HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
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The Power of Knowing God
Copyright 2020 by Tony Evans
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97408
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-6954-3 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-6955-0 (eBook)
Names: Evans, Tony, author.
Title: The Power of Knowing God / Tony Evans.
Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2020. | Summary: Tony Evans believes knowing God fully should be everyones life pursuit. He has developed a strategy for living victoriously as a child of God and he wants to equip you with the right tools for achieving an authentic relationship with the Savior Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019060273 (print) | LCCN 2019060274 (ebook) | ISBN 9780736969543 (paperback) | ISBN 9780736969550 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: God (Christianity)Worship and love. | God (Christianity)Knowableness.
Classification: LCC BV4817 .E925 2020 (print) | LCC BV4817 (ebook) | DDC 231/.042dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019060273
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019060274
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Contents
I want to thank my friends at Harvest House Publishers for their long-standing partnership in bringing my thoughts, study, and words to print. I particularly want to thank Bob Hawkins for his friendship over the years, as well as his pursuit of excellence in leading his company. I also want to publicly thank Terry Glaspey, Betty Fletcher, and Amber Holcomb for their help in the editorial process. In addition, my appreciation goes out to Heather Hair for her skills and insights in collaboration on this manuscript.
A number of years ago, I was invited to do something I had never done before: skeet shooting. The goal of skeet shooting is to take a shotgun and try to hit little clay disks that get flung out of a machine into the air.
Im from the concrete jungle of Baltimore, and I later moved to another metropolitan area called Dallas. Before being invited to go skeet shooting, Id never gone hunting or target shooting before. But the concept was intriguing, and in all honesty the sport didnt look that difficult as I watched the man who had invited me knock disk after disk out of the sky.
Being the man that I am, I quickly walked over to the gun, picked it up, and aimed. I didnt need any lessons. That disk was mine, and it was coming down. Placing the gun against my shoulder, I proceeded to consistently miss my target.
Time after time I shot into the air like a starter announcing the beginning of a race. Regardless of how I aimed or where I looked, my efforts were in vain. I was in the right place and I was holding the right tools, but I wasnt making the connection. I failed to achieve my goal.
After enough rounds of wasted shot, my friend approached and asked if he could be of any assistance. I swallowed my pride for a moment and nodded my head. He then explained that when the disks are shot out of the machine, they move at a rapid pace. Because of this speed, the way to hit them is to get out in front of them. He instructed me never to aim at the disk itself, but to always aim a foot or two in front of it. That way, when the pellet reaches its destination, it will be in the same position as the clay disk.
Taking just a bit of advice from someone who knew what they were talking about enabled me to shoot my first disk clear out of the sky. And then my next one, and my next, and my next.
WHEN SOMETHING IS MISSING
Friend, if you go to church, read your Bible, and participate in Bible study groups, you have the right tools for living the victorious Christian life. But even when you have the right tools or position yourself in the right place, there still seems to be something missing.
Far too many believers today are living off target. Its not for a lack of effort. Neither is it for a lack of concentration. And its certainly not because they are insincere. Its something deeper than all of that.
For example, when I attempted to hit the disks in the sky that brisk morning, I tried very hard. I focused very hard. But I still came up empty because I just didnt know the strategy for success. Once I discovered that strategy, I shot disk after disk out of the clear blue sky.
Similarly, there exists a strategy in the Christian life that few people ever realize. Despite their best attempts at living the abundant life Christ died to secure for them, they fall short. And even though the strategy requires very little external adjustment on their part, when that adjustment is made, it makes all the difference in the world.
What is this strategy to living out the fullness of your victory as a child of the King? It involves how well you know God.
Knowing God ought to be your lifes greatest pursuit.
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW GOD?
There are a variety of ways that people get to know God. Some people dont know Him at all because they are unconverted and unsaved. But then there are those who know Him casually. He is an acquaintance to them. Yes, they believe in Him and check in with Him from time to time. Theyll like a Scripture here or there or comment on Him at church or in social circles, but they really dont know Him that well at all.
Other people know God informationally. They talk about Him fairly regularly and expound on their knowledge of Him. They may read a number of books on Him or hear a lot of sermons about Him. They could give you an in-depth description of His stories, history, and qualities. They are relatively sound on who God is. They may even have a working knowledge of Bible doctrine.
