Experiencing true intimacy with God begins with understanding who He is. God is holy, sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, unchanging, and full of grace and truth (Isaiah 6:3, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 147:5, Jeremiah 32:17, Psalm 139:7-10, Malachi 3:6, John 1:14). As our Creator, He knows us better than we know ourselves and desires an intimate relationship with us (Psalm 139:13-16). However, our sin separates us from His holy presence (Isaiah 59:2). Thankfully, God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to Him (John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). It is only through trusting in Jesus that we can experience true intimacy with God.
Once we place our faith in Christ, God’s Spirit comes to live within us, enabling us to know and experience Him (John 14:17). We no longer relate to God merely as Creator and Judge, but as our loving Father. The Bible says that we have been brought into God’s family as His adopted children and can come boldly before Him (Romans 8:15-17, Hebrews 4:16). As His children, we are called to pursue an intimate, loving relationship with Him. How do we cultivate intimacy with God?
Spend Time with Him in Prayer
Prayer is essentially talking and listening to God. Through prayer, we pour out our heart’s desires, pains, fears, and praise to Him as a child would share with a loving parent. Prayer is not intended to be a ritual or something to check off our to-do list, but rather genuine communication with the living God who cares about even the smallest details of our lives (Matthew 6:8, 1 Peter 5:7). We get to know someone best by spending quality time talking and listening to them. The same is true with God. Setting aside extended, unhurried time for prayer and quietly listening for His voice cultivates intimacy with Him.
Read and Study His Word
God chose to reveal Himself to us through the Bible, which teaches us about His character, His purposes, and His plan to redeem us through Christ (2 Timothy 3:16-17). As we read and study the Scriptures, we come to know God’s very thoughts and heart (Psalm 119:105). His Spirit teaches and reminds us of what Jesus said (John 14:26). The word of God exposes and transforms areas in our lives that need to change and renews our minds to be more like Christ (Hebrews 4:12, Romans 12:2). An intimate relationship with God cannot grow without regularly hearing from Him through studying the Bible.
Obey What He Commands
Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). Our obedience demonstrates our love for God and draws us into greater intimacy with Him. When we obey God’s principles and commands in the Bible, we experience the blessings of living life His way and align our hearts closer with His. However, delayed or selective obedience blocks intimacy with God. As Jesus said, “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21). Offering God areas of our life we refuse to submit to His lordship can erect barriers between us.
Worship and Glorify Him
Worship exalts God’s supreme worth and glory. When we worship, we align our hearts, minds, and lives with the truth that He alone deserves our highest praise. Worship redirect our focus off of ourselves and onto the matchless greatness of our God. We were created to worship God and find purpose, freedom and fulfillment in glorifying Him (Isaiah 43:7, John 4:24). Regular heartfelt worship, both privately and corporately with other believers, nurtures intimacy with God as we lift our eyes to behold His glory and beauty.
Participate in Communion
Jesus instituted communion, also called the Lord’s Supper, the night before His death as a remembrance of His sacrifice on the cross for our sins (Luke 22:19-20). When believers partake of the bread and cup together in church, we commune with the living presence of Christ and His body, the church. The Lord uses this sacred time to minister to us and draw us closer to Himself as we remember His love poured out for us. Partaking communion regularly fosters an intimate connection with Christ.
Serve Others
Intimacy with God overflows into loving and serving others. Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). As the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world, we grow closer to God by pouring out the love, grace, and generosity we’ve freely received from Him (Ephesians 5:1-2). Serving others, whether through volunteering, giving generously, or meeting everyday needs, aligns our heart with God’s heartbeat of compassion for people. He intimately identifies with serving “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40).
Share Your Faith
Speaking about Christ and what He has personally done in our lives is incredibly intimate. As we share the gospel with others, relay spiritual conversations God has impressed on our heart, or give testimony of His work in our lives, we make ourselves vulnerable. We invite others into the intimate details of our walk with God. In doing so, we grow closer to Him as we open up about the One who has transformed our lives. Sharing faith unites our heart with the Father’s heart to make Christ known and draws us into holy intimacy with Him.
Engage in Spiritual Friendships
Gathering regularly with other believers who are pursuing intimacy with God provides encouragement, accountability, and spiritual growth. As iron sharpens iron, godly friendships stir us toward greater intimacy with God (Proverbs 27:17). The body of Christ is designed to build itself up in love as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16). Being open, honest, and vulnerable with trusted believers about our spiritual journey ushers us into deeper connection with God and one another. This fosters the biblical “one another’s” such as confession, prayer, and bearing one another’s burdens.
Avail Ourselves to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit was sent to believers in Christ to be our Counselor, Comforter, and Helper (John 14:16-17). As the third person of the Trinity, He reveals the intimate truth of who God is. The Spirit guides us into truth, convicts us of sin, produces spiritual fruit in our lives, and empowers us for ministry (John 16:13, Galatians 5:22-23, Acts 1:8). Intimacy with God grows as we submit to the Spirit’s work in us, listen for His promptings and leading, and rely on His power working within us. Walking in step with the Spirit draws us ever closer to the heart of God.
Practice God’s Presence
Since God is omnipresent, He is always with us—but are we always with Him? The busyness of life and the distractions of technology often draw us away from practicing awareness of God’s presence with us. Intentionally setting aside time to recognize He is with us and commune with Him even in the mundane cultivates intimacy. When we acknowledge His presence throughout our day, turn our affections toward Him, and commune with Him amid our daily tasks, we live out the promise of God’s abiding presence (John 15:4-5). This unbroken sense of His nearness fosters an intimate walk.
Receive His Grace
None of us will experience perfect intimacy with God in this lifetime. Our sinful tendencies and limitations as fallen creatures inhibit our abiding connection with the Holy One. Yet He showers us with His unconditional grace. When we humbly receive His grace and forgiveness, we draw closer to Him. We all desperately need God’s grace every day. Leaning wholly on His grace and tender mercies reorients our perspective toward greater intimacy with Him. It instills in us profound gratitude, humility and trust toward our gracious Father.
Cultivating intimacy with God takes time, commitment and vulnerability before Him. But the rewards far outweigh the cost. As we diligently seek Him, God draws near to us in intimate relationship and holy communion. Our souls find ultimate rest, fulfillment and joy in close fellowship with our Creator who loves us with an everlasting love.