Have you ever thought you knew something, then suddenly it really just clicked and you understood it so much better that it was almost like you really hadn’t known it at all before?

For example, when we were kids, my brother and I knew we shouldn’t play with fire, but one time he was just too curious and he held some tissue up to a candle that our mom was burning.  Naturally, it burst into flames, and chaos ensued… by the time mom had rushed in, put out the fire and finally stopped yelling (we’ll leave out the specifics of the punishment!), our understanding about not playing with fire was on a whole other level.  You might say we’d gotten the revelation on the subject of fire safety, and our perspective was totally changed.

When it comes to our faith and what we believe about God, there can be a similar distinction.  It’s one thing to know something- as in, to have an accurate recall of what we’ve been taught or what we’ve heard or what we’re supposed to think.  It’s another thing to know it down deep in our heart, so that it impacts our behaviors and responses, and even how we see the world.

A lot of people hear that Jesus is Lord or Jesus is the only way, but there is no revelation… The revelation is what keeps you firm and sound in the faith. (excerpt from Receiving Revelation from the Foundation Stone pt.1, by Dr. Chester C. Pipkin)

Just like my crazy example from childhood, when we just know something as a rule or fact, its impact on our choices can be easily overcome by temptation, pride, and even curiosity.  But once we’ve had one of those “Aha!” moments, that revelation has way more staying power than anything we simply heard.  Thankfully, unlike that example, getting a revelation of who Jesus really is doesn’t have to involve learning the hard way.  We can simply ask God to show us.  Jesus said:

"My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." (Luke 10:22 NLT)

God wants to give us more and more revelation of Himself- all we have to do is ask.  And that revelation will keep us strong in the faith!