Intimacy

What do we do when we feel like God is far away?

Do we ever feel like the enemy is closing in?

Imagine yourself at the back of the line with Pharoah’s army closing in.

Exodus 6:6–9 (NKJV)

6 Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’ ” 9 So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

Exodus 14:9–11 (NKJV)

9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?

Intimacy

John 17:3 (NRSV)

3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

We were created as social beings because God is social. I believe social media is huge because people tend to be accepted and sometimes feel like something they are not. (I want to be somebody). The problem is we become isolated and sheltered in our own little world. (We can hide with no accountability to anybody)

1. What is Intimacy?

a. A process in which an individual expresses personal feelings and information to another and as a result of the other’s response comes to feel known, validated, and cared for.

There are 5 Characteristics – Emotional, Social, Intellectual, Sexual, Recreational

i. Emotional - which involves experiencing closeness of feelings[1]

1. This involves vulnerability

ii. Social - involving the experience of having common friends, similarities in social networks, and so on[2]

1. This is why women find it easier than men to develop close friendships

iii. Intellectual - involving the experience of sharing ideas[3]

iv. Sexual - involving the experience of sharing general affection and/or sexual activity[4]

1. This is a necessity for married couples

v. Recreational - involving the sharing of interests in hobbies, mutual participation in a sporting event, and so forth[5]

1. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

This epic rivalry began when these two NBA legends played for the NCAA men’s basketball championship for Indiana State and Michigan State. It culminated in five NBA Finals’ matchups and an enduring bond that lasts to this day. (Boston Celtics vs. LA Lakers)

2. Intimacy with God –

a. God’s desire is an intimate relationship with us. (I will be your God and you will be my people) Jeremiah 24:7

b. Adam and Eve, Moses, all the men in the Bible not to mention the apostles.

c. Misconceptions –

i. Intimacy is akin to sex – the world’s association. Since God is spirit, it would seem to make it difficult to be intimate with God. Funny how the devil tends to twist something good into something that it is not.

ii. Intimacy with God is only for ‘special’ people

1. This lines up with we must go to somebody else to get to God.

2. Remember the COI when Moses came down from the mountain?

iii. It’s too hard to figure out 'how' to get intimate with God.

1. Remember the Children of Israel at the end of the line?

3. What does intimacy with God look like?

a. Have you ever prayed and had God answer immediately?

b. Do you speak to God and He speaks back? (Can we hear God?

c. Do we bring our troubles to God when in a valley?

d. The problem of not bringing everything to God………………….being hurt

i. Sexual violation

1. 21.3% of women in the US have experienced sexual violation at some point in their lifetime. 81.3% of those, before age of 25.

2. 7.1% of men in the US have experienced sexual violation at some pint in their lifetime. 70.8% before the age of 25.

e. This statistic tells us there are a lot of people who are hurting and holding things inside.

i. Psalm 27:4–5 (NKJV)

One thing I have desired of the Lord,

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord,

And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.

ii. Have we ever allowed God to be our hiding place? Do we take refuge under His wings? (What does that even mean?)

iii. Trouble – evil, misery, distress, misfortune, disaster

4. How to get there.

a. Repentance

b. Discern if Love is your motivation

c. Renew and Govern our minds

d. Walk in the Spirit

5. How to Stay there.

a. Obey no matter what the cost

b. Immerse yourself in the word

c. Pursue God

d. Immerse yourself in worship

e. Stay in Church

As we age, our lives become very different than they were when we were young.

Marriage as an example – Early years, we spent time figuring out life together. Raising kids together, being too busy to ignore one another.

As the kids grew up and careers developed, did we stop talking, stop sharing, stop having common goals, grow tired?

It is the same with God….maybe the excitement of early salvation has gone away, maybe we have drifted away from God. (God has not drifted away from us) Maybe we are hiding from God.

[1] III, L. P. (1999). Intimacy. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 648). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[2] III, L. P. (1999). Intimacy. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 648). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[3] III, L. P. (1999). Intimacy. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 648). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[4] III, L. P. (1999). Intimacy. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 648). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[5] III, L. P. (1999). Intimacy. In D. G. Benner & P. C. Hill (Eds.), Baker encyclopedia of psychology & counseling (2nd ed., p. 648). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.