4 minute read
Ever Interceding
INTIMACY WITH JESUS
written by Diana Brown
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God loves you with an intimacy that exceeds all your desires. He wants you to have a close, personal relationship with Him of intimacy, humility, and obedience. This is a remarkable privilege and honor. Moses, David, and, of course, Jesus had an intimate relationship with God. But how do you develop intimacy with God?
A few points on developing an intimate relationship with the Lord:
A. Spend time with the Lord daily.
In any earthly relationship, the way to develop a relationship with someone is to spend time with them. Intimate relationships are born by learning to trust. Being open, vulnerable, and willing to show all of your heart invites intimacy. To be an intimate friend of God, you need to be able to share the most intimate details of your life, your hopes, your dreams, and your very heart with Him.
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 NIV)
Spending much time with the Lord is one of the only methods to truly know His ways and not just His acts. Knowing God leads to resting in the assurance of His ultimate goodness, despite the circumstances we see around us.
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV)
B. Get to know Him through the study of the Word of God and in prayer.
As you daily study His Word, you will soon get to know His will, His ways, and His heart, which will give you keys to know how to pray. When you understand the way He moves in the lives of people, you can pray prayers that line up to His will. Psalm 119 is a wonderful passage to meditate upon, as it tells us the rewards of studying His word.
C. Worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and watch as He births intimacy in your heart.
A good anointed worship time refreshes and revives you. It speaks to your spirit the truth about God and His power. To be an effective intercessor, you must be awake in your spirit. Worship will awaken and sharpen your spirit to be in tune with the will of the Lord.
D. Repent, keeping the door of your heart open to intimacy with God.
Ask the Lord to search your heart and to show you if there is any wicked way in it. The Lord is faithful to show us our motivations and secret desires. Keep a short account with the Lord.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)
To pray effectively, pray from a pure heart so that you don’t pray in bitterness, anger, and judgment.
E. Practice the presence of God. Practice just being with Him and enjoying His company.
Sometimes, just sitting with the Lord in silence can bring deep communion and refreshment to your spirit, soul, and body. You don’t always have to be talking to Him. You don’t always have to be expecting heavy revelation from heaven. In prayer, you can just enjoy being with Him.
Part of practicing the presence of God is understanding that He is with you always. This is a biblical fact and is not based on your emotions.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV)
God is always present. Learning to know He is there, however, will take time and patience. Just drink in His love, for in the presence of God, fear cannot reside, anxiety cannot reside, and heaviness cannot abide. You need to learn to tune into His presence. It is always there, but we need to practice becoming aware of it.
While we should always be in a state of prayer, ask the Lord what is the best time for you to go to Him in concentrated prayer. Some people are morning people, others can press into the Lord in the wee small hours of the night. Find out what works best for you.
