sake Paul counted all things but loss—that he might gain Christ—in other words, all the riches that are in Him. For the sake of these treasures it is worthwhile to forget everything that is behind us and run toward the goal because you are apprehended by all the things you see on your sojourn in the person of Christ Jesus. We receive an understanding of Christ’s greatness and His treasures when we know that all the believers who want to press in have room to walk in Him, and all of them have opportunity to take these treasures by force, and all of them will be fully satisfied, even to overflowing. No one needs to push someone out of the way, as they do in the world. What a tremendous person Christ is!

This is how it goes when God stays close to us. However, the condition is that we stay close to Him. Flee the corruption that is in the world through lust, and in His nearness you will be the possessor of the most precious promises, by which you will partake of the entire divine nature you will meet on your walk in Christ Jesus.

If you so desire, you will find your way. The Holy Spirit will lead you and enlighten your eyes to all truth, to all the treasures. There are many truths which you have still not seen. They are hidden in Christ. You have not yet seen them, but do not relent in pursuing them. The Spirit will strengthen you in pursuing them. They are waiting for you to move into them and dwell in them. How many truths are lying waste, waiting for inhabitants! Be along in inhabiting them. A people that dwell in the truth and walk in the truth are a people who walk in Christ. Doesn’t your heart rejoice when a new light, a new truth is revealed to you? Will you then not encounter a constant flow of light, truth, and glory by constantly walking in Him? Yes, you will meet the exceeding riches of His grace in goodness toward you. Eph. 2:7. God’s goodness is over you if you continue in His goodness. Rom. 11:22. His going forth is as certain as the dawn. Hos. 6:3.