Draw Near Series

Series: You asked for it – How to Draw near to God?

One of the questions that surfaced was the following: “Intimacy with God ---- What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like? How do you stay connected to God?”

So, we will be looking at these questions today!

Video Illustration: Coffee with Jesus!

By the way this is not how you draw near to God and create an intimate relationship with Him!

Scripture Texts:

James 4:8 “Come near to God and he will come near to you...”

Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Thesis: We cannot settle for a dry shallow view of Christianity in our life and just know of God we must be willing to go deeper into a relationship with God to actually know God intimately. This is the essence of the type of Christianity Jesus emphasized in His teachings and this is what the Bible promotes as genuine Christianity and the sign of a disciple of the Lord.

Introduction:

The great invitation from God - the one who sits on the throne in Heaven - the one who created the universe - is not just to worship Him from afar with words and rituals! But instead to enter a relationship that is so meaningful and intimate that we come to know God’s heart and He in turn responds to touch our spirit, heart and soul.

The question which was asked, “Intimacy ---- What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like?”

In January Tom F. asked me to speak at his intimacy conference in July and I must admit I felt a little intimidated from this ask. Why? Because Tom flows so strongly in this vein of the spirit. I prayed about it and I heard Gods voice say, “Do this for me, for my people and for their soul and for your own soul.”

So, I have for many months – really since about the beginning of January 2018, been pressing deeper into “intimacy with God!” Please note, I did do this before, but I had to be honest with myself I could do better. I decided to go to this new more reflective spiritual level in my own personal devotional life with the Lord. I started scheduling more prayer time with God, mostly doing a lot more prayer walks, reading more books on prayer and intimacy with God, doing more devotionals, having more reflective prayer times and even being more intentional about intimacy moments with God. I started listening to more intimate worship music too.

Since being asked to speak on this subject I have lost 45+ pounds, I have cried more, I have soul searched more, I have repented more! I have decided to stop doing ministry as my job and just draw closer to God with my spirit, soul and body. I have reflected more about my life, my own desires, my internal focus, my use of time and my family.

I set out on this mission of deeper intimacy with God to learn more about this life changing subject of connection with God.

If you recall our motto here is: Connect with God and Connect with people.

I was praying one day and felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to ask the question to my family, my staff, and on Facebook – it was this question, “How do you experience intimacy with God?”

So, I listened, read and listened to others share about this special time with God.

Asking this question has been very enlightening to say the least! The Holy Spirit spoke to me through each person’s heart felt answer to me.

Here are some of their responses:

It’s when I meet with Jesus at Starbucks for coffee and devotions – a 21 year old millennial told me!

Having dinner with God just me and Him creates intimacy with me and God.

Pastor Beth said, “Intimacy with God comes to me in worship and in hearing Gods voice” – she said, “it’s a dialogue with me and God – I have discovered that if I am weak in intimacy then it impacts my attitude with others.”

Pastor Brennan responded to my question about intimacy saying “That it is strong when I don’t compartmentalize God in my day. When God is a part of my whole day there is an intimate connection made with Him.”

Pastor Donald – said “Intimacy with God for me is setting time with the Lord and lingering in His presence.”

Pastor Ed said, “For me it’s through prayer times and it is what releases the power and presence of Him that I need to do ministry.”

Some Other’s responses:

Intimacy moments happen when He opens my spiritual eyes and senses to what is going on around me and I experience His presence and insight in that moment.