Whose God is He to you? Is He only the God of your parents, your pastor, your mentor or have you come to know Him as your God?
If Elijah were writing this article, he would call it “The God of Elijah.” If Moses wrote it, it would be “The God of Moses.” But since I am the one writing, it is titled: “Not Just Their God, My God Too!” 

Many of us first come to know God through someone else. Maybe it’s a parent whose prayers carried us, a pastor whose faith inspired us, or a mentor whose testimony opened our eyes. We see God move in their lives and we believe in Him because of what we witness in them. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, even in Scripture God often introduced Himself this way: 

   Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” …..  Exodus 3:6 (NIV)

The patriarchs had their own encounters with God, and their descendants trusted Him because of their testimonies.
But here’s the truth: our walk with God cannot remain secondhand. At some point, we must encounter Him personally not just as the God others, but as our God. 

Growing up, my father had unshakable confidence in God. I watched him pray with conviction and trust God in difficult times. Over and again, God came through for him. Because of this, I prayed to the God of my father. I believed that since I was the daughter of one of God’s favorites, He would listen to me.
But what struck me most was how my father spoke about God. It was as if God was not far away in heaven but right there with him in the room, in his daily life, in every decision. And I could feel it. His faith wasn’t borrowed or distant; it was alive. 

I longed for that. I wanted to know God the way my father did, to speak with Him, to feel His nearness, to experience His presence as more than just stories or sermons. I craved that intimacy, but I didn’t know how to reach it. All I could do was pray a simple prayer: “Lord, reveal Yourself to me.”
And He did. 

The first time I truly heard God, I was studying the book of Exodus. When I reached Exodus 14:13, the words leapt off the page and seemed to breathe: …. “The Egyptians you see today you will never see again”. (NIV) At that time, I was drowning in depression and battling endless storms in my mind. I had prayed but often felt like I was only speaking into the air. Yet in that moment, something different happened; the words did not just stay on the page. They pierced my heart. Suddenly, I knew without a doubt that God was speaking directly to me. I felt Him whisper: “The depression you see today, you will see it no more.” 

I froze. My heart pounded. It was as if the God I had only admired through my father’s faith had stepped into the room, sat beside me, and called me His own. The weight of His presence was overwhelming; I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. These were not just tears of pain; they were tears of release, of healing, of finally knowing that I had encountered the living God for myself.
I had heard about Him all my life. But that day, I met Him. He was no longer just the God of my father; He became my God. 

From that moment, He healed me. The chains of depression shattered. I have never been the same since. And that was only the beginning because since then, He has continued to reveal Himself to me in countless ways, especially through His Word. Each encounter reminds me that this relationship is alive, personal, and real. 

The Bible is full of people who made this same shift: 

• • Jacob first knew God as the God of Abraham and Isaac, but after wrestling with Him, he declared, “I have seen God face to face” (Genesis 32:30). 

• Job admitted, “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). 

• The Samaritan woman at the well met Jesus as a stranger, saw Him as a prophet, and finally confessed Him as the Messiah after her personal encounter (John 4:39–42).
  The God who was faithful to Abraham, Moses, Elijah and my father wants to be known personally by you. He is not just the God of others. He longs to be your God.
  And when you know Him for yourself, you can testify: 

• He transforms lives: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).
  
  •He heals: “for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exodus 15:26 (NIV).
  •He provides: “ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV). 
• He is faithful: “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (NIV). 

It is good to admire the God of someone you respect. But it is far better to know Him as your own. Don’t stop at secondhand faith. Seek Him until you can say, like David, “The Lord is my shepherd.” 

My God wants to be your God, too!

Will you seek Him for yourself? 

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