Are you benefiting from the deeper intimacy God offers? When The Eternal I Am sent His spoken expression into the earth as Jesus Christ, God demonstrated His desire to be an intimate part of our life. Such intimacy brings abundance in the best sense of the word. Jesus told us so:
I came that they might have life, and might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
God created us with natural bodies, to live in this physical realm. However, the abundant life God offers is much more than physical life. The abundance includes experiencing God’s presence and spiritual life. And, this is not just for an after-life. We can understand more and have deeper fulfillment as eternally minded people; right here and right now!
God’s abundance includes experiencing His intimate presence now.
Eternal Life – Sensing Spiritual Realities
As I’ve noted in previous blogs, our soul consciousness can comprehend the realities of both the natural and spiritual realms. The senses of our spirit enable us to partake of spiritual realities, to receive the eternal insights God reveals, and to lend support to each other’s spiritual livelihood.
Paul said the exercise of our spiritual senses aides our overall maturity:
For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil (Hebrews 5:11-14).
When we fellowship with God and act on what He says, we experience our Eternal Father and can learn to live a Spirit-led life. Scripture calls this fellowship of our spirit with God’s Spirit—eternal life (John 17:3). Isn’t it exciting to realize we can experience the spiritual dimension right here and now, in various degrees?
We can experience the spiritual dimension here and now.
Life-Sustaining Spiritual Nourishment
It’s a shame, but the New Testament translators render many Greek words into the English word “life” and hide a good bit of meaning. There are three very different Greek words that specifically refer to the life activity of our body, soul, or spirit component. To better understand the nature of spiritual intimacy with God we should know the distinct differences in each of these words.
One of the three Greek words is bios, which speaks of the physical (biological) activity of our natural body (it occurs 10 times). Psuch is a second Greek word translated as “life” that speaks of the mind, will, and emotional activity of our conscious soul (it occurs 101 times). Thirdly, occurring 135 times in Scripture is the Greek word zoe, which speaks of the life of our spirit, our spiritual activity.
Scripture’s abundant use of zoe amplifies the importance of our spirit life. Our bios (physical) life is temporal and passes away. However, our zoe (spirit) life is eternal and includes spiritual realities like our character, attitude, and personality. These personal attributes are much more than a result of natural life.
Bread of Life
Truthful light and life originates with God (John 1:4) and flows from Him as revealing and nourishing insight. This true light and life is the light and sustaining life that is our spiritual nourishment. Our interaction with God is compared to eating the bread of life:
Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you… it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life [zoe] to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life [zoe]” (John 6:32-35).
The nature of human existence includes a spiritual hunger and thirst. If we are continually partaking of this bread of life, our spiritual hunger and thirst finds satisfaction. God has made it readily available to everyone; may we partake daily of this source of spirit life!
Continually partaking of the bread of life satisfies our spiritual hunger and thirst.
Spirit Life Today
God demonstrated His desire to be an intimate part of our life when He sent His spoken expression into the earth as Jesus Christ. And, God dwells as a presence in our midst today, as zoe life. He wants us to realize this personally. Here are a few of the many verses that speak specifically of a spirit led life.
Jesus said… “I am the way, the truth, and the [zoe: spirit] life” (John 14:6).
The free gift of God is eternal [zoe: spirit] life in Christ (Romans 6:23).
“This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal [zoe: spirit] life” (John 6:40).
Too often these verses are relegated to an afterlife. While a future is included, God intends for spirit life to affect our lives today. When Jesus said; “I am the truthful way to live” (my version of John 14:6), he referenced His son-to-Father fellowship with God. Jesus showed us how to actively fellowship with our Father and live a spiritual life (John 5:19; 12:50).
God intends for spirit life to affect and improve our lives today.
Our fellowship with God permits His insight to improve our views so we can understand more as eternally minded people. The abundance of spirit life is not just for an afterlife; God intends such richness for us today. I wrote about this in “Are You Just Waiting for the Celestial Express?”
Spiritual Intimacy with God
As with Jesus’ Son-to-Father fellowship, our intimate fellowship with God enables His insight to improve our views. Our spirit perspective—how we see and respond to our heavenly Father and to one another—is so very important. Scripture shares much insight about God’s will for our natural and spiritual life in the following verses:
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).
And He said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Live in peace with one another… always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:13-18).
Intimacy with God enriches our own life as we dwell in His abundance. When we allow His light-giving life and insight to penetrate our soul consciousness, we are progressively transformed into His likeness. May we share this abundance by being Christ-like contributors in all our relationships!
Join us on this journey of intimacy with God! Grab your copy of The Fellowship of God’s Presence. Get a few copies to bless your friends and family. We’ve even prepared a Guide to assist small group discussions.
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Relational Gospel – Intimacy with God improves everything!