THE SECRET OF INTIMACY WITH GOD

We hear it a lot today: "intimacy with God". The church has grown steadily from predominantly legalistic and worshiping God "from afar", to focusing more on the aspect of relationship with God and now (at last) discovering that we are meant to have an individual and corporate walk with God. Like Abraham had and was called a friend of God. Like Enoch had and didn't die...! Like Jesus had and experienced oneness with God... and He told us we could have that too!

What if I told you that you could indeed be God's friend, become one with Him and even.... not die...?😳 That's a topic for another day though...😉

Do YOU want to grow closer to God?

Many say so, but they are only talking the talk. They aren’t really really willing to walk the walk. They want God on their terms, not His...😢 That is why the church is contaminated with all kinds of sin that we now justify, even if the Word clearly says otherwise. And who knows that for every step we take closer to God, the devil will try and ensnare us with something that will draw us away from Him? We justify our sins in terms that the world understand (and shows compassion for) oblivious of the fact that, in running after those things, we are sacrificing our God-given destiny...

Listen, it's not that complicated: either you WANT to have a really fulfilling, exciting, empowering and meaningful relationship with God, or you don't. If you don't, you can stop reading now and continue your mediocre Christianity. I won't try to convince you otherwise. But if you do want more, then there is only one way: start living in the Spirit and stop living in the flesh.

In practical terms it means that we can’t just take what we want from the Word (the blessings and the promises) and discard the rest (the element of obedience). The Bible is very clear about what living in the flesh looks like and what living in the Spirit looks like. (Galatians 5) We can't decide that God should be more understanding about this or that. As a matter of fact, He IS understanding, to such an extent that He gave the life of His Son to provide a way for us to become free of sin! That is how understanding He is! If there is one of us who does not see the bigger picture, its us, not God! (duh!🙄) Our problem is that we constantly put ourselves on the pedestal thinking that we know best after all.

Jesus died so you may be free of sin, not so that you may freely sin!

Every one of us who decide that they want more of God, must choose between living in the flesh and living in the Spirit. God put me before the challenge a while ago and I had to radically remove things from my life. It’s not easy!! But He helps us and I'm happy to notice that resisting sin now becomes more of a reflex to me than an effort that takes all of my energy. Make no mistake, the benefits of living in the Spirit far outweighs anything that the flesh has to offer: both now and in the Life to come. I'll even go as far as to say: you have NO idea to what extent...😏

If you want to walk with God, be called His friend and do even greater things than what Jesus had done, then you have to count the cost of your choice and make it... You already know in your heart which sacrifices you will have to make and it may seem really difficult. You may have to quit drugs, stop seeing a lover or get out of a homosexual relationship... But ask yourself this:

Is it a worse sacrifice than what Jesus had to make to save you...?

If you want all of HIM, then be ready to give Him all of YOU.