CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

HOW TO EXPERIENCE INTIMATE COMMUNION WITH GOD

By Derek J. Morris

  1. INTRODUCTION
  1. Methodology

The purpose of this study is to help you in your journey toward experiencing intimate communion with God. Our goal is not simply the conveying of information but life transformation. We will explore how to “set the Lord ever before us” (Psalm 16:8) and experience “fullness of joy” in His presence (Psalm 16:11).

In order to maximize the learning experience, this study will include three components:

  1. Information
  2. Experience
  3. Reflection

It would be helpful if you formed a learning group with others who want to experience intimate communion with God. You can share insights together and learn from each other.

  1. Reflection on my present spiritual condition
  2. Where am I now?
  3. Draw a line graph showing your spiritual journey up to the present time.

  1. Write a brief explanation of the graph, noting key events and experiences that have been a significant influence on your spiritual journey. These may be both positive and negative.
  1. List factors that were a positive influence in past spiritual growth that might also help in the future. Reflect on what you have written below and if possible share these insights with your learning group or with a Christian friend.

  1. WHAT IS CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY?
  1. Definition
  2. Develop a concise definition of Christian spirituality. You can work on this assignment by yourself or with your learning group.
  1. Write your definition in the space below.
  1. Share this definition of Christian spirituality with others. Listen to their feedback. Take notes.
  1. Where do we begin in our journey toward a more intimate experience with God?
  1. Recognize your spiritual poverty.
  2. Romans 3:23
  3. Isaiah 6:5
  4. Matthew 5:3
  1. “If you see your sinfulness, do not wait to make yourself better….There is help for us only in God….We can do nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ just as we are.”[1]
  1. Accept the grace of God revealed through Christ, die to yourself and experience the new birth.
  2. John 3:1-17
  3. Ephesians 2:1-10
  4. Galatians 2:20
  5. “Nicodemus had come to the Lord thinking to enter into a discussion with Him, but Jesus laid bare the foundation principles of truth. He said to Nicodemus, “It is not theoretical knowledge you need so much as spiritual regeneration. You need not to have your curiosity satisfied, but to have a new heart. You must receive a new life from above before you can appreciate heavenly things. Until this change takes place, making all things new, it will result in no saving good for you to discuss with Me My authority or My mission.”[2]
  6. “You cannot atone for your past sins, you cannot change your heart, and make yourself holy. But God promises to do all this for you through Christ.”[3]
  1. Open your life on a daily basis to a deepening relationship with God through Jesus Christ by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
  2. 2 Peter 3:18
  3. Jeremiah 29:11-14
  4. Psalm 143:8
  5. John 17:3
  6. Philippians 3:8-14
  7. In this study we will examine four ways that you can open your life to a deepening relationship with God: prayer, fasting, meditation on the Word and works of God, and study.

  1. PRAYER

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.”[4]

  1. Lord, teach us to pray
  2. Consider the following passages of Scripture:
  1. Luke 11:1-4
  1. Matthew 6:5-13
  1. What lessons can we learn about prayer from these passages of Scripture? Make notes in the space below.
  1. The Importance of Prayer
  2. Lessons from the Life of Jesus
  3. Mark 1:35
  4. Luke 5:15-16
  5. Luke 6:12
  6. Luke 11:1
  7. “Jesus Himself, while He dwelt among me, was often in prayer….His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Savior of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer.”[5]
  8. “No other life was ever so crowded with labor and responsibility as was that of Jesus; yet how often He was found in prayer.”[6]
  1. Strength for the conflict
  2. Ephesians 6:10-18
  3. “Satan is enraged at the sound of fervent prayer, for he knows that he will suffer loss.”[7]
  4. “Satan leads many to believe that prayer to God is useless and but a form. He well knows how needful are meditation and prayer to keep Christ's followers aroused to resist his cunning and deception.”[8]
  5. “Satan knows better than God's people the power that they can have over him when their strength is in Christ. When they humbly entreat the mighty Conqueror for help, the weakest believer in the truth, relying firmly upon Christ, can successfully repulse Satan and all his host.”[9]
  1. Why don’t we pray more?
  2. We have become preoccupied with concerns of secondary importance.
  3. “Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks. Therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind.”[10]
  4. Meet with your learning group. Read and discuss Luke 10:38-42. What devices is Satan using to engross your mind and keep you from prayer? Make notes in the space below.

  1. We were never taught how to pray.
  2. Our past experience and education did not prepare us to be men and women of prayer. Notice the emphasis at the schools of the prophets:
  3. “A spirit of devotion was cherished. Not only were the students taught the duty of prayer, but they were taught how to pray, how to approach their Creator, how to exercise faith in Him and how to understand and obey the teachings of His Spirit.”[11]
  4. “The instructors were not only versed in divine truth, but had themselves enjoyed communion with God, and had received the special endowment of His Spirit. They had the respect and confidence of the people, both for learning and for piety.”[12]
  1. In search of a model for prayer
  2. The Lord’s Prayer

One possible model for us in learning how to pray is the Lord’s prayer. Jesus gave this prayer to His disciples in response to their request, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

  1. The Sanctuary Prayer

The earthly sanctuary portrays God’s plan of redemption, bringing sinners back into the presence of a holy God. The sanctuary also serves as a wonderful model for prayer.

  1. Encountering God in Prayer

Juanita Kretschmar developed this model for prayer in her work with New York City Van Ministry. It provides tremendous opportunity for personal healing and restoration.

  1. Putting on the Whole Armor of God

While putting on the whole armor of God can be included in the Lord’s Prayer (deliver us) and the Sanctuary Prayer (strength for the day at the Table of Shewbread), there are times when you might want to specifically offer a prayer for physical and spiritual protection.[13]

THE LORD’S PRAYER

-a model for prayer

FOCUS ON GOD: “Our Father in heaven”

Hallowed be Your name

Praise God for His character

Praise God for His works

Your kingdom come (acceptance of Christ as Savior, Lord and coming King)

In my own life

Intercede for the salvation of others

Family

Friends

Church

Country

World

Your will be done

In my own life

Intercede for others

PRESENT OUR NEEDS

Give us

Present our specific physical needs (daily bread) before the Lord

Present other needs before the Lord—emotional, relational, etc.

Claim His promises to provide

Forgive us

Confess specific personal sins

Confess sins of family

Confess sins of church

Confess sins of community

Claim promises of forgiveness, cleansing, and healing

Deliver us

Accept the power from God through the anointing of the Holy Spirit

Put on the whole armor of God

Conclude by giving praise and glory to God: “Yours in the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.”

THE SANCTUARY

-a model for prayer

7 / 5
6
4 / 3 2 1

KEY:

1.Enter with praise—Psalm 100; Luke 10:21.

2.Confession—1 John 1:8-9; Romans 10:9; 2 Timothy 2:19.

3.Washing through the Word/Listen to God—Ephesians 5:25-26; John 17:17.

4.Baptism of the Holy Spirit—Luke 11:13; Galatians 5:22-25.

5.Strength for the day—John 6:32-33; Romans 13:12-14; Ephesians 6:10-18.

6.Intercession—Philippians 1:3-4; Romans 1:9-10.

7.Experience intimate communion—Psalm 16:8, 11.

ENCOUNTERING GOD IN PRAYER

-a model for prayer

by Juanita Kretschmar

1.Ask the Father for the covering of the Holy Spirit bringing the presence of Jesus. Claim the blood of Jesus over all sin. Ask for angels to guard you, since He has promised. Ask Him to make sure that no other influences or thoughts will be allowed to disturb, that He will protect.

2.Worship the Creator, Redeemer, King, etc.

3.Invite Him to search your life for a revelation of hidden sin. Allow Him to take you back to childhood if necessary. Take time to be attentive and listen.

4.As conviction comes to your mind of thoughts, acts, cherished "rights" such as anger, rebellion and resentment, or experiences that in the presence of the cross are sin, be specific, call it sin, and ask for forgiveness. Accept forgiveness and thank Him aloud. (Your ears need to hear your own voice expressing confidence and praise.)

5.Ask for a deeper repentance. Since it is a gift, thank Him, whether you feel anything or not.

6.By your own free choice, tell your Heavenly Father you give Him permission to remove the sin and sense of guilt or condemnation that came with the sin. Let God know you are willing to allow Him to place the burden you have been carrying on the shoulders of His Son. Accept Jesus' desire to release you from this guilt. Christ wants to do this for you. Be sure to express thanks aloud.

7.Ask God what He has for you in exchange. What characteristic of Jesus is He waiting to give you? What gift of guidance or insight is He making available? Take time to be attentive and listen.

8.Let God know you will accept that gift (whatever thought, word, or picture He brings to your mind). Be sure to thank Him aloud.

9.Repeat the process as desired. Enjoy His presence. Praise Him.

10.At the time you are accepting gifts from God, if He has just impressed you of specific instances of sin, you may want to ask what help He would have sent if you had turned to Him fully in that earlier moment of temptation. Or you may ask what Jesus would have done in your place. He may give you delightful insights.

11.You may want to ask Him at the final moments of this specific prayer if there is anything or anyone else He wants you to pray about or for, or if there is any particular instruction He wants to share with you, etc. Take time to be attentive and listen.

12.Be sure to praise Him aloud as you end the time of prayer. You'll want to. He's a wonderful God, and a marvelous, generous, loving Friend.

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

-a model for prayer

"Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Put on the whole armor of God."

Scripture meditation: Ephesians 6:10-18.

How to: As a special time of prayer for physical and spiritual protection, make a conscious decision to put on the whole armor of God:

Father, I want to put on the whole armor of God

The Belt of Truth

The Breastplate of Righteousness

Put on my feet the Gospel of Peace

Take up the Shield of Faith with which I can extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one

Put on my head the Helmet of Salvation

And take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God

Now go forward in the strength of the Lord, and remember the counsel of Scripture that follows: "Pray in the Spirit at all times."

Remember these encouraging words:

Those who will put on the whole armor of God and devote some time every day to meditation and prayer and to the study of the Scriptures will be connected with heaven and will have a saving, transforming influence upon those around them. Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty to God, will be theirs....They will feel that heaven's glories are for them, and they will become refined, elevated, ennobled by this intimate acquaintance with God.[14]

Extra passages for meditation: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 & Romans 13:12-14.

  1. FASTING
  1. Types of fast
  2. Health fast
  3. Hunger strike
  4. Biblical fast
  5. Normal fast
  6. No food but free use of water
  7. Luke 4:1-2
  8. “The fasting which the word of God enjoins is something more than a form. It does not consist merely in refusing food, in wearing sackcloth, in sprinkling ashes upon the head. He who fasts in real sorrow for sin will never court display. The object of the fast which God calls upon us to keep is not to afflict the body for the sin of the soul, but to aid us in perceiving the grievous character of sin, in humbling the heart before God and receiving His pardoning grace.”[15]
  9. “For certain things, fasting and prayer are recommended and appropriate. In the hand of God they are a means of cleansing the heart and promoting a receptive frame of mind. We obtain answers to our prayers because we humble our souls before God.”[16]
  10. “The spirit of true fasting and prayer is the spirit which yields mind, heart and will to God.”[17]
  1. Partial fast
  2. Limited amount of simple food
  3. Daniel 10:3
  4. “Now and onward till the close of time the people of God should be more earnest, more wide-awake, not trusting in their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of their Leader. They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food.”[18]
  5. “The true fasting which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from every stimulating kind of food, and the proper use of wholesome, simple food, which God has provided in abundance. Men need to think less about what they shall eat and drink of temporal food and much more in regard to the food from heaven, that will give tone and vitality to the whole religious experience.”[19]
  1. Absolute fast
  2. No food and no water
  3. Esther 4:16
  4. Acts 9:9
  5. “All the fasting in the world will not take the place of simple trust in the word of God.”[20]
  1. Supernatural fast
  2. No food or water with increased vitality
  3. Deuteronomy 9:9
  4. “You are not called upon to fast forty days. The Lord bore that fast for you in the wilderness of temptation. There would be no virtue in such a fast; but there is virtue in the blood of Christ.”[21]
  1. What Jesus taught about fasting
  2. Study the following passages of Scripture:
  1. Matthew 6:16-18
  1. Matthew 9:14-15
  1. What do you learn about fasting from the teachings of Jesus? Make notes in the space below.

  1. The purpose of a biblical fast
  2. It helps you to focus your attention upon God.
  3. It calls you to prayer.
  4. It exposes those things that control you.
  1. Practical suggestions for a biblical fast
  2. Begin with a 24-hour partial fast.
  3. Eat sparingly of the simplest food.
  4. Drink plenty of water.
  5. You may also want to fast from other distractions like various forms of media: television, Internet, etc.
  6. Spend extra time in prayer during your fast.
  7. Focus your attention on the Word of God, taking time for Bible reading and meditation.
  8. Do not advertise your fast to others. Such an attitude robs you of the special blessing God desires to bestow during this time.
  9. Consider setting aside a day each week for such a time of fasting and prayer.
  10. God may impress you to take times in a normal fast, with no food but plenty of water. Realize that you need to severely limit your activities during such a fast. You should consult your physician if you suspect that such a fast might pose a health hazard.
  11. Do not be extreme. There is no added blessing simply because a fast in longer or more restrictive.
  1. Share your own experiences with fasting with a Christian friend or with your learning group. What lessons has God taught you?
  1. MEDITATION ON THE WORD AND WORKS OF GOD

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8

  1. Meditation in the Scriptures
  1. Meditate on the Law of God
  2. Joshua 1:8
  3. Psalm 1:2
  4. Psalm 119:15
  5. Psalm 119:23-24
  6. Psalm 119:148
  7. “Merely to hear or to read the word in not enough. He who desires to be profited by the Scriptures must meditate upon the truth that has been presented to him. By earnest attention and prayerful thought he must learn the meaning of the words of truth, and drink deep of the spirit of the holy oracles.”[22]
  8. “Meditation...will open to the student treasures of which he has never dreamed. He will prove in his own life the reality of the experience described in the Scripture: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." Jeremiah 15:16.”[23]
  1. Meditate on God’s works
  2. Psalm 143:5
  3. Psalm 145:5-7
  4. Psalm 19:1
  5. “The beauties of nature are a theme for contemplation. In studying the natural loveliness surrounding us, the mind is carried up through nature to the Author of all that is lovely. All the works of God are speaking to our senses, magnifying His power, exalting His wisdom.”[24]
  6. “God calls upon His creatures to turn their attention from the confusion and perplexity around them, and admire His handiwork. The heavenly bodies are worthy of contemplation. God has made them for the benefit of man, and as we study His works, angels of God will be by our side to enlighten our minds.”[25]
  1. Meditate on God Himself, especially in the Person of Jesus
  2. Psalm 63:6-8
  3. John 14:9-11
  4. Hebrews 1:1-4
  5. “God bids us fill the mind with great thoughts, pure thoughts. He desires us to meditate upon His love and mercy, to study His wonderful work in the great plan of redemption. Then clearer and still clearer will be our perception of truth, higher, holier, our desire for purity of heart and clearness of thought. The soul dwelling in the pure atmosphere of holy thought will be transformed by communion with God through the study of Scripture.”[26]
  6. “Walk continually in the light of God. Meditate day and night upon His character. Then you will see His beauty and rejoice in His goodness. Your heart will glow with a sense of His love. You will be uplifted as if borne by everlasting arms. With the power and light that God imparts, you can comprehend more and accomplish more than you ever before deemed possible.”[27]
  7. “It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit.”[28]
  8. “Let us in imagination go back to that scene, (the sermon on the mount) and, as we sit with the disciples on the mountainside, enter into the thoughts and feelings that filled their hearts. Understanding what the words of Jesus meant to those who heard them, we may discern in them a new vividness and beauty, and may also gather for ourselves their deeper lessons.”[29]
  9. “As we receive the bread and the wine symbolizing Christ's broken body and spilled blood, we in imagination join the scene of Communion in the upper chamber. We seem to be passing through the garden consecrated by the agony of Him who bore the sins of the world. We witness the struggle by which our reconciliation with God was obtained. Christ is set forth crucified among us. Looking upon the crucified Redeemer, we more fully comprehend the magnitude and meaning of the sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven. The plan of salvation is glorified before us, and the thought of Calvary awakens living and sacred emotions in our hearts. Praise to God and the Lamb will be in our hearts and on our lips; for pride and self-worship cannot flourish in the soul that keeps fresh in memory the scenes of Calvary.”[30]
  10. “What a theme for meditation is the sacrifice that Jesus made for lost sinners.”[31]
  11. “As we meditate upon the perfections of the Savior, we shall desire to be wholly transformed and renewed in the image of His purity. There will be a hungering and thirsting of soul to become like Him whom we adore. The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more we shall speak of Him to others and represent Him to the world.”[32]
  1. The importance of Christian meditation
  2. “Abstract meditation is not enough, busy action is not enough; both are essential to the formation of Christian character.”[33]
  3. “Meditation and prayer would keep us from rushing unbidden into the way of danger, and thus we should be saved from many a defeat.”[34]
  4. “There is too much talking by nearly all, and too little meditation and prayer....Meditation and prayer are necessary to a growth in grace.”[35]