Unshakable! Does that describe you? When we walk in close fellowship with God, deeply rooted in Him, problems don’t shake us. Tough times don’t take us down. False teachings don’t sway us. We’re fruitful!
- “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and does not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought, nor cease to yield fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
How do we get closer to God? Let’s discover how to ignite our faith and walk in intimacy with Him!
Are You feeling disconnected from God?
We all have times when we feel disconnected from God. Sometimes, it might seem as if He’s a million miles away. But He’s not. He’s right there, longing for that connection with you.
- “The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
God is not distant. However, we can distance ourselves from Him by getting distracted by other things. Maybe we’re spending too much time on mindless entertainment. Perhaps we’re absorbed in social media but not God’s Word. We might be spending most of our time with folks who don’t have a relationship with Him.
Put your trust in Christ.
Putting our trust in Christ has two levels. The first level is trusting in Him for salvation. The second is trusting God for…everything! We get so accustomed to our own limitations. Yet, we need to remember that the Creator of the universe is on our side! He’s waiting for you to come to Him with your problems, needs, and unsolvable situations. Instead of trying to do everything in your own strength, put your trust in God. This is such an intrinsic aspect of getting closer to God.
When you were little, you trusted that your parents would give you what you needed – like food, clothing, and a place to live. You probably never worried about those kind of things. Likewise, you don’t need to worry now – just put your trust in Christ to handle the problem for you or show you the right path to take.
- “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:33-34).
Do you have a relationship with Christ?
The whole reason Jesus came to earth was to restore the relationship between us and God. God wants an intimate relationship with you – and with everyone. When Adam and Eve sinned, they broke that relationship. God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, so our relationship with Him can be restored. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you begin your new life of relationship with Him.
- “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
- “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20)
- “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)
Confess sins daily
Unconfessed sin has consequences. If we are living in habitual sin, we cannot please God. It doesn’t mean we lose our salvation, but it does create a barrier to being close to Him.
Confessing our sins daily is a wonderful way to get closer to God. If we make that a regular part of our prayer life, we are more aware of our sins. We are less likely to continue in those sins if we confess and repent of them daily.
- “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
- “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1).
The Bible also tells us to confess our sins to each other. It’s all about accountability. And, sometimes, it means confessing to someone you harmed through your sin. Confessing our sins to each other gives us power in prayer and healing.
- “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.” (James 5:16)
Make a habit of prayer.
Communication is vital when you are in a relationship with someone. If you never talk to each other, your relationship is shallow. It’s the same with God. Prayer is communication with Him. We can’t be close to God if we aren’t talking to Him and listening to the still, soft voice of His Spirit speaking to us.
We need to set regular times throughout our day to pray. A prayer journal is an effective way to remember what to pray for, and record answered prayers.
Sometimes, it will be you and God, one-on-one. Other times, you might pray with your family or friends. It all brings you closer to God.
- “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
- “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
- “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)
Make a habit of reading the Bible.
God speaks to us through His Word. As we read the Bible – ALL the Bible, not just a few select verses – we learn more about who God is. We learn about His character, love, and how He has interacted with people throughout history. We learn what He wants us to do and not do.
Just as we need to pray daily, we must read the Bible daily to be close to God. So, we need to carve out a specific time in our daily schedules. You will probably benefit from a reading plan, such as a reading from the Old Testament, the Psalms, and the New Testament each day.
Ligonier Ministries has several Bible reading plans here: https://www.ligonier.org/posts/bible-reading-plans
- “All Scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
- “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)
Have fellowship and join a Christian community.
Joining a good church and being involved with other Christians is intrinsic to being closer to God. We have support and encouragement to go deeper in our walk with God. We have accountability – that helps us avoid sin that clouds our relationship with Him. Christian brothers and sisters can also help keep us on track with our goals like regular prayer and Bible reading. We can pray for each other for specific needs and praise God together.
As believers, we are all part of the body of Christ. Being close to other Christians brings us closer to God.
- “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Worship the Lord
Worship connects us to God on multiple levels. Worship gets our minds off ourselves and on Him. We acknowledge Him as our Creator, king, savior, and friend. We praise Him and thank Him for everything He does for us. We recognize His control over everything and submit everything to Him. As we worship, we surrender to His Holy Spirit’s work. When we worship, we think of His attributes, like His great love, holiness, mercy, and justice.
As we worship and connect with God intimately, we experience the joy, peace, and strength He has to give us.
- “Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.” (Psalm 100:2)
- “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
- “Bless the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds—He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion, who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5)
Give thanks daily
Giving thanks connects us in intimacy with God as we acknowledge His mercy and our confidence that He hears and answers our prayers. When we thank God, it reminds us that He is our source of all good things. We move from grumbling or worrying to joy. Thankful people are happy people. As we thank God, we grow closer to Him. We become more aware of how He moves in our lives and cares for us.
- “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)
- “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Experience God by being involved in His work around you.
God is at work in the world. As believers, each of us has a specific role in His kingdom. As we move forward in obedience by getting involved in His work, we get to know God on a deeper level. We learn more about God’s nature when we become His servant and do His will.
Jesus said, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.” (John 5:17) As Christ-followers, we too need to do the Father’s work. He has called all of us to make disciples.
- “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Start your morning with Christ and end with Christ.
We can commune with Christ throughout the day; however, it’s helpful to set aside time every morning and evening to pray, read His Word, and worship. Some folks like to split their Bible reading between morning and evening. Others like to do it all in the morning, with some journaling, and then review and meditate on it in the evening. You might want to sing along to worship songs on YouTube or other apps.
You could also pray different types of prayers in the morning and evening. For instance, in the morning, you could ask for God’s guidance and protection over you and your family for the day. In the evening, you can give thanks for His mercy, protection, and the big and little things He did for you. You can divide up intercessory prayers, adoration, confession, and so on between morning and evening.
- “Let me hear Your faithfulness in the morning, For I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8)
- “The LORD will send His goodness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)
Walk by the Spirit
As John Piper says, “Christian living is essentially supernatural living.”[i] We must think, talk, and act with the mindset of the Spirit of God. We desperately need to walk in the Spirit to please God and enjoy intimacy with Him. As we reject the slavery of sin and rebellion against God, we can enjoy the freedom of life and a deep relationship with God that comes from obedience.
- “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8)
Conclusion
The more we pray, worship, dig into His Word, and fellowship with other believers, the closer we get to God. When we get into the habit of regularly praying and listening to God, we notice God’s presence throughout the day, even in the little things. We converse with God through our everyday routines, like washing the dishes or driving to work. We realize that God is right there with us throughout the day, and that brings unspeakable joy!
[i] https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-and-how-we-walk-according-to-the-spirit
