Intimacy With God

21st March, 2010

Written By Rev Law Hui Seng

Posted By Teresa Han

Exodus 33:9-11; 40:35; 2Chronicles 16:9; Jeremiah 9:23-24; John 17:21-22
Main Idea: Need to have an intimate relationship with God
Objectives: a. To teach that you need to give priority to intimacy with God; b. To teach the effects of intimacy with God.

A. Introduction
- God looks for men and women who live and minister out of an intimate relationship with God. Do you believe so?
- Our faith with this creator of the universe, God almighty is such that He actually desires us to have intimacy with Him.
- Look at these verses in the Old Testament and New Testament.

Biblical Foundation of Intimacy With God.
- Exodus 33:9-11 “As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud could come come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses... The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speak with a friend.” You see how God initiates to speak to Moses as a friend. Is it eye opening for you to know God can be your friend? Have you been so close with God, in the person of Jesus?
- Exodus 40:35 “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” You see God’s presence can be with the tabernacle of Israelites in the Old Testament. God could be close with His people.
- 2Chronicles 16:9 “Thus saith the Lord run to fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on the behalf of him whose heart is perfect toward Him.”
- Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.”
- John 17:21-22 “ Father, just as You are in me and I am in You. May they also be in us...”

B. The Problem: Wrong Priority
- Our serious problem is that we do not give God, the intimacy with God a priority. Sometimes, we feel so lonely, so empty, so shallow, we feel we are enslaved to a schedule that controls us.
- Or, we may not be aware of such thing as intimacy with God.
- Some us may see the need for an intimate personal relationship with God but we do not know how to do it.
- Lots of Christians may know a great deal about God and godliness without really knowing him.
- Richard Foster, “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a great number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”
- The solution is for us to go deeper in our relationship to God.
- See what the book of Daniel says, 2:2 “He reveals the deep and secret things: He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him.”
- 1Corinthians 2:10 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,’ but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”

C. Where Do We Start?
- Psalm 42:1,2 “As the deer pants for stream of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
- You need to fall in love with Jesus all over again. John 21:5 “Peter, do you love me?”

D. Effects of going deeper in our knowledge and experience of God.
- Firstly, you are empowered by God and you have great energy for God. You see this in Daniel 11:32 - “With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will resist him.”
- Secondly, you will have great thoughts of God. Daniel 9:4 “I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands,...”
- Thirdly, you show great boldness for God. Acts 5:29 “Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather men!”
- Fourthly, you have great commitment in God. Philippians 4:11-13 “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

E. Conclusion.
- Our God is the God who is in the form of a person. As a person, He can relate to you personally in an intimate relationship. Would you respond to relate intimately with Him.
- You miss this, you miss Christianity.