In this lecture Neville Goddard explores the biblical use of the word “know” as a euphemism for the divine creative act, illustrating it through Genesis, Luke, and Pauline writings. He argues that true knowledge of God requires a complete spiritual marriage and surrender of the self, resulting in the individual’s identification with the creative power of God. Those who fully surrender become apostles who speak from direct experience, while others share only hearsay. God’s creative power is described as an intimate fusion of divine and human consciousness, in which the believer emerges as the express image of God. Neville emphasizes that external rituals and ceremonies are distractions; direct personal awareness must replace them. He also distinguishes between the law (belief) and the promise (realized imagination), offering a practical technique of thinking from the fulfillment of desire. Ultimately, he invites students to search the scriptures for deeper understanding and promises that true knowledge will set them free.
Last night I fell asleep dwelling on two thoughts which parallel each other. One is from Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and the other from the Gospel of John. Paul said: “I cannot address you as spiritual men, but as members of the flesh, babes in Christ. I feed you milk, not solid food for you cannot take it.” And in the Gospel of John, the central character said: “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” When I awoke this morning my mind was crowded with the knowledge of God. This is not easy to speak of or to accept, but if you are a good student of scripture you will know that what I tell you is true.
In the Book of Genesis it is said that Adam knew Eve, his wife. That she conceived and bore Cain saying: “I did it with the aid of Jehovah.” And in the Book of Luke, we are told that when the angel told Mary she would conceive and bear a son, Mary asked; “How can this be seeing that I know not a man?” The words “know, knew, foreknowledge, or foreknew” are used as a euphemism for the creative act. And the one who performs this act is Jehovah.
Now, it takes man to express everything, whether it be evil or good, truth or error. This is also true with the creative power of God. We are told: “This is eternal life, to know thee – the only true God, and Jesus Christ (the creative power of God) whom thou hast sent.” Again we find the word “know.”
When God awakens his creative power which he sent into the world as man, that man performs the marriage act, spiritually. The majority of those known by him do not know they are pregnant until they bring forth God’s creative power and know themselves to be the personification of the Lord Jesus Christ.
One who was with him all the time said: “Show us the Father and we will be satisfied,” and he replied: “I have been with you so long and yet you do not know me, Philip?” In other words, you follow me and follow me, yet you are not ready to receive me; for I am spirit and you are seeing me as a man of the flesh. These are mysteries he could not tell, for he knew they would be too hard to bear. Now, the knowledge of God requires a complete surrender of self. There are variations of that surrender in the person that is known, so not everyone receives the imprint of God to its fullest extent. The one who completely surrenders receives the gift of apostleship, which is the highest order in the body of God. That one is qualified to be sent and speak from experience. The prophets, teachers, healers, and miracle workers will tell it from hearsay; but all will tell of the imprint, based upon what happened to them. But the one who comes as the apostle does so because he stood in the presence of the Lord and so completely surrendered himself that he speaks from experience, and says: “He who sent me is with me. Lo, we are one.”
The creative act on the highest level is an embrace, a complete fusion of the two, where one melts into and becomes one with the other. I know that. I who answer to the name of Neville, and my Father who men call God, are one. He sent me, yet he is with me, for I am not alone.Having awakened this morning with my mind overflowing with the knowledge of God, I knew I must tell you, whether you accept it or not. And you are not to judge anyone as to whether he or she is qualified to believe it or not. I feel like Jeremiah, when he said: “If I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire and I am weary with holding it in and I cannot.”
In the eighth chapter of Romans, we are told: “Those whom God foreknew (had this intimacy with before) he predestined to conform to the image of his son.” (Bear in mind now, that the son is he who reflects the glory of God and is the express image of his person). “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Your complete surrender brings you to the point of glorification as you reflect God’s glory. I am not speaking of you as a man born of flesh, but as spirit, for God is spirit!
In the current issue of the Saturday Evening Post, there is an article written by an English anthropologist who makes little of the Bible, claiming it teaches cosmology. But the Bible does not teach cosmology, astrology, astronomy, or biology. It is concerned with only one thing, and that is God’s plan of redemption.
The Bible tells of how Spirit comes out of this biological thing called Man, who is one with God yet endowed with a creative power within himself. It’s not something which is an animated body, but a life-giving spirit. As the Father has life in himself, he has given to that which he brings out, life in itself, so that one can speak in the name of the Father, knowing he is the Father. God begets himself in the sense that he brings out of these so-called animated bodies, images of himself that are endowed with life-giving spirit.
Scripture has nothing to do with this little body of flesh and blood, which is an eternal part of the structure of the universe. While animated by a spirit of God, the body knew horrors beyond horrors; but nothing could come out of it. Then the decision was made to make man in the image of God, and the creative act was committed.
How did I make my children in my image? By planting my germ into that which was prepared to receive it. Then, in the fullness of time that which bore my image came out endowed with a certain independence. That is just a shadow of what God does; for when Adam knew Eve she conceived and said: “I have begotten a man with Jehovah.” That’s the literal translation of the Hebrew. Those who translated the Bible added the words, “with the help of,” but these words are not in the original manuscript.
In order to bring forth a man by Jehovah – whose name is I AM – you must bring forth your own wonderful I AMness. And when you know yourself to be the creative power of God, your work is complete. Then, knowing you are God’s perfect image, you will be sent as an apostle to play the part of the creative power of God. The act is spiritually performed in the same manner as the marriage act is committed here on earth. But there are levels within levels within levels of the body of God.
Now, those whom he foreknew, means those he impregnated and predestined. If a woman is impregnated, she is predestined to bear the image of the one who impregnated her. That’s a simple way to put it. Then those who are predestined are called and justified. Justification means divine acquittal. No matter what an individual has done, he is completely acquitted, for he could not have done it had he not been performing the will of God. And in the end everyone is glorified and will say: “Return unto me the glory that is mine, the glory that I had with thee before that the world was.”
I now reflect the glory of God. Not physically, but I know myself to be the express image of his person. I use the word “person” advisedly, for God is man in spite of our anthropologists or scientists, who think in terms of an impersonal force. The mystics know that God is man. The great poets know it. “Thou art a man, God is no more, thine own humanity learn to adore.”
When I stood in the presence of the Risen Lord, he was not some peculiar abstract. He was infinite love, yet he was man. After asking me a very simple question, I answered quite honestly. Then I knew the moment of divine impregnation as I became one with God.
Infinite might sent me back with the words: “Down with the bluebloods.” This is not some social order, but any ritual, creed, or ceremony, that would interfere with your direct access to God. I know there was no need to form an organisation to destroy these, but that if I ignored them they would die for want of attention.
When you fall in love, you are attentive. You bring her flowers and candy. Then you marry, and if you stop the tender words and gifts, your romance will fade away and finally come to an end. The same thing is true for any outside ceremonies that would interfere with your direct access to God. Ignore them and they will die for lack of awareness. But if you believe in the rituals, creeds, and ceremonies on the outside, you will keep them alive, even to the very end.
In our fabulous world, God so loved you, individually, that he gave himself to you in the most intimate manner. He did it by becoming you that you may become God.
How can I explain that even though I am one with God, He sent me. That He is with me, yet remains the Risen Lord. This does not make sense to the rational mind, but when He embraced me we completely fused like a drop of ink in a glass of water.
Being sent, I had no loss of identity; yet I felt like power – the being who sent me. And when I stood in the presence of God’s only son, David, who acknowledged me as his father, I felt the love of the being who embraced me.
No one can see God, for he is invisible to the mortal eye; yet his presence can be felt. It is difficult to explain how God completely fused with me, yet sent me individually, without loss of my identity. I feel him, not as another, but as myself. I know he is the Risen Lord. That he came with me, as me; yet I also know he remains the Risen Lord.
I have tried to explain this so you could catch the mood and not try to understand it rationally, but it seems difficult for you to understand. That is why I have many things to say, but you cannot bear them now, so I feed you milk.
In my own case I cannot wait for the morning to come after a vision to share it with you. Someone once said: “Do you always throw these pearls before swine?” and I replied: “I do not meet any swine.” I share my visions with all, and if they cannot accept them, they will leave them – but nothing will be lost. I will pick up all the scraps and put them back to be shared once again. I cannot become the critic and determine who should hear what. How do I know who is willing to completely surrender to God? Or to what degree they will surrender! If not today, one day everyone will join that one body and know themselves to be the one Lord, one Spirit, one God and Father of all.
This morning, as I researched the words “know” and “knowledge”, the impact of the words took on greater meaning. You would not think that the statement: “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free,” would denote a creative act, but it does. I am the personification of the truth that, when known, will set you free. I have been so long with you and yet you do not know me? If you only knew me, you would know my Father also. One day you will know the truth in an intimate manner, at which time He will leave his imprint upon you. Having been sent as the image of the invisible God, you will receive this imprint by a complete and utter surrender of Self. Then in due time that image will come out, for I AM in you and you are in me, for we are truly one!
Scripture is the most creative book in the world. It is not based upon anything known to man, yet it is the only way to eternal life. If you had great wealth, were honored by all, voted the handsomest man or the most beautiful woman – what would that amount to compared to knowing God, which leads to eternal life? And this is eternal life, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, who is the personification of God’s creative power.
When God knew Man, God’s creative power became personified; so when you meet a man on the spiritual level you will automatically surrender. This surrender will even involve objects, for nothing will be left out of God’s temple. The whole God is in Man, but on different levels based upon ones willingness to surrender.
I hope I have fired your curiosity so that you will open your Concordance and follow through the word “know”. There are many words translated now which have a different meaning, so take nothing for granted and check them all out.
The statement: “To know God is eternal life” means to have an intimate relationship with God so that He buries his image in you. At that time God gives you his life, for you are his emanation yet his wife, till the sleep of death is past.
In the 54th chapter of Isaiah, you are told: “Your Maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name.” If your maker is your husband whose name is the Lord of Hosts, are you not his wife? Will you completely give yourself over to him as the perfect wife, or will you be restrained in the act?
In my case I seemed to have no choice. I was spirited into His presence, and when asked: “What is the greatest thing in the world?” I answered without hesitation: “Faith, hope, and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.” With that He embraced me and I completely fused with him and now wear the body of God, which is infinite love!
While in that oneness, yet without loss of identity, I was sent with the cry: “Down with the bluebloods.” God, now clothed as Infinite Might, power without compassion, spoke these words to me: “Time to act.” I heard the words. I witnessed the event, so for thirty years I told the law. I did not tell the promise, for I did not know it until I brought forth the child to bear witness to the fact that I and my father (who men call God) are one. It takes the child to bear witness to the truth that I, as an individual, knew and had become one with my Father.
Leaving all, God cleaves to his wife – the one he impregnates – who then brings forth God’s likeness as the infinite Christ child. Being God the Father, when you and He become one consciously, are you not the one Father? You may bear the child, not even knowing you are pregnant. But when you bring it forth, you know the union of the two is complete. As long as you believe there are two – you and God – there is conflict. But when the partition is removed, you know yourself to be one with God who so loved you He became you. And when you bring forth his image in the form of his son, you know he has finished the work he set out to do in you.
May I tell you: if the world rose in opposition to my words it would make no difference to me, for my words will live forever – while all that took place this past week will be forgotten.
Human history and everything man has ever accomplished will prove to be false. Every great accomplishment will be modified in time, many times. Even so-called facts will prove to be error. In the end everything will be rubbed out, leaving no trace of ever having been present; for the only thing that is really forever, is what God is bringing out of humanity – which is himself. So in the end there is nothing but God – only God!
But in this world of Caesar, if one wants more of its fruits, let him have them. Eight years ago when Nixon ran against Kennedy, a friend of mine sent Nixon my phonograph record – at which time he wrote the lady and thanked her for it, saying that it had been added to his library and that he would have many moments of joy listening to it. That year he lost the election. Two years later Nixon lost his bid for governor of this state, but four years later his dream came true. I am quite sure, with his background of listening to his inner voice, that my record – which was on the law and the promise – sparked something in him. On the record, I spoke of the difference between thinking of your desire and thinking from it. When you think from your desire’s fulfillment and sleep feeling as though it were true, it becomes a fact. This is a simple technique to get things in this world.
Nixon didn’t win by an enormous majority, but he won. I firmly believe he did not just listen to my record once, but played it many times. When you know exactly what you want, you are thinking of your desire. Turn your thoughts around and think from its fulfillment. You can think of what you want and desire it forever, keeping it always beyond your reach; but when you think from its possession, your desire is yours. I’ll show you what I do. While in Los Angeles, I think of San Francisco as 600 miles to the north. Closing my thoughts to Los Angeles, I imagine I am in a hotel room in San Francisco and think of Los Angeles as 600 miles to the south of me. When possible, I take a short nap in that awareness. Now, when I open my eyes I find myself back here in Los Angeles, knowing from experience that within a short period of time I will physically be in San Francisco.
The average person, believing only that which can be seen and touched physically is real, will think I am crazy. A very intelligent, wonderful man who attended my meetings in New York City, once told me he enjoyed listening to my words; but when he did, he planted his feet into the carpet and held the sides of the chair to remind himself of the reality and profundity of things. Otherwise he would take off into some dream world. Call it a dream world if you will, but if there is evidence for a thing, does it matter what others think? I had evidence for my belief and I tried to share my experiences with him, but he would not even test his imagination.
Not everyone who hears the truth will believe it, even though he seems to be so wise in the eyes of the world. So I say: I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot hear them now. I am not speaking of the law. Mark puts that quite simply: “Whatever you desire, believe you have received it and you will.” I am speaking of the promise and urge you to search the scriptures, for if you do you will find me there. And when you find me, you will know, from experience that you and I are one.
Now let us go into the silence.
Neville begins by drawing parallels between Paul’s metaphor of spiritual immaturity and Jesus’ withholding of deeper mysteries, setting the stage for his exposition of the knowledge of God as an advanced spiritual topic. He closely reads the Hebrew and Greek terms for “know” and “foreknew,” revealing their subtext of divine engendering and creative intimacy. By examining biblical narratives—Adam’s union with Eve and Mary’s conception—Neville recasts them as allegories for the soul’s spiritual impregnation with God’s power.
He then develops the theme of surrender, arguing that the highest expression of divine creativity arises only when the individual self dissolves into God’s presence. Those who surrender fully attain apostleship, speaking from firsthand experience, whereas prophets and teachers relay secondhand impressions. This hierarchical framework underscores Neville’s distinction between experiential knowledge and doctrinal knowledge.
Neville’s own mystical encounter, in which he fuses entirely with the divine yet retains personal identity, becomes the paradigm for his teaching. He recounts being “sent” with a mission and describes how his creative union bore spiritual offspring, symbolizing the externalization of the inner divine image. This experience functions both as proof of his authority and as a blueprint for the listener’s journey.
Rejecting external ritual, Neville insists that ceremonies and creeds must be eclipsed by direct, intimate communion with God—his “infinite love.” He likens neglecting ritual to ignoring a beloved after marriage; without ongoing attention the ritual dies. This practical counsel aligns with his broader call to internalize faith and abandon reliance on institutionalized forms.
Finally, Neville offers a pragmatic twist: a method of realigning consciousness from desire to fulfilled desire through imaginative sleep states. By “thinking from” rather than “thinking of” one’s goal, the student activates the creative power within. This blend of scriptural exegesis, mystical testimony, and practical technique exemplifies Neville’s unique approach to self-realized spirituality.
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