Walking In The Way Of Godly Intimacy
Why did God Create Intimacy?
When you think of it, God made us and knows us intimately. Our Father created us to be people who enjoy being held and loved intimately. In fact, when God created Adam and Eve He said we were very good.
It seems that the Devil has been trying to divorce love from intimacy for a long time. The most obvious example of this is prostitution. When a man or woman buys sex, they gratify themselves without regard for the person they use. In the act of harlotry, there is no Godly intimacy.
God wants to give us all a hug
God is all about Godly intimacy. Our Father created intimacy for the express purpose to unite people with Himself and others as His Holy Spirit directs. In fact, when people make love, rather than closing His eyes and turning the other way in embarrassment, God is right there in the middle of their union!
Making a baby, literally takes God. In the act of the creation of life not only do our bodies need to unite, but also our spirits. Part of the ecstasy of orgasm is spiritual. For when two people unite in body they must also unite in Spirit in order to have the possibility of bringing forth life. The passion in our bodies is matched by the passion in our spirits. Oddly enough, during coitus is often the only time many people feel close to God.
The Devil hates intimacy
The Devil is working overtime to rid the Body of Christ of any and all forms of intimacy. While God wants to bring in more intimacy between believers, Satan wants to stop people from being intimate at all. The question is, “why?”
Holy intimacy causes us to open up to each other
When you are intimate with another you must open up and become vulnerable. Barriers must drop. Trust must be present. Godly intimacy engenders unity because you cannot and will not be affectionate with someone whom you disagree with. Moreover, being vulnerable in mind and body also helps us to open up to God’s Spirit. When we trust another emotionally we tend to open up them spiritually too. As we draw closer together in the natural we draw closer together in the spirit. Therefore, the more transparent and intimate we are, as led by God’s Spirit, the more we open up to God Himself.
The Spirit leads us into Godly intimacy
So, how does Godly intimacy work out in the day-to-day world? As we are led by God’s Spirit He leads and guides us in the areas of intimacy too. Holy intimacy is not synonymous with sex, although, in certain circumstances, i.e. marriage, it does lead to intercourse. Holy Intimacy is a collaboration with God’s Spirit whereby you hug if God leads you to hug, kiss if He leads you to kiss and caress each other if He leads you to caress. It is allowing God to do whatever is necessary to show love and godly affection to another member of the Body of Christ.
My one, My undefiled
Though it is not exclusively the case, most times this type of behavior takes place between men and women. We are made to naturally pair that way. Plus, we play out the picture of the Bride of Christ and the Bridegroom through our respective genders. Loving one another in Godly intimacy, through physical touch, is the way in which God demonstrates the love relationship that He desires with His Bride. As we allow God to love us through each other, in a holy intimacy, we become one in Him.
Only as God’s Spirit leads
Holy intimacy is not a method to get God but rather simply a result of trusting Him. The natural minded person may think, “Wow, yielding to holy intimacy with this individual means I can be that way with everyone!” Not so. The way this really works is that God must lead and guide you in every relationship and just because the Holy Spirit gave you freedom with one person does not mean you can do that with every person.
The Holy Spirit leads us distinctively in every circumstance. We do not operate by our natural reasoning any longer but allow God to reveal His will in everything we do. Consequently, what is good in God with one person may be prohibited with another. Furthermore, we may not even understand why this is so, but because we are submitted to God’s Spirit, we never go further or do anything that we are not specifically led to do.
Why?
During a time of connection love, when God led me to do all sorts of intimate things with different members of His Body, however, during one service a very beautiful woman came up to me and said,
“Some friends and I are going to spend the weekend up in the mountains. Would like you to come and be with me there.”
I looked at her and they said,
“Why?”
Feeling no connection with her, the Holy Spirit did not lead me to be with her.
Embrace Godly intimacy
In conclusion, Godly intimacy within the Body of Christ is not something to be feared but something to be embraced. Allowing ourselves to become close to one another, as the Holy Spirit leads, is exactly what brings about the unity of the Spirit that leads to the unity of the faith. The Devil has fought closeness among believers precisely because he fears the unity that comes from it. Therefore, we must realize that coming together as one will also manifest itself in loving, Spirit led intimacy too.
Finally, purity is not lack of intimacy. God is in each one of us through the infilling of His Holy Spirit. If you want to talk with God these days speak with a brother of sister who yields to His Spirit. Look into the eyes of someone who manifests His Spirit, if you want to see God. If you want to be held by God, allow a member of the Body of Christ to let your Father hold you through them. In this way the world will say of us, “We know they are Christians by their love one for another.