Introduction
Over the last few months I have been taking a course called Immanuel Prayer. This is a step-by-step guide to intimacy with Jesus as one overcomes sin, wounds, and lies that assault our lives. The exciting aspect of this approach to God is connecting with Jesus in the good times and the challenging times. I am blessed as a son of God and enjoy my relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One of the amazing characteristics of the Trinity is this – they are never alone. They do not need time alone to renew or refocus or find rest. They enjoy their communion with each other eternally; that is 24/7 for a lifetime for us limited to space and time. For myself, I am spending time intentionally with Immanuel, “God With Us”. This means I am learning how to be intimate with God, moment by moment. I am understanding that maturity in Jesus is overcoming the wounds and lies caused by sin. I have become aware of the truth that I am never alone. This is a wonderful thought to consider. My God is always with me. His love and grace and power and holiness and truth and compassion etc. will never leave or forsake me. This intimacy of constant communion is something we all can grow into more and more. You are never alone, is the one of the blessings of being a follower of Jesus.
The Power of Scripture
We cannot underestimate the full benefit and strength of God’s Word. We are told that in the beginning God spoke creation into existence and order. And then down through the ages, the Author of Life, the King of Creation, the Rule of all the earth, recorded his Words through human agents, Old and New Testaments. The Bible is carries with it the authority and power that is higher than any other book because of the Author… “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3).
Here is a point to consider. The Bible’s truth is timeless. In other words, the words found in the Old Testament are just as powerful today as then, and the same goes for the New Testament. “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3) is just as relevant today as it was when God first spoke it to Moses. One of my life verses is found in Psalm 27:4 – “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” This verse carries with it a powerful message to believers down through the ages. How is this possible? “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). This is a powerful verse challenging each and everyone of us. In the following verses we discover that nothing is hidden from God. This is the awkwardness and the beauty of intimacy. You are never alone from the Living Word and Presence of God. God knows the good, the bad and ugly. Let’s not stop there though. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Most of us are familiar with approaching the Word of God. I use the Hand Method to help me remember the ways to approach Scripture. On one hand, “how to examine the Bible.” We hear it, read it, study it, memorize it and meditate on God’s Word. On the other hand, the Books of the Bible. All of this is done in relationship to Jesus who is the Logos of God.
The Power of Holy Spirit
Jesus was engaged in his Last Supper with the disciples when he spoke these words to them. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15-17a). A number of days later in Acts 1:8, Jesus told his disciples they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. We know that the Holy Spirit’s job is to empower believers to grow in all aspects of our spiritual relationship. The Holy Spirit never leaves us alone and it committed to helping us grow in our intimacy with Jesus. Far too often I have seen Christians jumping on a spiritual treadmill where they work up a spiritual sweat but do not grow in life changing intimacy with God. Praise God we have a Counselor, a Helper, who is committed, who is praying, who is empowering us to become comfortable with never being alone again.
Remember, the Holy Spirit is a spirit, not a person we can see. He acts through the spiritual world, into our natural world. We need to learn to interact with him. It is similar in the way we approach God’s Word, and yet so different when we move towards Holy Spirit.
· The Holy Spirit fills up the environment that is filled with worship—songs, hymns, and spiritual songs—as we sing and make melody with our hearts to the Lord (Eph 5:18b-20). Praise and thanksgiving open the floodgates of heaven.
· The Holy Spirit is listening everywhere we go. Our prayers are our open source to intimacy with God. It is good to pray the Scriptures. It is great to pray out you heart to God. Your worries and your wounds. Your luggage and any lies. The Holy Spirit will empower his fruitfulness – love, joy, peace… when we pour out our hearts to him. A significant aspect of payer is taking time to listen. Listening with our spirit to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. Growing in this communion of intimacy.
· The Holy Spirit “Counselor” connects with our spirits through peace. One of the benefits of counsel is peace. “…the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:26-27). No fear, no anxiety. You will find peace when you find the Counselor. He is with you forever moment by moment.
· The Holy Spirit interacts with us through the supernatural; Acts 2:17 – prophesy, visions and dreams to name a few… The Holy Spirit is not limited to intellectual messages. There are times when he communicates in the realm of the spirit or the supernatural and this takes time for believers to grow and mature into. The “Counselor” speaks to us outside of time. So he can speak to us in the context of our past memories. In the same breath, he can speak to us of our future. He speaks to us in images and pictures. It is important that we have “sanctified imaginations” when connecting with the “Counselor” who never leaves our side. In other words, we need to bring our thoughts and emotions under the care of the “Counselor”. It is a good thing to use our imagination or creativity when in communion with God. That is how greatness is born.
In Conclusion
I want to remind us of today’s title, You are Never Alone. This is good news because it means we can have communion with God each and every moment of the day. Intimacy is available to us. The joy and celebration of Christ in us the hope of glory is astounding. However, there maybe times when you feel alone due to various situations. But you are not alone because God is with you. You may feel empty and depleted. Does God really care? That’s how King David felt in Psalm 25:16 – “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” Maybe you are finding yourself stuck in a rut, same old, same old and you need something fresh in your life. Immanuel is right there with you. Jesus can help put that spark back into your life. The Counselor is always available to help with truth and guidance. Or maybe you find yourself at a crossroads, wondering what to do next. God is with us each and every step of our journey. Maybe a big challenge in drawing close to God is found in the mental gymnastics we play. I can’t. I am not smart enough. I struggle with this sin. These kind of lies hinder our capability and can make us feel paralyzed. There are answers to these struggles… God is near.
· So, let’s stay connected to the Holy Bible; hear it, read it, study it, memorize and meditate on it. It is a powerful roadmap for life.
· And let’s stay united together with Holy Spirit. He is our Counselor and Guide and is eager for a daily and vibrant friendship with you.
Capacity is a key word here. You are Never Alone because God is always with you… It is important to grow in our capacity to engage with Immanuel through the Holy Bible and the Holy Spirit. Capacity is the ability to accomplish something providing positive momentum. It is also important to grow in our capacity to overcome our fears and struggles. In other words, we must always be growing in intimacy with Jesus while being healed and set free of our wounds and lies. God is always walking with us in this journey of healing and intimacy. We believe that Jesus Christ is our Healer. Amen. Immanuel, God with us, is always interested in our wholeness and will never leave us alone…
Application:
How do we apply today’s message. It is important to think right. It is important to position ourselves so that we are in agreement with God. Here are two things that come to mind to help us get onto the road of Intimacy in the Kingdom of God.
#1 – take a moment to remember a positive memory when you felt close to God.
#2 – take a moment to appreciate Jesus in that thought.