A video of this teaching is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=U2wDdBtXfFM

Our Intimacy with God

Sunday, September 02, 2012 5:57 PM

Life Principle 1 - Our Intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - Determines the impact of our lives There are three persons in a person: 1) The one we think we are 2) The one others think we are 3) The one God sees

Psalm 63:1-8
A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.
1O

God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

King David had learned that only the Father's love could satisfy his heart's deepest longings (Ps. 63:3).

A. Direct. The Lord is the ultimate authority over each and every person's lifeeven those who refuse to acknowledge His sovereignty.

B. Distinct. If you have trusted in Jesus' death on the cross to pay for your sin-debt, you've become one of God's children and have a unique relationship with Him.

C. Distant. Sometimes God's children allow their relationship with Him to suffer. They may attend church, but might not read their Bibles faithfully or know how to relate to the Lord in prayer. As a result, they excuse sin in their lives and don't have a sense of oneness with Him. D. Developing. Some believers passionately pursue relationship with the Father on a continual, daily basisregardless of life's circumstances.

Leonard Ravenhill No man is greater than his prayer life To be much for God, we must be much with God A praying saint stops sinning

A. Stability. In the midst of life's storms, a solid relationship with God is your anchor. He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber; Psalms 121-3 B. Security. You can have the assurance that He is always with you, ready to help in any situation or circumstance. Hebrews 13:6 - So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

He who kneels before God will stand in any situation.

C. Serenity. Intimacy gives you quietness and peace in your

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my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" He who kneels before God will stand in any situation.

C. Serenity. Intimacy gives you quietness and peace in your spirit, no matter what happens. You can trust that the Lord will guide you through difficulty.- You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you Isaiah 26:3 D. Sensitivity. God will give you greater spiritual understanding and increased awareness to the needs of others. .

III. Requirements for an Intimate Relationship with God

A. A Spiritual Focus. For most people, the word "intimacy" is associated primarily with sexuality. But genuine fellowship with God involves relating to Him on an emotional and spiritual level rather than a physical one.
B. Personal Involvement. The Lord created humans in His image so that all people could relate to Him on an individual basis. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer, giving each one the ability to develop a personal friendship with Christ. C. Trust. Intimacy cannot exist without trust. If you and I refuse to surrender to and obey God, we can't expect to have an intimate relationship with Him. D. Love. Oneness with God must be motivated out of love, not duty. Remember that God forgave you on the basis of Christ's death on the cross. You don't have to earn His affection. Let that fact motivate you to freely and genuinely devote yourself to knowing Him better. E. Openness and Transparency. Confess specific sins and shortcomings to the Lord. Be honest with Him, and intimacy will grow. F. Two-way Communication. Ask the Father to show you how to hear His guidance for your life, and set aside time to listen to Him. G. Time and Effort. You must devote yourself to knowing the Lord if you want to experience the fullness of friendship with Him.

Naturally, if you have sin in your life, that will separate your from God. Isaiah 59:2 Not only that, Satan will accuse you before God Zechariah 3:1-2 3 Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angels right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.

If you have any hurt or guilt towards anyone, you cannot enjoy God's presence.

If you hate yourself, you can not enjoy God's presence. A. Pride. Some put their trust in themselves and
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Matthew 22:36-40

If you hate yourself, you can not enjoy God's presence.

A. Pride. Some put their trust in themselves and pursue relationships, accomplishments, or possessions instead of a relationship with the Father.
B. Rebellion. When we deliberately disobey the Lord, we cannot have intimacy with Him. C. Hurry. Some people never find intimacy with God because they are always impatient.

Matthew 22:36-40
New Living Translation (NLT) 36 Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses? 37 Jesus replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.
Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/? search=Matthew+22:36-40&version=NLT>

VI. Conclusion:

We need to ask God for a gift of prayer life. We need to consecrate ourselves to 1) Prayer 2) Holiness 3) Word of God.

I pray your relationship with God is characterized by unity, surrender, and joy. But if you aren't experiencing intimacy with the Lord, He desires to reveal Himself in a personal way to you. Let go of pride, confess your sin and rebellion, and devote yourself to a relationship with Him. David wrote, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever" (Ps. 16:11). As you take time to discover the awesome depth of the Father's love through an intimate relationship with Him, you will find satisfaction in the deepest longings of your heart

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