July 13th, 2003
THE RESTORING OF OUR INTIMACY WITH GOD
Through Prayer
I can’t tell you how many sermons I’ve heard and done on prayer. In fact… it seems almost overwhelming.
· We are told to pray to a God that we cannot see.
· We are told that He answers prayer.
· We are told that He wants us to come to Him as a Father.
· We are told that He desires an intimate relationship with us.
Quite honestly… I want all of that also. However… it just seems that a lot of stuff interferes with our intimacy levels with it comes to talking to God.
The Bible says that Adam walked with God in the cool of the day.
It also says that Abraham was a friend of God.
Enoch was so close to God that God just took him up into heaven.
Over and over we read of people that had this intimacy with God. If you are like me – you ask – How can I have that also.
I was reading the Song of Solomon the other day. Notice the depth of their intimacy. (This could be likened to what our relationship needs to be with God.)
How many romantics do we have in the room?
Song 1:2 Young Woman: "Kiss me again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
Song 1:3 How fragrant your cologne, and how pleasing your name! No wonder all the young women love you!
Song 1:4 Take me with you. Come, let’s run! Bring me into your bedroom,
Song 1:15 Young Man: "How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful! Your eyes are soft like doves."
Song 2:3 Young Woman: "And compared to other youths, my lover is like the finest apple tree in the orchard. I am seated in his delightful shade, and his fruit is delicious to eat.
Song 2:4 He brings me to the banquet hall, so everyone can see how much he loves me.
Song 2:5 Oh, feed me with your love--your ’raisins’ and your ’apples’--for I am utterly lovesick!
Song 2:6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.
Song 2:8 "Ah, I hear him--my lover! Here he comes, leaping on the mountains and bounding over the hills.
Song 2:9 My lover is like a swift gazelle or a young deer. Look, there he is behind the wall! Now he is looking in through the window, gazing into the room.
Song 2:10 "My lover said to me, ’Rise up, my beloved, my fair one, and come away.
Song 2:11 For the winter is past, and the rain is over and gone.
Song 2:12 The flowers are springing up, and the time of singing birds has come, even the cooing of turtledoves.
Song 2:13 The fig trees are budding, and the grapevines are in blossom. How delicious they smell! Yes, spring is here! Arise, my beloved, my fair one, and come away.’"
Song 2:16 Young Woman: "My lover is mine, and I am his. He feeds among the lilies!
THIEVES OF INTIMACY WITH GOD
· Weariness
· Laziness
· Wandering mind (boredom)
· Busyness
· Problems
· Guilt
· Worldliness
· Unbelief
· Etc.
Last week we talked about how our spirits get clogged up and we have a difficulty “connecting with God.”
Today… I want to further our understanding of the spirit man and how it works.
Go with me first to 1 Thessalonians 5:23…
1 Th 5:23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Man was created with a three –part nature – not a two-part nature as many people think.
Many people think that the spirit and soul are one and the same. This isn’t true.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Body – The dimension of man that deals with the physical realm. The house in which we live!
Soul – The dimension of man that deals with the mental realm. Man’s intellect.
It is the part that reasons and thinks.
It is where our will is – we choose.
It is where our emotions (reactions) are.
This is where the war over sin and temptation take place.
Spirit – The dimension of man that deals with the spiritual realm. It is the part of man that knows God.
It is interesting…
· Man works this way… Body – Soul - Spirit.
· God works this way… Spirit – Soul – Body.
The Spirit part of man is that which makes him higher than animals. They have a body and soul but not a spirit.
Before our salvation… we were only aware of the physical realm. Our spirit was dead. John 3:3 says that we “cannot see the kingdom of God.
Our spirit was darkened and turned inward. The soul part of us stresses the importance of the Body – its desires and pleasures.
Now… you and I cannot know God or touch him physically. He is not a man. He is a Spirit.
But… we can reach Him with our Spirit, and it is through our spirit that we can come to know God.
Our spirit is opened up when we come to God. We will have a new body at the coming of Jesus.
2 Cor 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
The real “me” (my spirit) is growing day by day. It is getting younger as it is being renewed daily.
My body might be growing older but my spirit is growing younger.
Man’s Spirit has five senses just as the body does. These all need to be filled with God’s spirit.
· We have an inner man, which hears the voice of God.
· We have the inner eye, which sees God’s vision.
· We have an inner mind – which ponders the voice and vision of God.
· We have an inner will – which decides to speak forth the vision and voice of God.
· We have inner emotions – which constitute the deep underlying emotions of our lives and provide the desire for action.
This becomes the basis for our understanding of prayer.
Jesus’ inner senses of sight and hearing were such that his whole life flowed out of what God was revealing to Him through them.
John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Once we set our sights to the inner man - it will help us to become FILLED with the purposes of God which are not negative but positive - in contrast- to Satan’s.
The whole idea is… if I want to be intimate with God – I need to keep the spirit free and clean.
How do I restore intimacy with God in my life?
What Are The Essentials Of Intimacy? (The “Yada” Factor)
Gen 4:1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."
‘Knew” – Hebrew word “yada” – intimacy.
· AVAILABILITY – (to be there)
This is not something you develop but something you do.
Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
King Uzziah had just died. The country was in turmoil.
God was calling Isaiah. He started showing him visions of God and his holiness. God started to plant seeds of ministry in Isaiah’s life about his call and ministry.
The Lord said… “Who wants to go? Whom shall he send? Isaiah immediately said… “Here am I! Send me.”
We must make ourselves available.
When I started dating Denise… intimacy didn’t just happen. WE had to spend time together getting to know one another.
I need to tell her often of how much I love her.
I met with a couple for counseling one day. She said… “He never says that he loves me.”
This is true but sad. He said… “I told you I loved you on the day that we were married. If I change my mind – “I’ll let you know.”
Mark 12:41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.
Mark 12:42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.
Mark 12:43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;
Mark 12:44 "for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
· This woman didn’t have a lot to give. However… that didn’t stop her in being available for God.
· When Jesus needed a boat to preach from – Peter made his boat available.
We must take what we have and make it available to God.
· God asked Moses what was in his hand. His reply was that it was just a stick. God used that.
· The little boy only had five fish and two loaves. Again God used that because it was available.
Are you making yourself available to God today?
To have AVAILABILITY there must be a depth of:
1- Consistency – not just once a year, and…
Again… If my marriage is going to survive – I need to show consistent love and support.
I don’t just love when “I feel like it.”
I don’t’ pray just when I feel like it. I don’t come to God just when I’m in trouble. It’s a consistent thing.
Cornelius “prayed always.”
Daniel prayed three times a day.
Jesus prayed for a blind man once and he wasn’t healed. He then prayed again.
Paul says that he prayed for Timothy day and night.
The Bible says in Hebrews that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
2- Reliability – “God… you can count on me.”
When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:1-14) – he didn’t question God but just quietly submitted and obeyed God.
We know the story… Just as he was about to go through with it – God provided another sacrifice.
God could count on Abraham.
He could count on Job. Even though Satan brought all sorts of difficulty and stress in his life… God could count on Job to do the right thing.
· QUALITY – (to be there with the best I have)
This is coming to God with excellence and total attention.
When is your best time to come to God?
Mornings? Evenings?
Do I come to God when there are a lot of distractions?
It’s hard to listen to God when you are competing with the radio and the TV and every one talking.
Am I giving quality time with God in such a way that I don’t go to sleep?
Am I giving him my whole heart?
Psa 119:2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart!
2 Chr 15:12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
2 Chr 15:15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.
1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
To have QUALITY there must be a depth of:
1. Intensity
When we have quality – there is an intensity and passion about what we are doing.
There needs to be an intensity added to our prayers.
The Bible says that Epaphras was “labouring” in prayer for the Colossian church.
It says that Jesus “travailed in His soul.”
Paul prayed exceedingly for the “Thessalonian church.
“Keep on knocking. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking.
With groanings which cannot be uttered!
Laboring, travailing, praying exceedingly shows the intensity of prayer.
There is nothing wrong with quiet time in prayer – BUT THERE ARE TIMES THAT YOU NEED TO BE A LITTLE MORE INTENSE.
2. Sensitivity
This is where we make our hearts sensitive to God to “hear” what He is saying to us.
1 Sam 3:1 Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.
1 Sam 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,
1 Sam 3:3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the LORD where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
1 Sam 3:4 that the LORD called Samuel. And he answered, "Here I am!"
1 Sam 3:5 So he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." And he said, "I did not call; lie down again." And he went and lay down.
1 Sam 3:6 Then the LORD called yet again, "Samuel!" So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
1 Sam 3:7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.)
1 Sam 3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. Then he arose and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you did call me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD had called the boy.
1 Sam 3:9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ’Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’ " So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
1 Sam 3:10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears."
· INTEGRITY – (to be there with a right heart)
To have INTEGRITY there must be a depth of:
1- Honesty
Both to God and man!
How do people around me view me? Am I one way with people and another way with God?
This is the quality of being truthful.
Am I truthful with God?
2- Sincerity
This is the quality of being genuine.
Jer 9:6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me," says the LORD.
I can never truly know God if I have deceit in my heart.
I must be honest and sincere outside of my prayer closest so I can be honest with God inside my prayer closet.
Dan 6:4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.
Psa 41:12 As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever.
· LOYALTY – (to be there with devotion)
This is the last step to intimacy.
Notice the story of David from 2 Samuel 15:13-23 (especially v.15)
2 Sam 15:13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."
2 Sam 15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."
2 Sam 15:15 And the king’s servants said to the king, "We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands."
2 Sam 15:16 Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
2 Sam 15:17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.
2 Sam 15:18 Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.
2 Sam 15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.
2 Sam 15:20 "In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you."
2 Sam 15:21 And Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be."
2 Sam 15:22 So David said to Ittai, "Go, and cross over." Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.
2 Sam 15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.
David was being run out of his own kingdom. He had some loyal subjects who committed to being absolutely loyal to him.
Loyalty implies a close personal relationship – even in the temptation to ignore it.
To have LOYALTY there must be a depth of:
1- Fidelity
This is a careful observance of duties
2- Dependability
I believe that loyalty is the nucleus of intimacy.
You could have no availability, no quality, and no honesty with loyalty.
In intimacy… remember this: Union leads to conception. Conception leads to birth. Birth leads to life.
BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH INTIMACY!
Ezek 22:30 "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
You have a choice today… You can know God or you can know about God.
I believe that God is restoring our intimacy through prayer.
He wants to answer your prayer. He desires for you to come to him and be close in intimacy with Him.
I want to be so in tune with God that I am hearing Him – even when He speaks so quietly to my heart.
IT’S MY CHOICE TODAY WHETHER I WILL PUT A WALL UP OR NOT!
Phil 3:10 that I may know Him …
