great exploits

Another dilemma I've been grappling with is that Paul tells us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work in us, but if that's the case, where is that power? I don't see it! Ok, I do see it sometimes, but I definitely believe that we as a church are not using that to its full capacity by any stretch of the imagination.
I was talking to my parents on the phone yesterday, and told them what I was struggling with. My question to them was, "How do I learn to cultivate that power?" I know it's available, but I know I'm not taking full advantage of it to change my world for the glory of God. If the church really did use the authority that Jesus made available to us, we would be obviously winning; however, looking around is obviously discouraging.
I thought it would be a complicated answer, one that Dad would have to mull over, and give me pieces of an answer as he figured them out. I was wrong. He read Daniel 11:32b: "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits." It's all about knowing God. It's that simple!
Dad (who is very wise) said the bottom line is that even those who have what we would consider a close relationship with the Lord have so much more to learn about Him. We don't know Him as well as we think we do. Relationship with Him is the most important thing in life. There is so much to God that we will never know Him fully... but the good news is, He wants to be known. He wants to reveal His character, nature and personality to us, if we will only take the time to get to know Him.
If we truly know Him, I believe we would have the courage and faith to do whatever it takes to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, because we love Him. He is a God who loves to restore and redeem what is broken and lost, and reward those who love and serve Him.
What does it say in 1 John 4: 16-18? "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love (~and remember, God IS love~). But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
So if we really knew Him, we would have no fear... which would mean we would step out in the power and authority that has already been made available to us, and we would do GREAT EXPLOITS!!
My quest is to get to know Him. I know Him a little bit, I know about Him quite a bit, and I know a lot about serving Him. But my priorities have been mixed up. I need to know Him first. The serving will flow out of that as an act of worship, and because He has prepared good works in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
I want to do great exploits for Him. It's time to get to know Him!