Join us on this journey of intimacy with God! Paul said the exercise of our spiritual senses aides our overall maturity: When we fellowship with God and act on what He says, we experience our Eternal Father and can learn to live a Spirit-led life. Often times, we put idols in the places that God should dwell in our hearts. Think of it like this: A candlelit dinner with romantic music may encourage a sweet moment of relational intimacy between a husband and wife, but only to the degree that the environment encourages and deepens their mutual trust and love. We can understand more and have deeper fulfillment as eternally minded people; right here and right now! You can start yours today. If a man has a history of fornication, is he disqualified from the office of pastor or can he still be considered the husband of one wife? Well, God cannot take away the Holy Spirit from us like it was in the Old Testament. I have been married before. Cite this. True intimacy with God is something that has been sought by Christians since Christ walked the earth. At any time you can unsubscribe and remove your consent. PRAYER: Father Lord, give me grace to walk in close relationship with you. He guides and teaches us all things about life. But as you read your Bible, do not the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) all agree with James and Peter that the greatest testing of faith is the path to the greatest joy (James 1:24; 1 Peter 1:89)? Your email address will not be published. An intimate relationship with the Lord is for all of us. The tabernacle was the center of Gods earthly presence. On the Day of Atonement, one priest could go farther in and represent the people at the place where heaven and glory were most fully concentrated on earth. God will connect you to his vine which is the true source of happiness and joy. Now, developing awareness doesnt necessarily mean that we shall experience physical intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. What Does it Mean That We Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made? The same is true about the Holy Spirit. Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3, 2. All he requires is that you believe in him (John 14:1). They test and temper our faith (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). When we are intimate with the Holy Spirit, we walk in peace because we know Gods presence. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Ask him to make the word alive as you study. We might call it a Field of Dreams approach: If we build the right environment, God will come.. We have all the power to do great things in the world as kingdom children (Luke 10:19). The more believers spend time in the presence of God, the stronger they become spiritually and physically. The unclean were also far. In the secret place, godly altars are built and the believer becomes more attuned to the Holy Spirit's voice. God wants intimacy with you. You need a revelation of the word through the spirit. Holy living makes us useful and effective for God's purposes ( 2 Timothy 2:20-26 ). Article Images Copyright . Prayer is simply communicating with God. Take time to study the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to give you revelation. He did not doubt his faithfulness. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Such intimacy brings abundance in the best sense of the word. MEDITATION: Holiness fosters intimacy with God and builds spiritual strength and stability ( Psalm 15:1-6 ). The disciples of Jesus were not able to do great things until they received the Holy Spirit. Access to Divine Secrets like Abraham (Gen. 18:17) When you maintain a close relationship with God you will have access to the divine secrets of God. To be human is to be close to the ones we love. Revealed Word of God Global Ministry, a non - denominational ministry that is committed to preaching, teaching and publishing of the Word of God to every creature as the Lord commands. The Bible tells us that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of us. Intimacy with God is the source to truly being filled with happiness and joy. He only invites us to build a relationship with him through his son Jesus. It is one that we must depend on His strength to complete. 11. There is a difference between a relationship and intimacy. One of the three Greek words is bios, which speaks of the physical (biological) activity of our natural body (it occurs 10 times). We long to have intimacy with the Holy Spirit, right? I don't care who you are. If we are, to be honest, Gods things do not make sense to our human mind. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always" ( 1 Chronicles 16:11 ). Even in times of despair, David went to God. When Jesus said; I am the truthful way to live (my version of John 14:6), he referenced His son-to-Father fellowship with God. We too are in that line. Help you to be Kingdom Minded 10. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. These are: Distractions fool us into thinking we're doing all the right things, but we see no spiritual benefit or growth in our lives. Our interest in closeness exists because intimacy and fellowship are so fundamental to the character of God. Gods word says that there is freedom where the Spirit of God is (1Corinthians 3:17). Misconception #1: Intimacy is akin to sex. The other disciples ran away from Jesus when he was arrested (Mark 14:50-51). In Daniel chapter 2, there is a record of a situation in which Gods prophet Daniel was able to interpret the kings dream, without the king telling him what the dream entitles. We also find out the great things God is doing in their lives. The more we trust God, the more intimately we come to know him. Holiness, for example, became key for humanity. He will Teach Us all Things 5. Observing it or not, human beings are all influencers. The truth is most of us struggle to memorize scripture. At the very beginning, our purpose was clear. God will surprise you with badly needed revelation while you are in the midst of seeking Him. When you give your life to Jesus, God adopts you into his family. As Christians, we want to experience intimacy with God. Here are a few of the many verses that speak specifically of a spirit led life. Theyve got their ticket to heaven but want to keep their day-to-day life separate from God. Are you benefiting from the deeper intimacy God offers? As it says in James 4:10, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.. It is only by getting close to God that we understand the authority we have been given. The Bible tells us to do everything as unto God and not man. Intimacy is what God is looking for and this is how the Holy Spirit will fill you. All Rights Reserved. It is a trick of the enemy to keep them from the solution to their sin. Its a shame, but the New Testament translators render many Greek words into the English word life and hide a good bit of meaning. They belong to God and are close to him. The Lord wants us to maintain intimacy relationship with Him. There exist all sorts of exercises on how. Do you desire to know to seek God's face causing life-transforming results in your life & relationship with God? When one takes the time to imitate the Lord through a relationship, the individual can touch the lives of others in the same manner as Jesus did. The secret to drawing near to God and having him draw near to us is revealed clearly in the Bible: we draw near to God through faith in Christ who alone gives us access to him (Hebrews 4:1416; 7:25; Philippians 3:9), and we put our trust in all of his precious and very great promises which find their Yes to us in Christ (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:20). The spirit will help you apply the scripture to your situations and you will have a deeper love for the Bible. taking a class to learn a new skill together, like . When we are intimate with him, he opens our minds so that we can understand the word of God. Get a few copies to bless your friends and family. I am taking notes and going deeper into His presence. Although minor details vary, these fundamentals apply: This is fundamental to beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, (Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:3; Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 6:23, 10:9), but it needs to be characterized by genuine, heartfelt sorrow over sin and serious and ongoing attempts to turn away from it (2 Corinthians 7:10). Enter the verification code sent to your mobile, Enter the verification code sent to your email. Truthful light and life originates with God (John 1:4) and flows from Him as revealing and nourishing insight. When we pray in the spirit, we unite with the Holy Spirit on a deeper level. Peter denied Jesus because of fear of the Pharisees. But being disobedient will block us from being close to the Holy Spirit. The Psalmist reports in Psalm 16:11, You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Whenever a believer has established an intimate relationship with the Lord, he can be sure of a clear direction to achieve a life of success and express divine joy. Intimacy is what we call the experience of really knowing and being known by another person. I didnt trust Christians and didnt have a good Bible-believing church to guide me through temptations that easily beset me (Hebrews 12:1-3). But if we are honest, only a few of us enjoy a close relationship with Him. You need to cultivate your relationship with God so that you can know Him well. It is as accessible to you as Gods promises. You will Walk in Freedom and Holiness 6. Maybe God gives some people they don't wanna have sex, but for most of us, In Jesus' name, we wanna have sex. Seek God with ALL your heart not time 2. Learn how to serve and to how to love (1 John 4:10; John 14:15). Others chase revivals, thinking that proximity to Gods power will result in proximity to God. Thats why Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, some who possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of Scripture, You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:3940). He has given me warnings and encouragements; healing and transformation; deeper understanding of His Word; and so much more. This priestly closeness even reaches into our understanding of sin. 1. Just as a bear would get vicious if someone harmed her cubs, God wont let anything harm us. Which was a good thing, because I was forced to seek Him diligently and with all my heart (Hebrews 11:6; Jeremiah 29:11-14). Grab your copyofThe Fellowship of Gods Presence. Proverbs 2:6-7. The law from Sinai added details to the priesthood. And much of it very good. 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 10 Life-Giving Scriptures for Every Christian Woman, 10 Christian Dating Advice Tips for Singles Seeking a Godly Relationship, 3 Reasons Why It's Not Good for Christian Men to Be Alone, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. 3 Privileges of Intimacy with the Father September 22, 2018 by: Tim Chester 1. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:10-11, But the fruitof the Spirit is love,joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control. If we truly trust God, such environments can encourage our intimacy with God. See, when we spend time with other people, we get to know how God relates to them. As you read scripture, ask God to give you a deep revelation of who the Holy Spirit is. With so many challenges, it becomes easy for us to follow the worlds way of doing things. Not just that, but God has created us differently. Publisher . You will Enjoy your Relationship with God, 8. It is born out of the struggle that all of us feel yet few satisfy - to spend more meaningful and intimate time with God in prayer. In total reliance on the leading of the Holy Spirit, heres what I learned about developing intimacy with Him: 1. But most of us are struggling with life because we do not know our authority. From that intimate place, we are a people sent out toward others, to invite them to draw near to the reigning Lord. Which means his invitation to you to enjoy intimacy with him is the providences in your life that are testing your faith more than anything else. We need him to help us understand scripture and how to apply it in our daily lives. Isnt it just like the evil one to take a word that describes something so vital and confuse us into discomfort about how it relates to our pursuit of God? But none of them inherently possesses the power to conjure Gods nearness to us. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. With the psalmist we say, for me it is good to be near God (Psalm 73:28). His nearness, at times just barely out of sight, certainly had its more obvious and vivid moments. If you love painting, then use that time to glorify God. And Gods invitation to you to enjoy intimate fellowship with him is that thing that is putting your faith to the test more than anything else (James 1:24). Keys to Intimacy With God - #4 - Trust & Faith. The better we know him, the easier our walk will be as Christians. The regulations of the tabernacle taught the people how they could draw near to the Lord. The entire nation was identified as a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6). (1 Samuel 16:14). When Christians develop their relationship with the Father, they can have the confidence that He is leading them. He doesnt want us to spend time in his company out of obligation. Yes, God is a spirit, but we can welcome him to manifest in the physical. We are awash in Bible translations, good books, insightful articles, recorded sermons, interviews, movies, documentaries, music, and more. Do not wait for Sundays to experience Gods presence. Let the stories live on. Relationship with Holy Spirit comes through salvation. He knew God would come through for him and was not afraid of his enemies. Good: A book that has been read but is in good condition. It turns out to be a short step from a simple observation about human nearness to our mission as royal priests. We were created to be like our Lord, to be close to him, to live with him in his house, and to participate in his abundant life. For example, daily life would be refreshed as we remember that God is inclined to be close to us. Yield yourself unto Him so that He will reveal His secrets to you. And becoming carnally minded. As in human relationships, sin disrupts unity. We need the Holy Spirit to help us. Joy can never come from the world, only through Jesus. Thank you so much for your beautiful and encouraging feedback! Yet even though these are among the few explicit references to priests, our priestly identity remains at the heart of New Testament teaching. Here are eleven proven ways that will help you to grow intimacy with God: There is more to growing intimacy with God than just having head knowledge. We all wanna have sex. And this helps us to maintain a kingdom mindset even when faced with big challenges. Why do we need to Grow Intimacy with God? 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 5. Many people arent aware that God wants to impart the power to resist sin. Many Christians found it difficult not to attend the house of the Lord. Formy yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. King Saul had peace in his heart when he walked in obedience. It is likely an invitation that your flesh wants to decline. Isaiah 40:31, We all experience times of testing, which is normal for every human being. I am truly blessed to have found 11 Benefits of Intimacy with God. calls out, " Abba, Father" ' ( Galatians 4:6 ). Often, someone who is dying will express deep regret that they did not spend more time with their family. We are called to pray for the ones that persecute, deny, and plot against us. Our tendency, even when we know better, is to take the reins from God and try to achieve holiness in our own strength (Galatians 3:1-5). Jesus told them to wait for the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1). But the Son takes them up and presents them to the Father, and the Father bestows incorruptibility. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. But God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can withstand (1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 2:18) and He will never abandon or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). But true intimacy with God is not simply a feeling on a par with a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, the priestly task of guarding the Edenic sanctuary was taken over by cherubim (Genesis 3:24). It should not be something we do only on Sundays. Many people wait to feel the presence of God in their prayer closet. Psuch is a second Greek word translated as life that speaks of the mind, will, and emotional activity of our conscious soul (it occurs 101 times). Having trouble verifying your identity? Access to Divine Secrets like Abraham (Gen. 18:17) Also Read: Open Heaven 9 December 2022 - No Excuses. You are my friendsif you do what I command. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Releasing this hormone increases trust in a relationship, bonds people together, and causes intimacy. How an ominous vision saw 'omnisexual' Little Richard quitting music for bible school - only to return to a life of excess years later But they that wait upon the LORD shall renewtheirstrength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary;andthey shall walk, and not faint. Here we bring the top 19 Free online Bible study courses that will help you to develop a deeper understanding of spiritual truths. 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