Knowing the Lord Intimately

In Matthew 7:21(NLT), our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ makes a profoundly staggering statement. He said that “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” By this, it’s pretty clear that everyone who says they are Christians and believers in the Lord Jesus will not enter God’s Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus reminded us in Matthew 7:13 that the gate to hell is very broad and wide to accommodate the many individuals that do not truly love him. He tells us that we can only enter the Kingdom of Heaven through the narrow gate. This gives us all the information needed to understand that the standards for the Kingdom of Heaven are those God absolutely requires His chosen ones to meet.

Different religions and theologies have tried to condense the words of Christ in Matthew 7:21 to meet their way of thinking and believing, but the Holy Spirit is our Great Teacher. If he abides within an individual, this person will not be deceived by those that have attempted to put their own spin on God’s truth. The Holy Spirit that dwells within us will testify and teach us what is true. He will give us discernment about the lies that satan tries to trick us with.

God has a plan, and it includes promises made to us, His chosen ones, before the foundation of the world. We were created to be the very image of Christ, and nothing will prevent God’s plans and promises from full fruition. Those of us that have answered His call will walk with the fullness of the glory of Christ, and we will be all that God has promised we will be.

Our Master Jesus sets the bar in such a way that although we may not tangibly see the high mark of his calling in this lifetime, we must be ever reaching toward it. He shows us that, as 1Corinthians 4:20 states, the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk, it’s living by God’s power. It’s walking by faith and not by sight. He shows us the unwavering truth that obedience to his commands isn’t something we can negotiate or compromise. Obedience to Christ is mandatory. It is a necessity to enter his Kingdom.

There are those that are preaching God’s Word and prophesying, yet they do not know God intimately. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7:22-23(NLT), “22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” By this, our Lord and Master assures us that being a true follower is much more than outward demonstration and profession. It’s knowing God intimately, being passionate about Him, and hungering for His righteousness.

Hunger for God

When babies are born, they are hungry for nourishment. When we become born again through Jesus Christ, we should have developed a spiritual hunger as well, and it is a hunger that never ends. The psalmist, David, wrote in Psalm 34:8(NLT), “Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” When we’re discouraged, feeling low and wondering whether we’re going to make it, God will not forsake or leave us. He is our Sun and Shield. He’s our Rescuer, and He alone is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor. He hears our prayers and will deliver us from all our fears. And if we don’t believe this, the psalmist challenges us to open our mouths wide and feast on the Lord’s goodness, for He never disappoints.

Knowing the Lord intimately means that we’ve not only done this, but we do it continually and have no doubt about the Lord’s goodness. It is our duty, right, and privilege as kids of God’s Kingdom to believe in Christ, to repent of our sins, to love one another with the love of Christ and to live holy before our God. This is God’s Will and hungering for God means that we are always hungry for all that He is. It’s not just words, it’s doing the things that demonstrate we desire His fullness.

Humility is the key

The Kingdom of Heaven is unlike any known to humanity. It isn’t of this world, and we can only access it when we leave a worldly mind and heart behind. There is no arrogance, and humility is required, in truth, humility is the key! James 4:6-7(NLT) says, “But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

To know God intimately, we must humble ourselves under the leadership, guidance, and direction of His Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our Teacher, and he wants to teach us. He wants to spark the revelations and downloads that aid our comprehension of God’s matchless Word. There are some truths, in fact, that can only come from a revelation of the Holy Spirit. When we have a desire to know God as intimately as we can, He will give us these razor-sharp revelations that will cut through the haze of our misunderstanding and bring crystal clear clarity.

Don’t think this is just for a segregated few. Individuals of great faith whose records are in the Bible did extraordinary things through their faith in God. They were ordinary people like you and me. They received regular downloads from Heavenly Father by His Spirit, and this made all the difference in their relationship with God.

We have received an abiding anointing from God through the Spirit, and this is with us always, but we must take tremendous care to nurture our connection to God. We must keep our relationship with Him always fresh and fueled with an enthusiasm to know Him more so that we can worship Him greater. Our spirits are very willing, it’s the flesh that holds us up and it’s the flesh that can keep us from what God has in store. James 1:21(NLT) tells us, “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.” We must not fool ourselves with lip service. God is looking at what we do, because what we do signals what is in our hearts; it shows our desire to know Him intimately. This is the key that opens the Kingdom of Heaven to us, and reveals the love we have for God and the faith we have in His love and goodness.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.