That I May Know Him, by Brother Abiodun Oliyide
Text:- Philippians 3: 8-10)
1. Why do we have to know Christ?
i. We have to know Christ because we are in a Generation where information and false knowledge fly around on Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.) where it is very easy to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine
ii. We are in a generation where what believers know about is God is through rumour or hearsay Job.42:5, not by personal revelation/experience
iii. We are in a Generation where people are drawn away from sound doctrine 2Tim.4:3 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine”
As Christians, we can only be effective to the degree at which we know about Christ Jesus, who we are in Christ and who Christ is in God
Paul said, the only thing I want is To Know Christ (Phil.3:10, Easy English version), 1Cor.2:2 “Paul decide only to preach and teach Jesus and Him crucified”, Col. 1:28 “Jesus we Preach …teaching everyman in all wisdom”
To have an effective Christian walk, we have to understand Jesus
2. Some myths about knowing God (what people think knowing god is)
i. Knowing God is not equivalent to having a Christian name or even growing up in Church, many people grow up in church and assumed that they have a relationship with Jesus, but have not believed and confess Jesus and their Lord and saviour. (Rom. 10:9-10, Jn. 3:18)
ii. It is not about association, or joining yourself with believers. Simon the sorcerer Act.8:13-21, but Peter said in Verse 21 that Simon never had a part in the Gospel.
Until a man confess the Lordship of Jesus and Identify with His Death, Burial and resurrection, such a man is yet in his Sin
iii. It is not about joining the workforce, being an elder or even preaching it, it is about being convinced and believing who the scriptures say Christ is and highly esteeming His work of redemption (Jn.6:66, Phil. 1:15).
iv. It is not about the head knowledge of the scriptures or even being able to quote it. Watchman Nee in his book “Spiritual Knowledge” differentiated between the knowledge of the Scriptures and the Power of God. (Matt22:29), E.W Kenyon also differentiated between sense knowledge and revelation knowledge in his book “Two kinds of Knowledge”.
3. What then is Knowing Christ?
The knowledge of who Christ is comes by Revelation (Matt. 16:15-16)
The journey of knowing Christ begins with believing in His redemptive work, believing in his death, burial and his resurrection (1cor. 15:3-5, Rom10:9-10).
From that point begins the Journey of knowing Christ which a believer must decide to make or remain ignorant and carnal (1Cor.3:1-2).
Hence a believer must pray always the Pauline prayers for Revelation Knowledge (Eph.1:16-19, Eph.3:16-19, Col.1:9-11, Eph.6:18)
A believer in Christ has to be diligent in the place of studying the scriptures meditatively and prayer (1Tim 4:13, 1Tim.2:15, 1Tim.4:15, Philemon1:6)
4. Prayers (Eph.1:16-19, Eph.3:16-19)
1. That God will give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him
2. That the eyes of your understanding be enlightened
3. That you may know what the hope of His calling is, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
4. That you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Outline of a sermon, titled,That I May Know Him, by Brother Abiodun Oliyide, delivered on November 20, 2016 on the occasion of Youth Special Service.