Knowing God More Intimately

4 years ago Evangelical Ministry 4
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Introduction:

As long as an heir is still a child, he can’t be trusted with meaningful matters – Gal. 4:1–2. As long as you have not grown into intimacy with God, you can’t enjoy certain rights of a believer.

Many Christians do not have personal intimacy with God and it is very dangerous. Some Christians want to serve a God that provides them with whatever they need at every given time, but, the truth is; if you don’t meet the standard God has set, forget it.

Those who will serve God, must prepare to serve Him in spirit and in truth. God is looking for people that will prove to the world that He is alive. How do you do this?By living your life to match with that of God.

All the gifts, all the offices, are given for the growth of God’s elects (Eph. 4:7-13). The primary purpose of spiritual gifts is for the perfection of the saints. In this perfection, our Faith grows by relationship/intimacy.

This generation is in need of those who are ready to walk and work with God in intimacy.

7 Steps to Build Intimacy with God:

When you pay close attention to these steps, everyday of your life will bring new intimacy.

2 Peter 1:3 says that God has given us everything needed to partake in his divine nature.

Here are the 7 Steps to Building an Intimate Relationship with God as Revealed by Saint Peter in 2 Peter 1:5-10:

1. Virtue/Goodness.
2. Knowledge
3. Temperance/Self Control
4. Patience/Endurance
5. Godliness
6. Brotherly affection
7. Love/Charity

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We’ll breakdown these steps in details

1. Virtue/Goodness:

For intimacy to be established with God, you must remove anything evil for the eyes of the Lord is too Holy to behold iniquity (Habbakuk 1:13).

The old man has to die. When you draw near to God, He will also draw near to us (James 4:8). At every given point in our life, we must reject sin and it’s enticement.

At the age of 17, Daniel refused a King’s contaminated meal for the sake of His God. Joseph at the age of 16 knew when to run away from Portipher’s wife. Many Christians today engage in illegal businesses, many have compromised at their offices, “maka ego nke uwa.”

Proverbs 20:17 says that anything acquired in illicit ways gives pleasure but the end is pitiable. One unique feature about men who built intimacy with God in the scripture is their ability to say NO even when the croud have said YES. Read Revelation 21:8, 15-18, 1 John 3:9.

2. Knowledge:

God’s people perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). St. Jerome said that ignorant of the scripture is ignorant of God. When you know the knowledge and truth in God, you will be set free (John 8:32). Whoever that wants to be in strong terms with God must be a disciple of the Bible. You must read the scripture inside out.

3. Self Control:

It is important to note that you will never graduate to intimacy until you learn the Principles of separation (moral and social). This helps in the life of discipline. Many giants have fallen for lack of self control. When kings go to war, David was idly looking around at the balcony of his house, the end point became sleeping with Uriah’s wife and the rest was history. Until a man separates himself from the activities of the world, he won’t get to intimacy. Read 2Cor. 6:17-18, 1Cor. 9:24-27 to know how to separate yourself.

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4. Endurance/Patience:

It takes someone with patience in God to smile and rejoice even in outright provocation. A man’s endurance is tested when God keeps silence for a while.

5. Godliness:

This is all about spiritual exercises (1Timothy 4:8) which includes a life of prayer, fasting, meditation and silence. Intimacy is built when this are present in a man’s life.

6. Christian Affection:

Gal. 6:2 – Any Christian community that needs free spiritual flow of power and God’s presence must carry each other’s burden.

7. Love/Charity:

The mother Church has failed in this area. There was equity among the believers of old as they sold their properties and brought them to the disciples’ feet. Each person’s need was solved according to their degree of needs.

SHALOM!

(This is a brief summary of the message titled “Knowing God More Intimately” delivered by Bro Lotanna Ezeukwo on April 17, 2021 during the 2-Day Prayer Camp of Bread of Life Prayer Group, CCRN St. Joseph Parish Unizik Tempsite Awka Anambra State)