Every scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. (2 Timothy 3:16 TPT)

To grow in discernment:

Among the core beliefs of Christianity is that the word of God carries the authority to instruct us in our walk with God. While God has blessed us with ministry gifts in the form of pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles to build up the church (Ephesians 4:11), God has made it possible for us to know him instinctively by the Holy Spirit. Jeremiah, while talking about the new covenant In Jeremiah 3:36 prophesies that “No more shall any man teach his neighbor and every man saying ‘know the Lord’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord.” Today, the Holy Spirit who dwells in us provides an inner witness when a prophecy or a teaching is made according to scripture.

Discernment is important because while many genuine ministers are a blessing to the body of Christ, the word of God says that in the last days, we shall see the rise of many false teachers (1 John 4:1). Also, genuine ministers can make mistakes as none of us is perfect and we are all in need of God’s grace. Moreover, it is not uncommon to find people who use scripture out of context to satisfy selfish ambition. The word of God encourages us to examine every teaching or prophecy to ensure that it aligns with the written word and the heart of God.

To understand God’s love for us: 

…Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences- the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond our measurement that transcends our understanding- this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18-19 TPT)

Scripture is God’s love letter to us. It tells a story of how humanity rebelled against God and how God sought after us. It also tells us how God gave up his glory in exchange for a human body so that he could win us over to him. In the Bible, we see a God who is able to empathize with our human weaknesses because he has been in flesh form before, who knows us in and out yet loves us unconditionally. We see a God who sees the best in us and wishes the best for us.

Now while God is love, He is also a God of justice. We see this in how he punishes sin at the cross. Today we can enjoy his love freely because he paid the price for us to gain access to his presence. We are also able to trust God for anything because the word says that if he gave us his greatest treasure which is his son, then he can give us other things freely(Romans 8:32). When we meditate on the loving nature of God and understand His love for us, we stop looking for validation in all the wrong places. Instead, we find ourselves worshipping him in awe.

To know God:

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ( John 1:14  NKJV)

When we interact with scripture, we are interacting with Jesus. We need the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us every time we read the bible as all things in the word point to the Son. In the Old Testament, Jesus was in the shadows. In the New Testament, however, we see Him in His full manifestation. For instance, in the Old Testament, the Israelites offered a lamb that was without blemish to God through the priest to atone for their sins. The lamb was a picture of the Messiah who was to come. In the New Testament, we see Jesus who was without sin offering himself up to the Father as a once and for all sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

The primary way of knowing God and understanding His heart is by studying his word. Attempting to understand the nature of God through extra bible means such as looking at our circumstances or looking at the lives of other believers or Christian leaders, or even depending on spiritual encounters is dangerous and can lead us astray. Now, the Holy Spirit does give encounters, and they are wonderful. However, the devil can also pretend to be an angel of light. All divine visitations from the Holy Spirit will always confirm and lead us back to scripture.

This year, as we seek to know God, let us dive deeper into the word of God. It is only in knowing God that we know ourselves because we are created in his image and likeness. It is also in knowing the Word that we understand our purpose and find true fulfillment.