Experiential Knowledge

[FAITH]

Draw Near

Intimacy with God begins when we radically pursue Him with our whole heart. King David wrote, "When You said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, O Lord, I shall seek'" (Psalms 27:8). God invites us in James 4:8 to "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

God is saying to us, "Seek my face! Draw near!" Our hearts are crying out, "YES!" But our flesh is screaming "NO!" The sad part is our flesh usually wins.

We are instructed in Psalms 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." The wording "be still" literally means to cease from striving. It means to let go and relax, to turn down the volume of the world and listen to the quiet whisper of God. It's getting still and coming into a place of rest. It means soaking in His Presence. The result is-- you will know He is God.

The word "know" is literally an experiential knowledge of God. It's not being still and knowing "about" God. It's being still and knowing God experientially. You will experience God. You will know the Presence of God.

As we focus our heart, spirit, soul, mind, and body (the whole person) on His manifest Presence, we become oblivious to the natural/physical world around us.

The key is where your focus is--on the things of God or on things of this world.

Bible reading and prayer is not enough. We must take time alone with Him, not asking for anything but more of Him, more of His fullness, more of His presence in our everyday lives.

God releases power through us as we dwell in intimacy with Him. The natural outworking of His Presence is miracles.

How to Soak in God's Presence

How do we soak? We soak like a sponge. Put a dry sponge in a bucket of water and slowly the water permeates the sponge. This is the same as soaking in God's presence. The more we soak, the more we become filled with His Spirit.

The basic components of soaking are as follows:

First, go into a private room, lock the door, and get on the floor before the Lord. It doesn't matter whether you sit or lie down. What's most important is the attitude of your heart.

Second, repent of any sin in your life, and receive God's forgiveness.

Third, worship the Lord.

Fourth do the vital prayer of Romans 6:13 that has transformed our lives: "...present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God."

Fifth, begin to recall experiences with the Lord (i.e., healings, miracles, provision) where He has manifested Himself in wonderful ways. This creates more of an expectancy and awareness of His Presence as you relive these times.

His Presence Manifests

Tell the Lord: "God, I want more of You, more of Your Presence, more of Your fullness in my life. Fill me with more of You." Repeat this statement many times as you wait on the Lord and focus on Him.

Then, get quiet and that's when you begin to hear His voice.

The key is learning to wait in solitude. It cannot be overemphasized the importance of waiting on the Lord until you experience His manifest Presence daily. Don't come out of that private room until you have experienced His Presence.

During your soaking times, expect to receive impressions, nudges, quiet whispers, pictures, and supernatural revelations.
(Job 33:14-16, Genesis 28:10-16)