Many people know about God but do not know God. There is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. John 3:27 says, “A man can receive nothing, except it is given from above.”
There has been a great mix-up in the church. It is the erroneous assumption that spiritual truths can be intellectually perceived. This has affected our preaching, our praying, our singing and our activities. It is possible to grow up in a Church but not know God at all because God is not known by external things. In John 16, it is perfectly plain that the Spirit of God is the One who reveals God to us. Remember this: You only know Jesus as far as the Holy Spirit is pleased to reveal Him to you.
*You can know about Christ dying for you.
* You can be a publisher of the Bible.
* You can head this or that religious organisation.
* You can be the Founder or General Overseer – and still never know God at all – because only by the Holy Ghost can we know God.
You can read your New Testament and still never find Christ in it. You can be convinced that He is the Son of God and still never find Christ. The Holy Ghost reveals Christ. If you are reasoned into Christianity, some wise fellow can reason you out of it – unless you know the Holy Spirit, because knowing Jesus is knowing the Holy Spirit.