Married couples love to share their marriage journey, and one key theme that always comes up is the importance of being intentional in maintaining a strong relationship. Recently, my friend, who has been happily married for many years, shared with me how she and her husband prioritize communication throughout the day. They believe that this intentional effort is crucial for a successful marriage. It’s inspiring to see how dedicated they are to keeping their bond strong and thriving!.
Being intentional means to act purposefully and willingly with a specific goal in mind. Building intimacy also requires a significant amount of intentional effort. Growing in intimacy with God involves intentionally seeking to know Him more. This article explores some biblical precepts which will help us in deepening our relationship with God.
- Repent and Believe
Repentance and belief are key components of the Christian faith walk. Sin serves to separate us from God, our loving Father who longs for a close relationship with us. He sent his son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and deliver us from evil. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This act of repentance and belief allows us to experience the fullness of God’s grace and mercy in our lives and ushers us to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The good news of salvation through Jesus Christ has been proclaimed. “ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”(Mark 1:15).” God is so intentional about having an intimate relationship with us and so he sent Jesus Christ (out of his ultimate love of mankind) as the atonement for our sins and reconciled us to God. What are you doing about this good news you have heard?
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).
Take an intentional step today! Repent and believe in Jesus Christ for this is the fundamental step towards building a deep and intimate relationship with God.
- Be intentional about having a consistent life of prayer and meditation on the word of God.
Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11)
Consistency is important for growing in intimacy with God. By intentionally prioritizing regular prayer, Bible study/meditation on the word, we become committed to spiritual growth. Prayer is communicating with God. In praying, we talk to God and listen to God talk to us. Intentional effective communication is essential in building an intimate relationship. Just like Jesus regularly withdrew in solitude to spend time with God, we should intentionally set aside a quiet time in prayer, meditation and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. While fellowship with other believers is beneficial, it should not replace our individual time with God. Setting aside dedicated time each day for worship, prayer, and meditation will deepen our relationship with the Lord. Some sisters have shared their personal daily quiet time practices on https://arisesister.com/index.php/personal-expriences/ which can serve as an inspiration on maintaining a daily quiet time with God routine.
Other spiritual disciplines such as fasting will also help to deepen our relationship with God. Fasting involves abstaining from worldly pleasures in order to seek the Lord and align our desires with His will. Being intentional about spending time with God in daily prayer, word study/meditation and other spiritual disciplines like fasting will help us grow intimacy with God and provide guidance and clarity in daily life.
- Yield to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who lives in us and guides us in all truth. When we sin, the Holy Spirit convicts us, prompting us to repent and return to the right path. The Holy Spirit leads us to follow God’s teachings and do what is right in his eyes. He helps us live a faithful life in Jesus Christ, comforts us, and leads us to obey God’s word.
But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. (John 14:26).
Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our connection and journey with God is not burdensome. The Holy Spirit illuminates the teachings of God found in His word and unveils the boundless love of our Heavenly Father, transforming our relationship with God into a delightful and enriching experience. We must rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to grow in intimacy with God.
- Fellowship
The essence of Christian fellowship is for the edification of brethren in Christ to worship God, serve God and align with the purposes of God to make manifest His will on the earth.
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).
From the scriptures above, Christian fellowship is focused on a joint participation of Christians with the ultimate goal of worshiping God and edifying one another for growth in walk with Jesus Christ, and the core value of fellowship is love-Love for God and fellow brethren. Please Click on this link https://arisesister.com/index.php/2021/11/25/fellowship-to-build/ for more on fellowship. Be intentional about fellowshipping with others. It may be through your local church or joining a small Christian community fellowship groups which will help you grow in the faith.
- Seek God wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 29:13-14; Psalm 63:1-8)
Seeking God encompasses all the points mentioned above and more. One crucial aspect of seeking God is recognizing His presence in every aspect of our lives. God is deeply interested in every detail of our existence. Seeking God entails a heart posture that is surrendered to God and ready to walk in the leading of the Holy Spirit. God is faithful and we can trust him. All his plans are good plans for us to proper. God assures us that He never will I leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). In the Bible, King David serves as a powerful example of seeking God wholeheartedly. David’s unwavering faith and reliance on God enabled him to emerge victorious in every battle he faced. Even in times of hardship, David turned to God for deliverance. He viewed his wealth and blessings as gifts from God, prompting him to seek God even more fervently. It is no wonder that God referred to David as “a man after my own heart.” David found Joy and fulfillment in his fellowship with God and expressed in Psalm 63
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8)
In our own lives, we can emulate David’s example by seeking God in everything we do. By maintaining a posture of surrender and dependence on God, we can experience His faithfulness and guidance in all circumstances. Just as David found strength and victory through an intimate relationship with God, we too can find peace and fulfillment in our relationship with God.
Remain Blessed!
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Thank you arise Sister for this document of truth on having intimacy with God. I pray and internationally engage myself by the help of the Holy Spirit to put in practice these points you have made so that my relationship with my Father will be strength and intimate like that of David, and even our Lord Jesus Himself so help me Holy Spirit in Jesus name Amen.