The power of intimacy (II)

What Makes Intimacy So Powerful?

Being in the closet alone is not enough. Something else must happen in the place of intimacy for it to produce desired results. In the secret place, in the place of intimacy, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father to go to the Cross to die for the sins of the world. The Bible says in Matthew 26:39, “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” He went the second time and prayed the same prayer. Matthew 26:42.

The main lesson in the Lord’s prayer is easy to miss if you are not careful. And this was what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9-13: SURRENDER! The Lord’s prayer is all about surrender; it’s all about surrendering to His divine will in our lives, homes, churches, communities, nations, business, etc. Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven! Notice what follows: Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread. [12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…”

Benefits of Surrender

1. When surrender is in place, provisions flow without hinderance. You are guided into supernatural wealth. You are given access to hidden wealth. Isaiah 45:1-3. No wonder the Bible says in Isaiah 1:19, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land…” It is the secret place you receive grace to practice the laws, and principles that govern divine prosperity and wealth: first fruits, tithe, seed faith offering, kingdom demand offering, assisting the poor, etc. Submission does not diminish you; it increases you.
2. When surrender is in place, your sins are forgiven and washed away. You are cleansed as if nothing ever happened. He says to pray, forgive us our sins.
3. When surrender is in place, you are divinely protected and delivered. You are safe and secure. Your enemies cannot overpower you. You are able to overcome temptations and trials.
4. When surrender is in place, you have joy unspeakable. Psalm 16:11 says, “… in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
5. When surrender is in place, the anointing flows. Isaiah 40:29-31. It is the Holy Spirit that injects life into your legs so they can carry you to walk and run. He provides the wind beneath your wings so you can fly. It all happens in the place of intimacy and surrender.

Your prayer is worthless if you do not first surrender to God’s will.

The most important and most profitable activity that must take place in the secret place is not prayer. It’s not worship; the most important activity that must take place when you enter into the closet or secret place is SURRENDER, SUBMISSION!

The secret place is the place where you come to surrender your sins to God. When Adam sinned, he ran away from God in fear and shame. This is the way we naturally react to our failings. We run away. But keeping away leads to more backsliding and frustration as the sense of guilt, condemnation and shame grows. But God doesn’t want us to run away from Him when we sin; He wants us to run to Him and not from Him when we fail. Just imagine the way He handled Adam after he had sinned in Genesis 3:8-11

1. He came to keep the appointment in Eden; the secret place, the meeting place.
2. He came to discuss the sin so could deal with it.
3. He came to cleanse and clothe them in the proper way.

This is where you surrender your fears, your ideas and desires to His will. Surrender means:

This is the way I feel about this but I’m ready to do whatever Your will is no matter the pain it will cost me. This is the place you give up your right to be offended in order to forgive anyone who has offended you according to the will of God. This is the place where you surrender your strength to Him so that He can give you His strength.

No wonder the Bible says in Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

There is breakthrough in the secret place, but it takes surrender to the will of God to access it and enjoy it. Peter, in an intimate moment of prayer was told by the Lord to cast his net in the deep for a catch, he objected, saying, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing, nevertheless, at thy word… this is surrender! The result was an amazing net-breaking, boat-sinking catch! Luke 5:4-7. Oh, that men will learn to keep a date with Him in the secret place and obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need!! Your breakthrough comes from your surrender to His divine will.

The best way the church can enjoy its relationship with God is by daily surrendering to the will of God. The church is the bride of Christ.

The best way a wife can enjoy her marriage is by surrendering or submitting to her husband; making herself available to him; submitting to what the husband says. A husband who spends time in the presence of God will not only speak to God about his family but will also speak from God to his family. He will not only love his wife more but will do whatever it takes to provide for her and protect her. He is ready to sacrifice his life for her just like Jesus did for the church. Only a man who is accustomed to the secret place, the place of intimacy, can love like this. The place of Christ is to love the church, the place of the church is to submit to Christ. The place of the husband is to love the wife and the place of the wife is to submit to her husband, not in servitude but in equality and dignity.

When a man wants to marry, he looks for a woman who will submit to him. Men are generally more attracted to women who submit to them than to those who will constantly disregard or disrespect them.

For a woman, submission does not mean you’re weak, it means you’re sweet. It means you are wise. It means you are strong. Just as Christ empowers the surrendered, a husband delights in empowering the submissive wife.

Finally, why is submission so powerful, because it makes you one with God! Intimacy makes a man one with his wife.

Get intimate with God as a habit and your life with take a turn for the better and for the best.

Bishop Dr. Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l. Website: www.dayspringcmi.org e-mail: [email protected] Help line: 08035150515