This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
Intimacy with God
Jesus spoke hard-to-digest language when he spoke about having intimacy or close communion with him. He told: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53).”
Do not say this is a hard saying and leave Jesus like many of the disciples did (see John 6:60, 66). Instead move closer to Jesus. This is how it can be done:
As we look at Hebrews 10:22 we are encouraged. It says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22).”
Let us draw near.
Let us draw near because a new and living way has been opened for us. Therefore we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, that is, heaven’s throne room where God dwells, by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19, 20). Tell God that you are approaching by the blood of Jesus. You are then given right of access.
Let us draw near.
Let us draw near because our elder brother Jesus, who is the great priest over the house of God, is already there in God’s presence. He ever lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34). When he is there, and you approach by his blood, God is happy to welcome you as a brother or sister of Jesus. Remember Jesus is all mankind’s representative in heaven as he shared fully in our humanity.
Let us draw near.
Let us draw near with a sincere heart. That is a repentant heart. There might be hidden sins in our lives. Ask God to search them out (Psalm 139:23). When you allow the Spirit of God to search you like how a security personnel frisks you before you enter a high security area for hidden things, you have a sincere heart.
Let us draw near.
Let us draw near with full assurance of faith. We need to have faith in the blood of Jesus. We need to have faith that his blood is more than sufficient to take care of our sins.
“There must be a full assurance of faith that there is a Holy Place where we can dwell and walk with God; that the power of the precious blood has conquered sin so perfectly that nothing can prevent our undisturbed fellowship with God.”–The Power of the Blood of Jesus by Andrew Murray
Let us draw near.
Let us draw near is a call has special reference to prayer.
“There are moments of closer fellowship when the soul turns itself entirely to God to be engaged with Him alone.” — Andrew Murray.
Each time you pray just think of the blood of Jesus. Ask God to remove sin in you through the blood of Jesus so that any known or unknown sin will not come as a barrier between you and God. Take time to be conscious that you are now in the very presence of God by the blood of Jesus. And then pray.
“Brethren, ‘let us draw near.’ Let us pray for ourselves, for one another, for everyone. Let the Holiest become our fixed abode [home or place of residence] that we may carry about with us everywhere the presence of our God.” – Andrew Murray
Let us look at cleansing found in Hebrews 10:22. The following is taken from Andrew Murray’s book.
“There is for us a twofold cleansing with water and blood. Baptism with water is unto repentance for laying aside of sin. ‘Be baptized and wash away your sins.’ While the blood cleanses the heart, the inner man, baptism is the yielding of the body, with all its visible life, to separation from sin.”
“The power of the blood to cleanse inwardly cannot be experienced unless we also cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. The divine work of cleansing by sprinkling of blood and the human work of cleansing by laying aside sin are inseparable.”
“We must be clean to enter into the Holiest. Just as you would never dream of entering in to the presence of a king unwashed, so you cannot imagine that you could come into the presence of God, in the Holy Place, if you are not cleansed from every sin. In the blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin, God has bestowed on you [given to you] the power to cleanse yourself. Your desire to live with God in the Holiest must always be united with the most careful laying aside of even the least sin. The unclean may not enter the Holiest.”
“Praise be God, He desires to have us there. He desires our purity that we may enjoy the blessing of the Holiest—that is, His Holy Fellowship. And He has taken care that through the blood and by the Spirit, we may be clean.”
Let us draw near.
“The Holiest Place is open even for those in our congregations who have not yet truly turned to the Lord. For them also the sanctuary has been opened. The precious blood, the living way, and the High Priest are for them also. With great confidence we dare to invite even them, ‘Let us draw near.’ ”
Let us draw near.
The invitation comes especially to all believers. Be not satisfied to stand in the porch. It is not sufficient to cherish the hope that your sins are forgiven. ‘Let us draw near’; let us enter within the veil; let us in spirit press on to real nearness to our God. Let us draw near and live nearer to God.”
Read more posts on prayer:
The Secret of Prayer Posts Lists
Pathways of Prayer