Diving into Intimacy

by Pastor Shan Kikon- 18th May 2020.

Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for the water brooks so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God…

The Almighty, All Powerful God that even the heavens of heavens can’t contain is also a personal, relational being. He wants to enter into intimate union with humanity. And in every man He has in-built this desire for intimate relationship – men with the creator of the universe.

In these times of the pandemic lockdown, I believe God is calling His church, His bride into His presence and spend time with Him, not only as a religious discipline, but to pursue deep, intimate fellowship.

WHAT IS INTIMACY? It means closeness. The state of having a close personal relationship with someone.

CHRIST’S PURPOSE

Jesus Christ did not sacrifice His life on the cross, only to save us from our sins and get us to heaven. That is the initial purpose. BUT THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE WAS AND ALWAYS WILL BE TO BRING MEN INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. Let’s look at two verses that emphasise this;

2 Cor 5:18 who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

The word Reconciliation means, ‘a restoration to the divine favor’. I believe it means that believers in Christ are restored into the Divine Favor of relationship and intimacy, with God that Adam possessed in the Garden, before the fall.

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may KNOW You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

The word ‘know’ in this verse is the Greek word- ‘Ginosko’. This word is a transliteration of a Greek word for our word ‘know’. There are four different words in Greek for our word ‘know’ and each have a different meaning. Let’s look at two words today for our purpose. ‘Eido’ and ‘Ginosko’.

‘Eido’ means knowledge of the facts or having information about something or someone.

Whereas, ‘Ginosko’ is a knowledge that is personal, relational, and intimate. For example: I know (eido) the PM OF INDIA. This means I have information and facts about him. But I really do not have personal, intimate knowledge of him, and he does not know me either. I also know (eido) my wife Akumtila, but after 15 years of marriage I really know (ginosko) my wife. I have knowledge that is more than information and facts, that has come from living with a person closely for 15 years, daily.

The study of the Bible is not only for gaining information about God (eido), but to ultimately grow in our intimate, personal love relationship with this great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (ginosko). 

Worship services, bible studies and church activities are never meant to be just an exercise in gathering and learning knowledge and engage in religious works-  which can lead to spiritual pride. All of these are simply doors that open the way into the room of intimacy with God. Every sermon and knowledge of scripture should become a pathway that leads us directly to the act of engaging personally with Jesus Christ and God.

CHRIST GIVES US INTIMACY WITH THE FATHER

In the Old Testament we see that Moses climbed the mountain and talked to God. He then came down to the people and told them what God had said.
In contrast in Jesus , God comes down from the mountain and speaks to His people, face to face. Jesus models this intimate relationship for all humanity to enter into. When He taught His disciples to say the Lord’s Prayer, He instructed them to address God as “Our Father in heaven”. The more accurate translation of the Lord’s Prayer is “Our Abba who is in heaven…” The original texts use the word “Abba,” which is the word that little Israeli children still use for their “Daddies.” It’s a word that connotes the deepest sentiments and emotions of closeness and intimacy between a child and his father.

Through Christ we can have intimate relationship with the Trinity. To know him and to be known by Him, in a personal, relational and intimate manner. A dynamic relationship that builds over time and patience and effort.Intimacy with God is the most exciting, most amazing , most exhilarating and most rewarding aspect of our Christian life. Even more than the miracles, healings and provision that God supplies to those who believe.

Intimacy With God quotes:

Your strength lies in your intimacy with God.

As you develop intimacy with God, the supernatural becomes natural.

Royalty is my identity, Servanthood is my assignment, Intimacy with God is my life source- Bill Johnson

A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men – Leonard Ravenhill- disciples of Jesus.

The greatest longing in the soul of men is not riches or pleasure- but an intimate relationship with His creator. Because that’s what he is created for- loving, intimate fellowship. – shan kikon.

But for many Christians the very word- intimacy- is intimidating. I have noticed over the years of ministry that many sincere believers have a fear of genuine, vulnerable intimacy- and they would rather find comfort and security-  in the dull, dreary disciplines of religion and tradition.

This saying, brings forth the truth in a brilliant and simple way.

“Prayer is either a discipline or a delight. If you focus on the act of prayer it is a discipline, when you focus on a person (GOD) it becomes a delight. Prayer as a delight is centered on GOD.”
― Kingsley Opuwari Manuel

The most important part of prayer is not how you prayed – the words you used, the posture of your body , whether it was a spiritual posture or not the tone of your voice and the time you spent – but the intimacy it creates.

A fear of intimacy results from a Wrong image of God.That He is distant. That he is vengeful and judgemental. That He will reject me at my first mistake and failing.That He is more interested in performance, rather than relationship.

The truth is that God is love (1 John 4:8) and spending time with Him should be a delight and a pleasure.

1 Corinthians 6:17 but he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

This verse tells us that ‘in Christ’ we have a vital union and Oneness with God. That we are in union with God, in the spirit. When we realise our true identity in the spirit, then we will become very comfortable with the idea of intimacy. The fish is perfectly comfortable in the environment of water. It can thrive in that environment perfectly, because that is what the fish is created for. When we understand our true nature- that we are first and foremost, spirit beings created in the image of God- not physical or soulish beings- intimacy with God will become our natural environment.

TAKING THE STEPS

I have discovered over the years that pursuing intimacy is more an art than a systematic teaching, a list of do’s and don’ts or a 10 step program. There can be no rules to intimacy. Instruction and guidance is important and necessary, but only as a broad guideline. You just have to engage with God, through Christ like you do with a real person. That’s all.

It is like swimming. you may attend all the classes on swimming and be a theory expert, but unless you dive into the water you will never learn how to swim. You will never enter into intimacy, unless you take the ‘dive’- make a concious, deliberate effort to engage with God.

• Begin talking to Him as you would to a real person next to you.
• Spend time listening to Him.
• Read His word and meditate on it.
• Release thanksgiving and praises to Him, as you would to a person in front of you.