Luke 24:45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the scriptures.
There are four types of knowledge:
1. Rational logical knowledge e.g. mathematics ‘5+5=10’. It’s right, I just checked on my fingers!
2. Scientific knowledge e.g. we come up with a hypothesis, undertake some experiments, and then prove or disprove the hypothesis.
3. Personal knowledge e.g. A kiss. It cannot be defined mathematically or scientifically, it is personal. The knowledge of a kiss is a complex mixture of personal feelings and emotions.
4. Revelation knowledge e.g. Knowledge that is revealed to you by another, especially the Holy Spirit. Of all these forms of knowledge, revelation knowledge is the type of knowledge that we need to walk with God.
Luke 24:45 says God opens our eyes so that we will understand and comprehend the things of God. This is revelation knowledge.
Jesus told Simon Peter that it was the Heavenly Father who revealed to him that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven”.
And it is through the Holy Spirit, that the Heavenly Father reveals the things of God to us.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 tells us this: But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
“Knowing” here is referring to “revelation knowledge”.
Each of the four types of knowledge is equally valid. But what many people do is they take what is personal and try to define it mathematically or scientifically. For example, God is personal and we cannot prove God mathematically or scientifically. We first experience God through an encounter. And this experience becomes real when we receive a personal revelation of Him by the Holy Spirit – you know it is real. But it cannot be explained logically or scientifically.
It’s the same way you cannot explain the magic of your first kiss when you were in love with someone. Now you might have kissed your mum, your dad, your aunt, your uncle or greeted someone with a friendly kiss. But that first kiss with the one you love – that is personal and it cannot be explained like any other kiss.
How do we grow in this revelation knowledge?
I recall as a young Christian my pastor taught me the following prayer for wisdom and revelation. It’s a powerful prayer asking for wisdom, revelation, and enlightenment for three things – the hope of Jesus' calling over you; the riches of Jesus' inheritance upon you, and the working of Jesus' power in your life.
Pray this every day. You’ll see the difference. I’ve personalized it for you.