Pursuing Intimacy

Intimacy with the Father is the foundation of our identity as sons and daughters.m Psalm 91

I WAS talking on my cordless phone the other day and it started to make this clicking noise. It continued for a little while and then I heard one final click and then my phone went dead. I had no power. Do you know why there was no power? The receiver had been off the charger too long. It had been hanging out in the room, far away from the base, and so the power was all gone. So do you know what I did? I walked my receiver over to the base because the base had the power. After the receiver had a chance to hang out with the base for a little while, I walked over and picked up the receiver to find that it had power once more. Why? Because I brought it to where the power was. When I connected my receiver to the power, all of a sudden I could hear again. Some of us have lives that are clicking and nothing is happening because we have not connected ourselves with the base.112 [Intimacy, with God]

Phil. 3:8–11 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Intimacy is a powerful thing. When we become intimate with the Lord, it can create deep feelings of joy and contentment that last for eternity!

Intimacy is a place where God dwells. As you pursue Him and yield yourself fully, He will reveal Himself more deeply to your heart in ways that can't be found anywhere else on earth or even beyond it all!

John 15 ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, jus…”

1.The Privilege of Drawing Near He Will Vindicate

● When you come to Him in tenderness and lay everything down before Him, there comes a moment where you realize this is for His name’s sake. For Him to receive glory, there must be vindication for what you’ve lost.

B. The thief has to restore seven times what was stolen. ●

Proverbs 6 “People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,”

C.He’s not limited by your methods, protocols, traditions that you’ve developed in your walk with Him.

D.Be careful not to develop traditions that then triumphs over what God is saying and doing.

● Mark 7 “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a f…”

2.Your Perception of God Seeing the Face of God

• “Mercy and truth go before Your face”

Psalm 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.”

• You will see the face of God when you understand that He is full of mercy and grace.

• When you see the Lord not as a harsh and judging God, but as a loving and gracious Father, your life will be filled with joy

b. Intimacy is what God desires with all of His children. God wants you to know Him. It is amazing that the invisible God, the Creator of the universe, the God of everything we see and everything we do not see, wants you to know Him. He is the God who knows all seven billion of us on this planet. He knows every hair on our head, thought in our mind, desires of our heart, and yet, He seeks to be known.

St Augustine said, “To fall in love with God is the greatest romance, to seek Him the greatest adventure, and to find Him the greatest human achievement.”

E. Draw near, put your agendas aside. Even revival and healing can be an agenda. If you come into a room thinking you know what He’s going to do, that will become your agenda.

● The Lord will reward you and return anything that was lost, any disappointing situation.

3.Be Still and Know

Something is supposed to happen in the slowdown that you can’t get when your heart and mind are scattered here and there.

Prov 46:10

“To know” is “an experiential knowledge, void of striving.”

● There’s really no such thing as multitasking. You can only fully give your attention to one thing at a time.

4.Remembering the Secret Place

Recognizing His Presence

● He’s not necessarily looking for a more explosive prayer time or prophetic decrees as He is looking for you to simply host His presence well; to be the person He rests on.

You don’t want to become so familiar that you no longer give your best.

● He is right here and right now. You may be aware or unaware but it doesn’t change the reality that He is here.

With your own heart of surrender, recognize Him. What you live aware of determines how important your thoughts and ambitions are.

● There’s no need to impress Him with your dreams when you live aware of Him.

● You don’t want to make any problem that you face bigger than your awareness of Him. If you do that, you will always live in reaction to the problem.

● You’ve been summoned for such a time as this to live in such a way to illustrate what it’s like to be full of the Holy Spirit.

● To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to live under His influence

You have been called to live in a way that demonstrates what it means when the Holy Spirit enters your life.

For what was a barrening season it is giving birth right now receive it in Jesus name

“Where You Are Determines What You Hear; What You Hear Determines What You Believe”

Excerpt From

365 Wisdom Keys of Mike Murdock

Mike Murdock

https://books.apple.com/us/book/365-wisdom-keys-of-mike-murdock/id483689453

This material may be protected by copyright.

“Solitude Is Often Necessary For Impartation.” This comes when we become hidden in the secret place

Excerpt From

The Wisdom Commentary, Volume 3

Mike Murdock

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-wisdom-commentary-volume-3/id636477194

This material may be protected by copyright.

5.Intimacy Blockers

Something inside of us desires a connection with the invisible God—not at a distance, nor on the outside with the door locked keeping us from His presence. We are made to know God in a personal way.

a. The Hebrew word yada means “to know.” In fact, it is the word used in the Old Testament “to know God intimately.” We are to know Him in the most intimate, close way possible for a human.

b. It says in Deuteronomy 4:7 “Yes. What other great nation has gods that are intimate with them the way God, our God, is with us, always ready to listen to us?” Our Lord wants intimacy with you.

Deuteronomy 4:7 ESV

For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

C. Some of us have what I like to call “intimacy blockers.” An intimacy blocker is something in our life that blocks us from intimacy with God and others. It is important to address these blockers in our life so that we can tear them down.

D. The Invisible Enemy Within You.

Self- absorption is deadly and destructive to joy

and peace.

Perhaps, an intimacy blocker you have is fear of rejection. You struggle with getting close to people because you are afraid they will reject you. Maybe you fear getting hurt or exploited again. Another example of an intimacy blocker can be the inability to trust. You cannot trust others due to the traumas you’ve had in your life. These blockers prevent you from getting close to someone. A blocker could be having low self-worth. You just do not see yourself as worthy.

Everybody has struggles that stand in the way of intimacy with others and God. Through Scripture we see people with similar problems to the ones we have. For instance, lepers had a fear of rejection, but when one came to Jesus, he was cleansed and healed. How about the woman at the well? She had fear of being hurt and exploited as in all her bad relationships. But when she approached Jesus, He did not hurt her. He satisfied her heart with His presence. And let’s not forget the thief on the cross who spent his life in sin. He did not believe he was worthy, but that day on the cross Jesus broke through and touched him.

Sin keeps us from intimacy with God. Whatever your intimacy blocker is, it is time to tear it down so that you can embrace the living God.

Psalm 91

The secret place is not a public place

a. Be the person that takes the time to put their affection and attention on the private moment, not just the public moment.

b. To dwell” is to abide, to be in a place where you are happy in the chair you are in.

C. God Hides Extraordinary Secrets In Ordinary Moments.

God is a teacher. He

uses Moments...as Carriers of Information.

Moments contain Wisdom.

Moments contain Discovery.

Moments contain Secrets.

6.Abiding in His Love

Obedience Is Abiding+ listening and responding

● John 15:10 ● You can burn yourself out by doing ministry thinking that it is the will of God.

● Doing the will of God should strengthen you when you do it. There is something nourishing about doing the will of God.

● Jesus took time to sit under the anointing and ministered to the woman and was refreshed as a result.

● John 4

● Obedience is the quickest way to discover and stay connected to His presence. There is something to discover on the other side of radical obedience.

● Don’t wait to be inspired to radically obey, just radically obey and you’ll discover.

● Jesus stayed aware of the Father’s love for Him His entire time on earth; now you do the same.

That is why obedience to The Holy Spirit is so important. When you obey His voice, your life will be simplified in ways beyond your imagination.

Fullness of Joy

● John 14-16 ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not …”

● You are no stronger than your joy.

● In times of chaos, you need to do everything you can to protect your peace, hope, and joy. If you are not full of these three manifestations of God, you have to find where you left it. You have to repent your way back to where you left it.

● The measure of joy you have is according to the measure of Word you have received.

7.God Wants You to Know Him

• Let go of any negative images you may have. Build a new foundation with a God of love and grace.

• Have encounters with the Father and grow in the revelation of who He is and who you are in Him.

• While always desiring more of God, rejoice in the testimony of others and be thankful for what He has given you.

• If your passion for God turns into frustration, then you do not have a strong foundation in the goodness and love of the Father. Your passion is intended to lead you into encounters with Him.

• You are a spiritual being so it is only natural for you to have supernatural encounters. You can train yourself to see the supernatural and discern good and evil

(Hebrews 5:14 “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”