Many people think Christianity is only about religion, traditions, or simply knowing about God. But there is a huge difference between knowing God’s name and truly having a personal relationship with Him. For a long time, I thought I already knew God, but deep inside, I had never truly encountered Him personally. Everything changed when God opened my spiritual eyes and allowed me to experience His presence, love, grace, and truth in a real way.
This testimony is about how God transformed my life, restored my relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, and showed me that following Him is not just about religion—it is about intimacy, surrender, and walking with Him personally every single day. Hallelujah🙌🏻
I thought I knew God… but I only knew His name.
I am so thankful to the Lord, and this is one of the reasons why I will honor, praise, and worship Him forever and ever. AMEN! Hallelujah🙌🏻
Ever since I was a child, when I was still in elementary school, I would always pray before going to sleep, and I continued doing that while growing up. But all I really knew was the name of Jesus Christ. Until one day, I attended a Christian church, and later there was a sharing session. Someone asked me about my encounter with God. Honestly, that was one of the things I hated the most—sharing about God or being asked to pray in front of many people—because I did not know what to say, and I had nothing to share. Even after my water baptism, they asked me if I wanted to say something, but I was completely speechless. To be honest, during that time, I truly had no personal experience with God.
But the moment I encountered God, and when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and started having a relationship with Him, everything changed. That was when I finally began to understand. That is why I cry whenever I think about how good God is😭. I can truly say the same words from the song “BROKEN VESSEL” (Amazing Grace):
Amazing grace 🎼
How sweet the sound 🎼
That saved a wretch like me 🎼
I once was lost 🎼
But now I’m found 🎼
Was blind but now I see 🎼
The goodness of the Lord truly cannot be measured! His love, mercy, compassion, faithfulness, and so much more are beyond amazing. Wow 😮, it is really true that I was so spiritually blind before! But because of Jesus Christ, I can now see. I finally saw what the truth really is. That is why I truly want to tell people, especially those who are spiritually blind just like I was before.
Before we came close to Jesus Christ, it was actually God Himself who first came near to us in order to lead us to Jesus Christ. This is what it means to be saved by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. But it is still up to every person whether they will accept Jesus Christ or not, because we have free will.
JOHN 6:43-44 (NLT)
43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said.
44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
JOHN 6:65 (NLT)
Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
When we truly encounter God, we are changed. Just like in the Bible, when people encountered God and He spoke to them in different ways, God also works in our lives in the same way. And we are so blessed because before Jesus Christ came, during the Old Testament times, God only revealed Himself to chosen people like Abraham, Moses, David, and others. But after Jesus Christ came, all of us are now invited to have a relationship with God. So the same God who had a relationship with His chosen people in the Old Testament is the same God who now desires to have a relationship with us through Jesus Christ. Hallelujah🙌🏻
From the beginning, when sin entered through Adam and Eve, the relationship between God and mankind was broken. But because of God’s great love, He sent Jesus Christ so that the intimacy between God and humanity could be restored. That is why this is not about religion, but about our relationship with God being restored.
ISAIAH 59:1-2 (NLT)
1 Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
2 It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:18-19 (NLT)
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:20-21 (NLT)
20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
In order for our relationship with God to be restored, we must accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives as our Lord and Savior. We must fully surrender to God—our will, desires, dreams, and everything else. It means allowing Jesus Christ to take full control over our lives and to be the One who saves us. So when God sees that your heart has truly surrendered to Him, you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. And once the Holy Spirit is within you, that is when your relationship with God truly begins.
JOHN 1:32-34 (NLT)
32 Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. 33 I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.
ACTS 1:5 (NLT)
John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
When the Holy Spirit is already within us, that is when God begins to work in our lives. You will slowly notice your spiritual eyes beginning to open, and you will start hearing from God, while your heart also begins to change. Then every time God reveals something to you, you will truly be amazed.
A relationship with God also has levels. The more you maintain and nurture that relationship, the more it grows and increases. And the more it grows, the more you begin to understand the mysteries of God, His Kingdom, and His glory—from glory to glory and grace to grace. What you once understood only in small ways will become deeper and greater. That intimacy is truly between you and God.
There are so many mysteries of God, and they are truly amazing because they are about eternity. That is why this is one of the most important things in our lives. You can know the secrets of God through your relationship with Him. Just like in any close relationship with your partner or with someone important to you—you know their secrets depending on the level of your relationship. It is the same with our relationship with God. That is why we should seek Him and draw near to Him wholeheartedly.
JEREMIAH 29:13 (NLT)
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
JAMES 4:8 (NLT)
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
We should not waste the opportunity and time we have to build a relationship with God. While you are still alive in this world, do not waste your life without truly knowing Him. Through your relationship with God, you will begin to understand the truth. You will know who God truly is—His character, His Kingdom, and His glory. You will begin to understand your purpose in this world, the situations in your life, and many other things. You will also realize how Satan had blinded you before.
And you know, when I was still spiritually blind, I did not feel comfortable singing to the Lord wholeheartedly. I was even shy to raise my hands in worship to Him. I also never experienced dancing for the Lord from deep within my heart. But after God opened my spiritual eyes, ears, and heart, I found myself crying tears of joy, even during the times He disciplined me. I found myself dancing before God, and my heart began singing to Him sincerely. He is so faithful, and He is so good😭💗 Hallelujah🙌🏻
That is when I truly understood that God deserves to be praised, worshiped, and served forever.
As I look back on my life, I realize that there is truly a huge difference between simply knowing about God and personally knowing Him through a real relationship. Before, I only knew His name, but through Jesus Christ, God opened my spiritual eyes and transformed my heart completely.
Now I understand why God deserves to be praised, worshiped, and loved with all our hearts. Nothing compares to the joy of truly knowing Him and walking with Him daily.
I pray that whoever is reading this will also come to experience the love, presence, and truth of God personally through Jesus Christ—because this is not just religion, this is a relationship with God.
Hallelujah! Glory belongs to God alone forever.
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