Do You Really Want to Grow Closer to God?

Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author   Close Window

If you really want to grow closer to God this is the one study out of all the studies that will help you get started and for those already started get them even further along.

The main reason Adam sinned and fell from grace with God was he was self-centered.

Adam had changed from being God centered to self-centered.

The shame of it is all he had to do was keep God in the center of his life and all else would be fine. And even if he did become self centered all he had to do was being obedient and avoid the fruit of one of thousands of trees.

After Adam sinned the contact in the spirit was disconnected forever or until someone could fix the problem.

SO by being disobedient (self-centered) Adam lost the connection he once had in his spirit with God's spirit. This left a void in Adam that even evil could not fill.

OK, enough about how and why we are in sin, what about us today?

We have to follow a few more rules than Adam did, and since we never have been connected in the Spirit (at least not until we grow into it) we have no idea what we are missing.

We do know we want this emptiness filled. Some use alchol, others drugs, some sex, some things. But none of those will fill the void.

The only thing that will ever fill the void is the Spirit of God in us.

Now we start by professing and believing as it is stated in Romans 10:9-10.

Romans 10

9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We also know we are children of God by Romans 8:16.

Romans 8

16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

In Matthew 16:15-18 we learn those who have revealed to them who Jesus is as the Son of God and the Christ are of the church. They are a piece of the church. The verse where Jesus says that Peter is now called Peter is Petros in Greek meaning a piece of the rock.

Next we need to be of Christ. Some call it being infilled by the Spirit of God, others call it being filled, but all are right. Christ is a Greek word meaning anointing, and we are to be of Christ, or of the anointing. To be anointed is like a dry sponge in a bowl of water, afterwards the sponge is anointed with water. The water is in, on, and through the sponge.

That is how we are to be with the Spirit of God, in, on and through.

TO really be of Christ you must first do a few things or actually a few you should not and some you should are listed below.

• Doubt - You must believe without any doubt (Mark 11:22-27)
• God Centered - You must have God at the center of ever part of your life. This is very important, all else will not work as well. To place God in the center is the same as having Him first in your life. All you do is check your self on all that you think and do and make sure He is in it and apart of it before you allow the thought to stay or the action to happen. I can not stress this one enough it is the downfall of most that call themselves of Christ.
• Judging - You must not judge anyone at all, that is all there is to it, do not judge. (Matthew 7:1-5)
• Forgiveness - You must forgive all, including yourself, no exceptions. (Mark 11:26-27)
• Knowledge - This is not just knowing the word of God, but being intimate with it, knowing it not as in memorizing, but as in knowing it like you do air. When you go from unbelief to belief something's work for you that did not before. Like healing, relationships improve and more. But when you go from belief to knowledge that is belief without doubt then all aspects of God's promises to you start to work in all areas all of the time.
• Faith - Faith is belief without doubt, it is when you believe something no matter what the circumstance say, or others say. When faith is applied to knowledge with the power of God then you are operating in the fullness of God. (I Cor 1:24) Faith is something that will also work for non-believers of Jesus. As we have read the rain falls on the just and the unjust, that is a reference to how faith works. Remember the Roman that Jesus said, "in all of Israel I have seen none that have this faith". The Roman was believing based on authority. He had authority over men, and when he comanded them to go, they went, and when he comanded them to come, they came. SO he believed that Jesus had authority over healing. And when Jesus gave the comand for his servant to be healed, the servant was healed. Not based on the servants faith, but based on the faith of the Roman.

When we first are born again, and that is what it is, based on Jesus own words.

John 3

6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

And when we say we are saved that is a true statement based on Romans 10:9-10.

Romans 10

9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We are saved from death, Hell, and the grave. As well as bad health, bad relationships, bad finances, etc.

Luke 4

18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Isaiah 10

27. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

First of all in Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 10:27 we see we are to be blessed by this relationship.

Luke 4:18 "to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"

Gospel is Good News, so what would be good news to the poor, that they do not have to be poor. I have heard of people in almost every country that was blessed more than the average. And I do not mean those that did it on the backs of others. But by honest hard work. No they were not rich, but they were not poor any longer.

And the acceptable year of the Lord is the year of Jubilee. The year of Jubilee came once every 50 years. Ever 7^th year no one worked their fields and took the year off to give the fields a chance to recoup. Then ever 50^th year no one worked, plus all debts were forgiven. So that meant if you were a slave you also got your freedom. And for Jesus to say that we are now every year, in the year of the Lord it meant we were to be blessed.

I think you get the point.
Please read the following verses even if you just read them, they will help you with this study and they never hurt to read them, even if it is 50 times a day.

I Peter 5

7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

If you are casting all of your cares on the Lord, why then are you concerned or worried about a debt, relationship, health, finances or anything else. It may be hard at first to do, but in time it will be easy.

John 3

16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We all know John 3:16, but I am always shocked at how many do not know John 3:17.

And the word condemn is also judge, so if Jesus does not judge, why or how could we even think we could.

Matthew 7

15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jesus above tells us about a false prophets (also could mean anyone) how by their works (acts, actions, deeds) appear to many if not all as to be of Christ. But we find out that many will appear this way and Christ does not know them. So what fruit if it is not our works that is needed to be known by Christ?

There is only one fruit that counts, the only fruit you can not use or have unless you are of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Those false prophets were operating in faith, and faith works for all, it is not just for followers, but is like the passage we have read where it states that it rains on the just and the unjust as well.

Romans 8

16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

John 14

26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

One thing I have learned and people who have visited my home for more than a day notice a peace that is above and beyond that of most homes.

We believe in the peace and we enjoy it as well.

I John 2

27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Hebrews 11

1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Matthew 6

33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Romans 10

16. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

So by now you understand and have read verses you have read many times before, but now you should be seeing a difference in them.

You have a void, you ask for Jesus to fill the void, then you are a piece of the church, you become a part of the body of Christ. As this is all happening you notice your four letter words disappear from your vocabulary. You treat others better, you think before saying things much more than ever before. You also notice more blessings, healings and relationships to some degree are getting better.

You go from unbelief to believing, and walls that you never even knew you had begin to come down.

You realize no matter what God is real and His word is true.

Now to go the extra mile and get even more.

Start by making sure every thing you do, and say has God in the middle, stop judging others, no judging in your life ever. And search for any un-forgiveness in your life and forgive.

I have found that the two fastest ways for strife and offense to enter is by judging others and not forgiving others.

Of course placing God first and in the center of all you do will even resolve the problems that much faster.

So it goes like this:

• God Centered - God in the center and the rest falls into place.
• No Judging, Forgiving all - is the next step for those having trouble keeping God in the center or for those who are just human and goof once in a while.
• Knowledge is Belief without Doubt - When you grow to the point that you believe in God's promises like you do in air, you will be extremely blessed.
• Faith - is what it takes to do all of the above so faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Start by reading as much as possible a day, if possible 60 minutes a day.

If you will go over this study and read it and read it until it is deep in you, I know you will be blessed. And please email us and let us know how it has helped, that helps us.

My prayer for you is:

3 John 1
2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth

Remember to show faith when you pray, then praise and give thanks.

God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.

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