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I meet and counsel with hundreds of people who self-identify as Christians, yet struggle seeing the outcomes that truth should be producing in their lives. This happens primarily due to the way people handle, (or mishandle) the truth.

First of all, let me say definitively that you’ll know you’ve discovered the full benefits of truth when you start getting more out of life!

Your life will start demonstrating positive outcomes like peace, joy, and contentment in oneself, and you’ll also start loving more, having more compassion, and feeling more kindness toward others.

(If you’re still not sure what truth is, or where to find it, check out this video , or read this blog article.)

So, how do you know you’re experiencing all that truth has to offer? And how do you consistently get the truth to produce the results it’s intended to?

Here are three ways to identify what could be getting in the way of experiencing the full benefit of knowing the truth.

1.) Accessing The Truth

Once you’ve discovered what “truth” is, you need a method to consistently access that truth whenever you need it. And the best method available to access truth, well, isn’t really a method at all.

The best way to access truth, is by having a relationship with the Holy Spirit.

The bible tells us in John 16:13 that one of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to “guide you into all truth,” and “…tell you what he has heard.” Additionally, Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would “…teach you all things,” and would “remind you of everything [Jesus] has said” (John 14:26).

Bible reading is important, but it’s effectiveness can multiplied exponentially when coupled with the voice of the Holy Spirit actively guiding us into the truth the Bible reveals; namely the truth about Jesus.

It’s impossible to remain in an active state of reading the word. But when you have the living word residing within you, the Holy Spirit reminds not only of the lessons Jesus taught, but how to interpret those lessons in light of Jesus’s finished work.

Experiencing instantaneous and ongoing access to the truth through the power of the Holy Spirit, is what consistently supplies us with anything we need, any time of the day or night.

2.) Applying the Truth

Actions are a by-product of our beliefs. Whenever our actions go against the word of God, they serve as a signal to us that we do not believe the outcomes God promised will really take place. Essentially, when we disbelieve God, we are calling him a liar.

Whenever we see principles in the word, but disbelieve in their authenticity, or that certain outcomes will not take place the way they are represented, we are proving that we do not take God’s words to be true.

Many people today are facing a crisis of belief. A crisis of belief occurs, whenever anyone shares truth with someone, and his initial response is to counter that truth with other “factors,” (not facts), opinions, or excuses that attempt to invalidate the truth, and reinforce what he already believes.

An unwillingness to believe God’s ways are superior, or to follow his precepts for living, is the single most detrimental factor affecting people’s lives today.

Remember way back in the day, when a respected father, or grandmother, disciplined you, and their response to our childish “But, why?” response, was simply, “Because I said so,” followed up by, “Now drop it?”

And, we did. Why? Because we were taught that even though we might not understand the reason why our parents, or grandparents, or principles, or Sunday school teachers reprimanded us, we were to obey what they said for our benefit.

Most, if not all, problems in life could be prevented, or solved, simply by doing what God says. If, however, we do not believe in the outcomes (or consequences) God’s word describes, which result from our own actions (or inaction), then we are simply proving that we do not know God.

3.) Activating the Truth

You might think that applying the truth and activating the truth are the same thing, but in fact, they are not.

Activating the truth is about allowing the truth to benefit more people than just yourself. We activate the truth, when we participate in truth’s most noble purpose – shining its light in the darkness.

Jesus said in John 14, “I am the way and the truth and the life…” This he said in response to the disciples asking him how they could be reunited with him once he left this world to be with the Father.

What does activating the truth have to do with getting us to our eternal heavenly home?

When sin separated us from the Father (spiritually, emotionally and physically), God enacted (and later fulfilled) a plan that would eternally repair that which was broken after the Fall.

The ultimate fulfillment, and culmination of our lives comes when we are reunited back to our Father in the same manner of relationship that Adam and Eve shared in the garden.

This is why Jesus called himself and his truth and his life “the WAY,” back to God.

Activating truth, therefore, is when we take the truth that lives on the inside of us, and we share with others the truth (the way) that leads back to God. It would not be necessary to seek out truth, or share truth, or admonish people to embrace truth, if there was no lie that existed attempting to contradict, distort, or otherwise conceal truth.

Luckily for us, we live in a world of skepticism. I say luckily, because this means that people are keenly aware that lies and deception are all around, and in effect, exist within the fabric of our society. So, whenever we shine the light of the truth into the darkness, it immediately catches the attention of anyone looking for the light, thus being drawn to the truth.

Jesus said it this way, “…if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Luke 11:34)

What Jesus was saying, is that what we see, is a by-product, or an indication of what’s on the inside of us. If when we see truth revealed, we call it darkness, then we are proving that what is on the inside of us is darkened (1 John 1:5-7).

If however, when we see truth revealed, and we accept, acknowledge, and embrace the truth, we demonstrate that truth lives in us and enlightens our understanding of the world around us.

Truth received is a great step in developing a life that is full of peace and pleasing to God. Truth accessed, applied, and activated, however, is what takes from living our life to living our destiny.