Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry Blackaby

Introduction

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, written by Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby with Claude King, contains practical examples of how people have walked with God. This classic Christian literature has touched the hearts and minds of millions of readers worldwide since its publication. The book explores the fundamental question that resonates with believers from all works of life: How can we intimately know and do the will of God? With each chapter of the book unraveling an essential aspect of experiencing God, the authors present a compelling argument that God is not simply an abstract concept but a personal and active God who desires an authentic relationship with His creation.

In this book note, you will find words of wisdom from the book, references to scripture that you can incorporate into your bible study, and practical questions that will ignite your mind to apply what you have learned from the study. So we highly recommend you read the book if you haven’t already. Even those who have read the book will attest that as helpful as this post will be, it is nothing compared to reading the actual book. Still, with the book in perspective, this post will serve as a motivation to help you get started reading the book for first-timers or as an excellent refresher for returners who want to reread the book from time to time.

Words of Wisdom from Experiencing God

Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.

Sandra Carey

1. Intellectual understanding of the existence of God is great. Still, nothing beats living in the reality of the truth of God’s existence. There is a special knowledge you get when God reveals Himself to you through bible study and prayer.
2. Do not gauge the greatness of your service to God using worldly standards.
3. God is always at work within and around you. Stop trying to come up with fancy ways to please God. Instead, find rest in Him. Also, trust Him to reveal to you how He wants to partner with you to fulfill His will here on earth.
4. Many believers forget that the Holy Spirit Himself is the gift. He can give to you as He wills, but He remains the promise. Any other blessing is a bonus and should not be mistaken as the promised gift.
5. When you obey God, you show Him and those around you that you truly love, honor, and respect Him. Your verbal declaration of your love for God does not move Him. Your obedience to Him, His ways, and His will for your life is your testament to your love for Him.
6. What you do in God’s name is as important as how and when you do it. This is why living a God-centered life requires shifting your focus from your purpose to God’s.
7. The focus should be on the fact that God speaks, not on how He speaks.
8. You don’t need to find all the ways to identify a fake. The more accustomed you are to the original, the easier it will be to identify any fake replica.
9. Don’t tag achieving all your goals as walking in the will of God. It’s okay to plan, but make sure you leave room for the will of God to be done regardless. It is possible to be a worldly success but be a failure in God’s eyes.
10. Many believe an encounter with God has to be some supernatural experience. That is not always the case. An encounter with God can be as simple as understanding the spiritual meaning and application of a scriptural passage.
11. Prayer is for you, not for God. When you pray, you are adjusting and aligning your perspective with the will of God. Prayer does not move God; it moves you.
12. The presence of success is not an indication of faith; neither should failure be seen as a lack of faith.
13. When it comes to the will of God, most people do not follow through with it because they allow doubt and fear of the unknown future to cloud their judgment. This is why it is always essential to feed and water the things that grow your faith in God and your trust in Him that He will do all He says He will do in your life.
14. When you think the cost to obey and follow the will of God is too great to bear, think about what you stand to lose as a result of not walking in the will of God for your life. Obedience is indeed costly, but it is always worth it. You must make major adjustments and costly obedience to encounter God’s presence and power at certain stages in your spiritual walk with God.

References to Scripture from Experiencing God

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

Philippians 3:10

1. Every Christian’s utmost desire should be to know God deeply (John 17:3).
2. The person of the Holy Spirit is the teacher you need to guide you on your walk with God. He knows the will of the Father for your life, and He will reveal them to you in due time (John 14:16,26).
3. God is always in the business of using anybody that will yield themselves to the leading of His Spirit, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him by revealing Himself to them as they relate with Him (Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 26-31).
4. Your topmost priority should be your relationship with God because He is the only one who can satisfy the profound longing within your soul, which is often misdirected toward material possessions, worldly pursuits, and human connections (Psalm 37:4; Matthew 6:33).
5. If you fail to realize that God created you for eternity, you will waste your short time on earth investing in earthly pursuits that hold no eternal significance (Matthew 6:19-21).
6. When you have a God-centered orientation, even your desire to do things that please God results from His stirring in your heart (Philippians 2:13).
7. God will always speak to you about His purpose for your life. The truth about God and His will for your life is not something you discover but a reality that God reveals to you through His Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-12).
8. Foolishness is using worldly standards and methodologies to impress God. God does not need earthly expertise to accomplish His purposes. He is the all-sufficient God, the creator of the universe (Psalm 55:8-9).
9. God is able to give you more than what you ask of Him. Trust His will for your life (Ephesians 3:20-21).
10. Your actions are the truest indication of what you believe about God. Always back up your faith with workable actions (James 2:26).
11. While cultivating a loving relationship with God, you will go through seasons where God requires your patience. Those moments of waiting will develop within you a heart of total surrender and complete dependence on God (Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 37:34).
12. God entrusts more to those who have proven to be faithful stewards (Luke 16:10).
13. Despite the glorious opportunity you get to enjoy while experiencing close fellowship with God, there will be tendencies to depart from that relationship and allow worldly distractions to draw your attention away from God. To prevent this, diligently protect your heart, surround yourself with godly companions who can provide accountability, passionately strive to love God with your entire being, and consistently obey His promptings without delay (Proverbs 4:23, 11:14; Matthew 22:37, 7:24).
14. The author’s prayer for every reader is this, “that you would come to know God more intimately as you experience Him at work in and through your life” (Ephesians 3:16-21).

Questions from Experiencing God

“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.”

Eugene Lonesco

• Experiencing God encourages believers to join God in His work. How do you know when a task is self-centered rather than God-centered, even when the goal is to please God?
• In chapter 6 of the book, the author expressed that spiritual gift is a by-product of participating in God’s ministry that involves utilizing the gift. What do you think is the relationship between a God-given assignment and a spiritual gift?
• In chapter 7 of the book, the author emphasized that God wants to pursue a continuing love relationship with His people. Why then are people so bent on becoming better servants of God rather than continually enjoying being loved by God as His children?
• In the book, the author asks, “How do we lose intimacy with God?” Do you think it is possible to experience intimacy with God? Can you describe your experience with God when you felt most intimate with Him? Have you ever felt like you lost intimacy with God? What practical steps have you been taking to seek restoration with God? How do you keep your faith in God alive and active? What role does the Holy Spirit play in your relationship with God?
• In the book, the author asks, “What does it mean to be one flesh?” Scripture reveals to us that God designed marriage to be a union where the man leaves his family and becomes one flesh with his wife (Genesis 2:24). Do you believe that God has a purpose for marriage? Are your beliefs about marriage in agreement with what the bible says about marriage? Do you listen to the Holy Spirit to guide you as you think and read about what scripture says about marriage and singleness? Do you believe that God has a purpose for you in your season of singleness if you are not currently married? What truth has been revealed to you by the Spirit of God to share with others on the subject of marriage, singleness, divorce, dealing with death and grief, and forgiveness?

Conclusion

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God is a timeless spiritual guide that continues to impact the lives of countless readers. With its profound insights, practical wisdom, and emphasis on developing a vibrant relationship with God, this book serves as a catalyst for personal and spiritual growth. Henry and Richard Blackaby, along with Claude King, have crafted a masterpiece that challenges, inspires, and equips believers to seek God’s will and participate in His redemptive work in the world. So beloved reader, if you don’t have a copy of this book, I highly recommend you buy the book. For those who already have a copy of the book, reread it often and consider gifting others a copy.

Closing Prayers

• Salvation Prayer (say this prayer of confession if you desire to dedicate your life to God and trust Him to be Lord over your life): Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I am sorry for living my life following the will of my flesh and my sinful nature. Therefore, I renounce my covenant and longing for a glorified sinful lifestyle. I proclaim that all my heart desires are the things of God. My Lord and my God, I want to do your will. Forgive me for every time I have tried to initiate or impose my will as your will for my life. Come into my life afresh and make me whole again. I believe you, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, died on the cross, bore my sins, and rose again that I might become the righteousness of God. I accept this invitation to become a child of God. Precious Holy Spirit, come into my life and guide me in all truth. Teach me the ways of the Father as I study scripture. My good God and Heavenly Father, show me where you are already at work in my life and give me a willing and obedient heart to join you in fulfilling your will at your timing, walking in your way at your command, and abiding in a continual fellowship with you. So help me, God. Amen.
• Study Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude for the opportunity to read and engage with the insights shared in this post. We acknowledge that You are the ultimate source of wisdom and revelation, so we humbly ask for Your continued presence and guidance in the life of our beloved reader. Help our beloved reader to internalize the truths encountered in this post and the wisdom to apply them with discernment. Empower our beloved reader to walk in obedience to Your Word and the promptings of Your Spirit. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.”

2 Corinthians 13:14

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Till next time, Shalom!