A New Relationship

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“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father Who is in the secret place, and your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed.” Mark 1:35

“For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Did you know that Jesus desires to meet with you on a daily basis? It’s true; He wants to get to know you more. He wants to spend time with you and hear your heart. He wants to be close to you. He desires a deep relationship with you. He wants to speak to you in the secret space of your bedroom and in open spaces, while you are walking down the street. Being in a relationship with Jesus isn’t about a religion but truly getting to know God. 

You can meet with Jesus through His Spirit anywhere, anytime. You have a choice to take hold of the opportunity to get to know Jesus. It’s easy to become busy and distracted, placing your time with Jesus as secondary. You must believe that every moment of your day and time that you get with Him is worth it. Even if you don’t feel His presence, know that He is near to you and meeting you in that place. 

You can meet Him anywhere: in your car, bedroom, closet, living room. Learn to come by faith, so find a specific day and time to meet with Jesus, and He will be there to meet with you.

Some basic things I do in my time with God.

1. Give thanks.
2. Read the Bible or a devotional.
3. Pray.
4. Receive from God.
5. Meditate on the Word of God (a verse or two).
6. Journal.

There is no specific order that I do these things. Some days I read first, and other days I sit and receive the love of God by meditating on the cross. And not every day am I doing all seven of these things. The Word of God (Bible) is something I for sure read every day in my time with God. If you don’t know where to go, read Proverbs, as there are 31, with one for each day of the month. 

Ask the Holy Spirit questions and listen, and He will speak to you internally or through His Word. Sometimes after asking the Holy Spirit a question, there will be a verse that stands out on the page, and I will read and meditate on this verse. Making time for God is worth your time and the most important meeting you can schedule. 

The thing about having a relationship with God is that He will speak to you through His Spirit. The Bible says that He is a Good Shepherd and will lead you. “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus said. “The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). You can trust His leadership, for He is good. 

Early on in my relationship with God, I found that He was speaking to me through the voice of the Holy Spirit. This was the still, small voice inside of me, because the Holy Spirit was inside of me and is inside of you. 

The best way to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit is to ask Him questions. He will give you specifics about your life and direction He might have for you. He always speaks according to parameters of the Word of God. For example, Jesus told us to “go into all the world to preach the Gospel” (Mark 16:15). So, this is the will of God, but the Holy Spirit will speak of a specific city or country to go to. 

He might speak to you with a subtle thought to go to New York City to share the Gospel. He might even place a certain group of people in your heart in that city. Early on in my relationship with God, I recognized the still, small voice would come, then a second voice—which was myself—would try to argue with the Holy Spirit, then the devil would try to convince me otherwise. 

The thing with God, though, is He will confirm what you heard through people you know, wise counsel, and confirming signs. A relationship with God is a walk of faith.  “So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17), and this relationship with Him is filled with life and adventures. 

Prayer: 

“God, I want to know You as a person through Your Word, and Your voice. I don’t want to be religious in my relationship with You. May I become aware of Your presence. Teach me Your ways. Give me wisdom on when and where to meet You each day, and give me a deep desire and love for You.”