Intimacy With God – 1. Knowing The Father

My hope today is to remind you of what “this” we are doing is all about.
Its not about who does the most for God.
Its not about who how popular you become.
Its not about bible knowledge or becoming a spiritual giants.

That is not what “this” life is about. At the end of the day, this life that we have been given in Christ is about discovering and knowing our Father. That’s the pinnacle of life. And many of us have missed it.

The greatest reward God could ever give us is ACCESS TO HIM.

Psa. 16.11 (NKJV) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Your Heavenly father is actively in pursuit of you and is calling you to a deep, thriving, loving trusting relationship with Him.

He is inviting all of us to a greater level of intimacy and greater trust. He wants us to know Him, not just know “about Him”.

He is constantly revealing Who He is to us. In every challenge and setback, He is revealing Himself. In every triumph and achievement He is revealing Himself.

This life is all about discovering Who He is for us at every moment. And learning to trust Him every step of the way. To embrace, to believe and to stand firm in His character and His nature.

He is always good.
He always has your best in mind.
He is always setting you up to succeed in Him.

Dan. 11.32b (NKJV) but the people who KNOW their God shall be STRONG, and carry out great exploits.

The emphasis is not us being strong or even doing great exploits. Its KNOWING Him. Its knowing your Father.

The most gracious, loving ,kind, just, gentle, perfect, forgiving, merciful being you’ll ever encounter.

Jer. 9.23 (NKJV) Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
Jer. 9.24 (NKJV) But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

John 17.3 (NKJV) And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Eternal life is not limited to us going to Heaven. Its Heaven being deposited in you.
It knowing the One who loved you so much and pursued you relentlessly that He sent His son to die on your behalf so you could stand not as a forgiven sinner but a redeemed son or daughter of God.

The goal of our salvation is not heaven. It’s our transformation into the image of His Son Jesus.

Otherwise, we live life as though we were saved by a stranger. Declaring “God saved me, but truthfully I really don’t know what He is like or Who He really is.”

The truth of who God really is and what He is really like, will set us free to have incredible experiences of Him.

I believe this with all my heart – Embrace Who He is and the trajectory of your life will be changed forever.

This new life is more than just a theological position that I take – It’s His life in me and expressed through me… We are not Christians because of our doctrine (which is good) we are Christians because Christ by the Spirit of God lives and dwells in us.

Gal. 2.20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

yes, your name goes into the book of life and we should rejoice about that. The goal is not that I go to heaven someday. Jesus’ goal is that heaven comes to earth and is revealed through His sons and daughters who represent His love and are being transformed into His very image.

Luke 17.21 (NKJV) nor will they say, “See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Col. 1.27 (NKJV) To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

we’re not waiting to go to heaven. Christ is in us. And our lives get transformed. Its from these truths or realities that intimacy is birthed.

I have come to realize, all believers have a relationship with God, but most lack real intimacy with Him. And There is a vast difference between relationship and intimacy.

Relationship is because of Jesus 100%
Intimacy is because of me 

even Jesus who was sent to earth and became a man who dwelt among us who had a perfect relationship with God Yet He still consistently and intentionally went away from distractions & ministry to be with God (to fellowship with Him).

But Why did He is the “?” INTIMACY & ALIGNMENT.
To remain connected to His Fathers heart and
To remain aligned to His Father’s Will.

Abide. (intimacy) / dwell & rest in His Love.
See. (new lens) / His perspective & goodness in every moment.
Become. (grow into sonship) / maturity & mindset

Everything He wants to do in you and through you flows out of an intimate relationship with Him.

Knowing him changes every area of my life –
It changes my disposition
My attitude.
My perspective.
and even alters my responses to life’s challenges and challenging people.

My Identity is not found through my personal calling or gifting or ministry. It is found in knowing Him.

You don’t find your identity through your calling –
through your ministry –
through the things you’re gifted in –
through what the people say about you (good and bad)

My identity is in Who He is for me and who I am to Him.

Its possible to function powerfully in a gift but at the same time miss becoming the person you were designed to be.

Intimacy ALWAYS leads to Transformation.
PERSPECTIVE.
MINDSET.
LANGUAGE.

You can’t change in your own strength alone – If you could you would have already changed. If we could change ourselves we’d all been different long ago. Everything God wants to do in and through your life flows out of knowing Him so the enemy wants to cut that off – The strategy of the enemy is to keep you from Him. Because getting near Him and being with Him and being in Him…

Transformation happens through fellowship. So getting into relationship with God and knowing Him this way is where your life is changed.

Luke 10:38-42 (TPT)
38–39 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared. 40 But Martha became exasperated by finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.” 41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Are they really that important? 42 Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her.”

One thing is needful: that we learn to be intimate with Christ even and especially when we are under intense pressure.

Be still and know that He Is God..

This is when we learn to feel what God feels.
To capture the heart of God for His people and His kingdom.
To learn Who He is for us and to hear His still small voice.

Its when we fellowship that we FEEL close to God. We become sensitive to what He is saying and How He is guiding & leading us.

3God is inviting all of us to a deeper place of fellowship.
To commune.
To Abide.
To Dwell.
To Rest in Him.
To enjoy His presence more than we seek His gifts and power. To enjoy knowing Him and receiving from Him.

If you don’t know Him and trust the way He sees you, you’ll run from Him instead of to Him – You see there’s not an ounce or a moment of condemnation in that – just relationship. But if you don’t trust the way he sees you and who He is as a Father, you won’t have that kind of response.

condemnation is not from God – Condemnation is never, ever, ever (of) God. God is never condemnation. How do you know that? He did NOT send his Son into the world to condemn you – John 3:17. Did not. That tells me right there that condemnation can never be (from) God.

John 3.17 (NKJV) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Rom. 8.1 (NKJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Rom. 8.33-34 (TPT)
33 Who then would dare to accuse those whom God has chosen in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over them—“Not guilty!”[a]
34 Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph?[b]

Don’t avoid relationship because of condemnation – Cast down the lie.

say, “Wait a minute. I’m not condemned. God is stronger than the weaknesses that I bump into. And my heart is to change. And I have no desire in my heart to be a hypocrite or to say one thing and do another. I didn’t wake up today with the intention to miss God and apply the gospel in a way to sin and get away with it. That’s bizarre. I just walked in weakness. God’s love is greater than weakness. And I’m not making an excuse for my weakness. While I was yet a sinner, He sent His Son. I’m not setting a table for sin. But this condemnation has got to stop. He loves me. I’m not condemned. So then you say, Father thank you for loving me and teaching me.

Rejoice that God is bringing weakness to your attention – He wants you with Him – No impediments – Here’s what I want to get across to people: Be so excited that you see it (the sin) as weakness and see it for what it really is. That ought to be a rejoicing point (that you see it as weakness now).

Don’t let self-consciousness hinder intimacy –

Nothing can keep you from Him