Intimacy with God—Following the Footsteps of Jesus Christ (Bible Study)

Intimacy is closeness between people. You build it over time as you connect with someone, grow to care about each other, and feel more and more comfortable during your time together.

When a man is fond of a lady, it usually lead to relationship, and can even lead to marriage. When a minister is in love with God, he spends time with Him. And when he steps out of His presence, heaven confirms anything he says.

That was how some ministers of the old ignited revival fire in their cities and nations. When some of them stepped out on the street, both beer parlour owners, prostitutes, drunkards and criminals started crying and asked Jesus Christ to come into their hearts without anyone preaching to them. 

Any minister that truly want God to use him or her should learn the steps others took in the Bible. Brother Paul said,

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4 (NKJV).

You don’t have to search for patterns that generates certain results from different sources, just study your Bible and you’ll find them. 

One of those patterns is intimacy with God.

Any minister of God that wants to be used by God must master the art of intimacy with God—spending quality time in God’s presence at a certain time daily.

I think begging God for things and warfare obliterated many people’s prayer life. That is why some Christians cannot pray until you raise prayer points.

When you master the art of intimacy with God, you will migrate from prayer points to prayer life. You’ll discover that you are no longer struggling to pray. Five hours will look like thirty minutes.

Don’t get me wrong, we must engage in warfare. We must ask God for miracles, signs and wonders. We must ask God to intervene in our situations. But God is more interested in you than meeting your needs.

If you don’t follow God from this perspective, ministry can even become your god. Preaching can become your god. Serving in the church can become your god. You may become so busy serving God that you don’t even have time for the God you claim to be serving.

Several scriptural accounts shows that Jesus spent more time in God’s presence than in any other thing.

Let’s consider some of them.

After His baptism, brother Matthew reported:

“Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” Matthew 4:1-2 (NKJV).

Jesus is God. He could have started His ministry immediately after baptism, but He spent forty days in God’s presence first before stepping out. He fasted and prayed while in the wilderness.

After spending quality time in God’s presence, what happened next?

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” Luke 4:14-15 (NKJV).

He left the wilderness in the power of the Holy Spirit and the news about His exploits spread like wildfire. People started following Him about. His ministry was filled with signs and wonders. His teachings dazed even the highly educated teachers of His time. That is the product of intimacy with God.

It didn’t end there. Jesus also maintained that intimate relationship with God till He was crucified. Brother Mark reported:

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.” And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.” Mark 1:35-39 (NKJV).

Some Bible scholars opined that Jesus prayed for minimum of six hour every morning. He spent more time in God’s presence than in any other place. That was why miracles, signs and wonders erupted anywhere He went to.

Jesus talked to God more than He talked to men. Jesus valued His time with God more than the time He spent with others. Jesus spent quality time in God’s presence, and when He stepped out from His presence, God confirmed every word He uttered.

People visit all kinds of places to acquire power because they are too lazy to camp in God’s presence daily. They are too lazy to make fasting and prayer a lifestyle. That is why some servants of God became the servants of baal and asheral.

To embrace the art of intimacy with God, follow these simple steps:

(1). Choose a Place and Time.

Mark 1:35 gives us an idea of what Jesus did.

The previous day, Jesus had taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, healed a demon-possessed man who interrupted His teaching, healed Simon Peter’s mother-in-law of a fever, and then met to the needs of as many of the people of Capernaum as could get to Him. Instead of going to be, He went to recharge Himself by finding a “desolate place” to spend quality time with God the Father.

The Greek word used here, eremos, means a solitary, lonely, uninhabited place, which may be in a desert or wilderness.

Intimacy with God is like driving to the nearest petrol station to refuel when the car starts showing signs that the tank is almost empty. 

Many people are backsliding (including ministers of God) because they failed to refuel. They kept preaching and teaching with empty tank until they got stucked. They woke up one day and discovered that they are no longer passionate about God the way they used to be. They joined worldy gangs and things never remained the same again.

Don’t see this as a legalistic suggestion. But if you truly want to spend time with God, you must have a time and a place you meet with Him daily.

Talking about the Apostles, Luke reported:

“Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”Acts 3:1 (NKJV).

The ninth hour was 3PM.

According to bibletools.com, “This was one of their hours of prayer. It was customary with the Jews to pray three times a day, ( Daniel 6:10 ) which, according to the Psalmist in ( Psalms 55:17 ) were evening, morning, and at noon; to which seems to answer the three times that are taken notice of by Luke in this history: that in the morning was at the third hour, as in ( Acts 2:15 ) or nine o’clock in the morning; that at noon was at the sixth hour, as in ( Acts 10:9 ) or twelve o’clock at noon; and that in the evening at the ninth hour, as here, or three o’clock in the afternoon.”

Having a regimented prayer schedule will help you to be focused. If you do it for a long time, an inbuilt alarm will begin to remind you of the exact hour you must meet with God daily.

Talking about Adam, Moses opined,

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”Genesis 3:8 (NKJV).

There are several theological interpretations of this verse. Some said this was a metaphor, others said it was as real as it was written.

But there are two things that suggests that God literally showed up in the garden to meet with His children.

First, it is clear from Genesis 3:8 that God’s approach in the garden was heralded by a “sound” or a “voice.” The verse begins by stating, “They heard the sound” of the Lord God. Whatever form God took, it certainly allowed for the physical production of sound. His walk was audible; He was making noise.

Secondly, the verse mentioned the “presence” of God “among the trees” of the garden. It was a presence that Adam and Eve acknowledged and thought they could hide from. So, God’s garden walk included both sound and some sort of presence among the trees.

The Hebrew verb halak which was translated “walking” in that verse connotes repetitive and habitual movement. Contextually, I will say it connotes pacing around in worship or adoration to God.

Nevertheless, all we know is that God paid His children a visit and it is possible that He did it at a particular time daily.

To spend time in the presence of God you must develop a daily schedule. For Jesus it was early in the morning. For the Apostles it was 9AM, 12PM and 3PM. To Adam’s family it was in the cool of the day. Choose a time you must maintain daily.

The implication is that heaven already know when you normally show up in prayer. If you do it consistently, you will have diverse encounters that will change every aspect of your life.

Many Christians cannot hear and understand the voice of God because of their haphazard prayer life. Some Christians have never spent two hours in God’s presence. They are always in a hurry.

When a man loves a woman, he spends quality time with her. So, if you want God to use you in a powerful way, you must learn to spend quality time in His presence. If you do it consistently, He will unveil a supernatural dimension that will shock you.

(2). Engage in a Heartfelt Worship.

Spend quality time in worship when you come into His presence. Forget about your needs and challenges. Forget about the devil and focus on God. 

If you don’t know how to sing, there are hundreds, if not thousands of worship songs that can be playing in the background. Sing along. Let the song saturate the atmosphere. While writing this article, I was listening to Made a Way by Travis Greene. Powerful song.

I don’t know about you, but there is something that happens to me whenever I am listening to worship songs. There’s nothing wrong with praises, but I love worship. It changes the atmosphere and help me to yearn for God’s presence.

Worship helps to position our minds on God. It channels our hearts towards God. Worship is a powerful weapon that can be deployed to help you stay focused when you are in His presence.

When you watch Benny Hinn meetings you will notice that at some point, his movements and everything about him will change. If you look at the crowd you will see people shedding tears. That is when diverse miracles starts talking place.

Paul said,

“Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”Ephesians 5:19-21 (NKJV).

Learn to sing spiritual songs. Sometimes the song can turn into a chant. You start singing “Glory to the Lamb that sits on the throne”and at some point, you begin to chant some aspect of it. Spiritual songs can come in many ways. Just allow yourself to be lost in His presence. At that point, anything can happen. That is the secret of every genuine frontline minister of God anywhere in the world.

(3). Pray in the Spirit.
By the time the worship lifts up your spirit, you will literally switch over to tongues.

When you hear that someone prayed for ten hours, that’s what happened. They were lost in His presence and forgot to check time. The Holy Spirit took over from there and the person lost control.

Recently, I started giving my young friends a simple assignment. I call it “One hour daily tonguing!” I encouraged them to develop it as a habit. And if they can do it consistently for months and years, their spiritual lives will become very rugged, and they will witness supernatural manifestations that will shock them. 

Paul said,

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV).

The Holy Spirit knows the will of God. He knows the right way to pray. He knows the right prayer to be made. So, I hand over my tongue to Him when I am praying in tongues. He makes intercession for me. That is why praying in the spirit is so powerful.

“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…” 1 Corinthians 14:4.

The word “edify” in that verse comes from the Greek word, oikodomos. It means to build a house. To build someone up, to help someone to stand.

(4). Study the Word of God.
While the worship is still saturating the atmosphere, pick up your Bible and start reading. At that moment, you will discover mysteries in the scripture that will amaze you.

The Bible was written by the Holy Spirit. When you camp in His presence He will teach you His Word. He will uncover deep secrets in His Word that will take your ministry to the next level.

Talking about his personal experience, Paul the Great said,

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)”Galatians 1:15-20. (NKJV).

Paul camped in God’s for three straight years to download the mysteries that is still changing lives till today. I mean, you can’t read Paul’s letters without stopping at some point to marvel at his depth of understanding. It was a product of intimacy with God.

Dear minister of God, stop hustling to be known. Stop playing games. Stop scrambling to be popular on the social medial. Stop using special titles. Just camp in His presence and God will advertise you. He knows how to do it. Stop using mechanical strategies to get preaching invitations. Stop!! Allow the Caller to advertise the called!

Jesus camped in His presence for forty days and nights. What happened after that?

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” Luke 4:14-15 (NKJV).

That will be your testimony from today.

What I shared with you is my little secret. I am not perfect in it yet. But the little I do has reveled a dimension of God that surprises me.

May God give you the grace to be genuinely hungry for His presence. May God help you to desire His presence more than the ministry itself. Welcome to the world of unlimited possibilities!!

If you want to receive Jesus into your heart, say this short prayer and believe it from your heart:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you died to rescue me from damnation. Come into my heart and save me. I declare today that You are my Lord and personal Saviour. I am saved. I am born again. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

Order my books like Wonders of Faith and Higher Life In Christ to learn more.

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