by Kayla Kennada
In John 4:42, the Samaritans made a profound declaration: “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
Notice the progression in their testimony. They went from secondhand reports to personal encounter, from believing about Jesus to knowing Jesus. This is the journey every believer must take.
Knowing Jesus for Yourself
When you don’t know Jesus for yourself, you may know facts about Him. You may know what the Bible says, what preachers declare, or what other believers testify. But you don’t truly know who He is to you. You haven’t experienced Him as your own Savior, Healer, Provider, or Friend. It is only when you come to know Him personally that you truly understand who He is.
Jesus once asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” They initially responded by repeating what others were saying: “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But Peter answered from personal revelation: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus’s response is telling: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-17). We cannot truly know who Jesus is until He is revealed to us by the Father. This is not merely intellectual knowledge, it’s spiritual revelation that transforms everything.
My Own Encounter
I remember after attending church a few times, I decided to respond to the altar call. I didn’t fully understand why I went forward. I just knew that if I was in church, it couldn’t be a bad thing. I repeated the prayer they led me through, and then a lady was hugging me and crying tears of joy. At that moment, I couldn’t understand what she was so emotional about. What had just happened?
I knew very little about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit at that time. My mom had always said—half-jokingly, half-seriously—that if we ever stepped foot in a church, the roof would cave in on us. I’m grateful to say that not only did the roof stay firmly in place, but I was welcomed with open arms and genuine love.
Revelation Through the Word
After attending services and reading my Bible for a few weeks, something shifted. It finally dawned on me, or rather, it was revealed to me through the Word of God that I had been born again of the Spirit. The fog lifted. I suddenly knew who Jesus was. My eyes were opened to see that He wasn’t just a historical figure or a religious teacher. He is my Savior. He died for me. He loves me.
That initial revelation was just the beginning. The longer I walk with Him, the more I learn about Him and know Him in deeper ways. Each season of life reveals new dimensions of His character: His faithfulness in trials, His peace in chaos, His nearness in loneliness.
The Difference Between Knowing About and Knowing
Think of it this way: When someone tells you about a person they know, you now know of that person, but you don’t know them yourself. Even when you first meet that person, you still don’t know much about them until you spend time together. The more time you invest, the more they are revealed to you—their personality, their heart, their quirks, what makes them laugh or what burdens them.
Our relationship with Jesus works the same way. We can hear sermons, read books, and listen to testimonies, and all of that is valuable. But until we meet Jesus personally and spend time with Him in prayer, worship, and His Word, we’re still operating on borrowed knowledge.
The Invitation
The Samaritan woman at the well told her whole town about Jesus, and they came to hear Him because of her testimony. But their faith didn’t rest on her words alone. They said, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, but because we have heard Him ourselves.”
That’s the invitation for each of us: Don’t settle for knowing about Jesus. Come and hear Him for yourself. Spend time with Him. Let the Father reveal to you who Jesus truly is. Because when you know Him personally, everything changes. You’re no longer just religious, but you’re in relationship. You’re not just following rules, you’re following a Person who loves you and gave Himself for you.
Who do you say that He is?
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