Intimacy

Tracy
Holland, MI, USA
September 12, 2007
I was at a huge auditorium with thousands of other women. On the stage was a beautiful throne where Our King Jesus would be sitting. There were preparations being made for a great banquet. Though that wasn't the main purpose of the meeting, it was a talent competition. Most of the women were dressed in wedding dresses. Only a few men were present to help do physical type things. I, then went to put on my wedding dress, and there were several other women doing the same. I sensed the intense spirit of competition and it did not feel good. My Mom was there, I thought to help me, she was already attired in her wedding dress, but she was to busy admiring herself and primping (which is something she never does). So, were the other women. I then remembered and getting all upset said, that I had forgotten to get my singing accompaniment tape from one of my closest friends.

I woke up at that moment from the dream. What was the strangest thing about the dream was that I would not have sang, but danced for the Lord and I had this overpowering since of sadness that something was really amiss.

Then, I felt the Lord say, yes it is sad, My bride keeps competing for Me, instead of just being, whom I have made each one of them to be, using their gifts, that, I, the Lord have given them, to bless Me.

Aaron
Prince George, British Columbia
September 12, 2007
Intimacy is Everything
A couple quick thoughts on intimacy:

• Intimacy is the reward of obedience (including the ministry of intercession) not the breakthrough. Jeremiah spent his life preaching and prophesying to Israel but, other than his scribe Baruch, there is no evidence of anyone turning to the Lord. By man’s evaluation, he would be a failure. There was no fruit from his ministry. However, Jeremiah was not a failure because his reward was intimacy, not a breakthrough. The knowledge of God and standing before the Lord were Jeremiah’s reward. See Jeremiah 9:24; 23:18
• Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). He preached coming judgment for about 100 years and only 7 people heeded the message – and they were members of Noah’s own family! Noah had the knowledge of God and His plans. That was his reward.
• In Genesis 18, the Lord visited Abraham. Abraham prepared a meal and visited with God. After they visited together then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation…?” (v.17). The Lord revealed His plans and heart to Abraham from a place of friendship, then Abraham was able to stand before the Lord boldly in a place of intercession. Intercession is not about us trying to stir ourselves up about all the injustice and wickedness on the earth. Rather, as we enter into intimate relationship with our Lord, He reveals His plans and desires to us and we can stand in prayer. NOTE: Abraham prayed for God to spare Sodom but in the end it was destroyed. Was Abraham’s intercession in vain? I don’t think so. His reward was friendship and partnership with God’s heart. He was God’s friend (Isaiah. 41:8)

Penny
August 22, 2007
Here is what I heard the Lord say,
“The Lord would tell me His secrets. He will whisper them in my ear.
The Holy Ghost speaks to me with strong wisdom and might…pillow talk…
The Lord will whisper to me secretly while I lie upon my pillow.
I am His and He is mine.
“No promise will I withhold from you. You are my wife and we are one.”

Elizabeth
St. John’s, New Foundland
August 22, 2007
To me, dancing is one of the most beautiful and intimate forms of communication.

A friend once described to me the process of learning to tango. The man leads through very subtle movements and the woman "listens" closely, and responds. It requires a competent leader and a good "listener" to really work well... and look as beautiful as it does.

In prayer and in worship the image of dancing with the Lord has often come up. I didn't understand what it meant, so I asked God to explain. He helped me to see, that in dancing with a partner, there is one who leads and one who follows. However, they are so close that it appears as if they are moving together. This is God's desire for us... to stay close, to hear each subtle lead, and to follow... to dance with Him.

It can be our most beautiful and intimate response to him.

Debbie
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
August 22, 2007
I am so blessed by this time of consecration I just have to write and say thank you all for leading this charge in Canada. May He do His work in all the hearts of us who follow along. So, there I was praying for this prayer consecration move in our blessed country last night. The cry of my heart is to know the Father, to know Jesus, to recognize immediately the voice of His blessed Spirit within me on a daily basis that Jesus may emerge through this body, not only in my body but in Christ's body on this earth. As I sat there before the Father, I was reminded of two things: The song by Brian Doerkson was running through my head so much so that I had to go get the guitar and sing it to my Father; the song being, “I Want to Know You” by Brian Doerkson

I want to know You; I want to love You
I want to know You more Jesus, Jesus
I want to know You, Lord I must know You
I want to be found in You
I want to be clothed in Your truth
So I fix my eyes on You, Lord I must see You
I put my faith in You I spend my life on You

This song so speaks to what is going on in my spirit these days of seeking Him. How is anything of eternal worth accomplished without truly knowing Jesus? It's not! He wants so much more for us than just getting through the days; experience the temporal things of life. He's trying to work the eternal in us.

I was also reminded of Jacob wrestling with the angel and saying to Him...No, I'm not going to let you go until you bless me. At first I used to think that was pretty galley of Jacob, but then again I'm reminded of Peter saying to Jesus when Jesus was asking the disciples if they would stay with him or not when many were unable to handle who Jesus was, Peter says the classic, "Where will we go? You have the words of eternal life." It is so easy for us to follow the Lord because it is expedient for us in so many ways; but He wants us for Himself; for His purposes. There is no way we can follow the Lord and expect to walk in His purposes for our lives without laying our lives down that He may live in us. It's a crucifixion! There isn’t anything nice about it, but He promises to be with us in it and He has gone before us - showing us the way. We too must remember and learn, "Who for that joy that is set before us."

How incredibly blessed we are as a people to know him whether it's here in this country or anywhere on this planet. To know the God of the Universe is really unfathomable. But we truly can know Him. He wants us to know Him. Daily He calls to us to come and be before Him, beholding His face, letting Him change us from glory to glory. The Bible says, "Draw near to me, and I will draw near to You. God is faithful to His promises; indeed He remains faithful even when we are faithless. He is amazing.

“Father, I thank you for your eternal faithfulness to us. Father, your love is completely overwhelming and humbling. You are true to your word and when we call on you, you're here for us. Father, you are a God who completes what you start in us, you don't leave us hanging. No, your promise to complete your work in us is still true. Father God, as we spend this time seeking you, please fill our hearts with your thoughts, make your desires ours, fill our mouths with your words, our eyes with your love and compassion and our hearts with your forgiveness that your purposes would be fulfilled in this season of our lives. For truly, you alone are Almighty God! Amen.

Wendy
Kentville, Nova Scotia
August 18, 2007
He has lifted the veil from off our faces. He has taken that which has separated us and has removed it. There is now nothing between the Bride and her Husband. It is removed. It is gone. Bound by the unity of the rings, sanctioned by the pleasure of the Father, witnessed by those who have gone before us and love us, we are now His Bride, Flesh of His Flesh, and Heart of His Heart, one with Him. He now takes us to the wedding chamber. He brings us into the intimacy and fellowship of oneness with Him, aloneness with Him, communion with Him, deep abiding with Him. He shares His thoughts, His heart with us, as we share with Him. That deep communion between those who are married.

We will never be "the wife", we are always His Bride, His love is always new and fresh. Time will never tarnish His fervor for us. Our fears melt when we are touched by His gentleness; our shame vanishes as we are touched by His suffering love for us. It is time to cleave to Him. Be lost in this amazing love.

Faith
Bowmanville, Ontario
August 16, 2007
As I progressed deeper into intimate times of worship and cleansing, I was waiting IN HIS PRESENCE one morning, when I looked up into the sky and saw that clouds were forming into a face with closed eyes. I could see they were shut but then slowly they began to open to reveal the most beautiful eyes. I asked the Lord what he was showing me. ACTS 17:30 came to mind, Acts 17:29-31,

29 "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. "

In the times of this ignorance God winked, but now He commanded that all men everywhere to repent. Also, 2 Chronicles 7:15,

Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

THE PLACE OF SEEKING HIS FACE! The Lord had been telling me to return to the place of first love spoken of in the book of Revelations, one week prior to our pastor reading Watchmen for the Nations’ letter to us. He said the first works only would be acceptable to Him because they would be out of intimacy and not my own strength and works. I soon experienced that His eyes were open to me in a much different way. I began to receive strategy and revelation from the heart of the Lord for intercession for his people. He told me I wouldn’t be able to receive the deepest secrets of his heart or be trusted with kingdom strategies unless I obeyed and stayed in this place of intimacy.

Phil
London
August 16, 2007
A vision then came to me. I saw a picture of all the people of all the nations kneeling before Jesus as He appeared in the clouds. The whole scene was white and pure. All these people were dressed in white robes and were completely submitted to His Lordship and were overwhelmed by His Holiness and knew without a doubt that He was God. I then looked up to Jesus and His face was powerful, majestic yet loving and kind and then He turned to me and looked at me and said “I love you.”. For the first time I felt this perfect love completely fill me and nothing else mattered. I felt that no longer was I just one of many people that He loved but I was personal to Him, He knew ME! and that He loved ME! ME as an individual and that I mattered to Him! He stopped in the midst of all the people of all the nations coming before Him and said “I love you.”. Few days later as I was reading the Book of Revelations I came across the passage Revelations 7:9-17 for the first time ever talking exactly of that scene! And in verse 17 it says “… And God will wipe away EVERY tear from their eyes.”. We must not forget the truth of how much He loves each and every one of us and that He created us individually with ALL His perfect love before time, before history. And we now are to look forward to spending eternity with Him where our steps will be completely and effortlessly in synch with His. Amen!

Wendy
Kentville, Nova Scotia
August 15, 2007
Since January of this year, the Lord has been saying to me "Go back to the beginning". At first I thought it was a personal word for me and it has been significant for me all year. Yet, this word resounds in me loudly as I walk this consecration call. I think the Lord wants to church to also hear this. "Go back to the beginning, back to where your love was fresh and unspoiled, go back to where I was your Lover, go back, back before boredom, distraction and other priorities dulled your fervent love for Me. Go back, and you will find Me waiting there to continue on the journey we had started. I have not left you or forsaken you, but you have journeyed without me and I am waiting to begin with you again. I long to dance with you again, the bridal waltz. I am waiting. Come."

A.
Coquitlam, British Columbia
August 10, 2007
The Holy Spirit spoke to me one day and said, my church is changing it's robe! On Sunday she wears her bride's robe, at work she puts on another robe. In the marketplace she changes her robe again, on vacation, on holidays, in the stores she puts on the worlds robes. The Lord says, I want my bride to wear her bride, and priestly robe all the time 365 days a year, if she wants to be effective for me. We have to be like Jesus all the time.

Rose
August 6, 2007
As I laid down to rest, I felt Jesus and I were walking together down a road. He was talking to me through thoughts. I felt so peaceful, calm and very happy. He reminded me that just as He walked as a friend with the two disciples on the road to Emmaeus, He is my friend and wants to walk and talk with me. His desire for me is to know Him better and to experience more of His reality. He knows how I have prayed and longed for the Holy Spirit to have more control of my life. He knows how I want to have a truer revelation of Him.

My thoughts then went to what He wants to do now, and in the future. He wants all those who will to seek after a deeper relationship with Him. He wants us to gain a deeper knowledge of Him then we have ever had before. A deeper reality of His presence is to be made very clear to us. There are those of us who will feel this desire blossom within and will experience a greater awakening of the Spirit within. This new reality of His Presence will be revealed to the hearts of those who do. We have tried so hard in the past to please our God but not out of a true heart. It has been done because that's the way it's always been done. But it has been religiosity- or piety more than sincerity. He is longing for His lambs to come- He is calling, to all those who will come to Him.

Many times I have felt I must be HOLY. The word does say, “BE HOLY- EVEN AS I AM HOLY”. But I say, “How Lord? I have so many human faults!” God said this is My Son listen to Him. Jesus obeyed the Father in all things, so must we. When we do this we are Holy- -if we love Him and love others. If we forgive and go forward - telling of the Lord's grace and mercy- doing good for those who are in need, and putting aside anything that doesn't line up with what Jesus earthly walk was on earth. We are Holy and must believe that we are. For need to be humble toward God.

His desire is that we draw closer and closer to Him. As we do He will draw closer to us and reveal Himself. This is going to be something greater than we have ever experienced before. We will have more and more desire to know Him. There will be healings of the Body in both soul and mind, a great outpouring of His grace and mercy is about to take place.

Chrystelle
Montreal, Quebec
August 4, 2007
A few days ago, I felt God pouring out on me such love, and then I felt a fire burning inside me, and I asked the Lord what is this fire? I felt He answered “this is my passion, my love” and this fire was burning and burning and I knew there was more, and a thought came about Moses and the Lord coming to him as a burning Fire; and then this scripture, the words of John the Baptist talking about Jesus “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire” and I was still asking God to understand more what He was trying to say about the Fire and the love, and the next day I was reading what David posted about Mary the mother of Jesus, and understood God was saying He wanted to come as a Fire in me, he wanted Yeshua in me, if I (we) wanted to bear Him, Jesus, in His fullness through my (our) being, and as I was reading, I was realizing I was believing and in my heart I had said yes, and I was saying yes.

Cindy
Niagara Region, Ontario
July 28, 2007
This season has been about consecration in full out love for Him, but also Him for the church and as individuals. This love is deep and all consuming. He showed me a vision one day of this strong, soft yet violently fierce fire and spoke to me saying, “My love is a jealous love, My love is vehement.” I was instantly overwhelmed and felt His love and His purity consume me like never before. I was again overwhelmed with His encompassing love and His intimate and pure embrace very early this morning as I listened and worship for a few hours to the song that was on His heart. Here is how some of it goes,

A Little Longer - Brian and Jenn Johnson (from their We Believe CD)

What can I do for you? What can I give to you? What kind of song would you like me to sing? I'll dance a dance for you / I'll pour out my love for you. What can I give to you beautiful King?

Cause I can't thank you enough
I can't thank you enough

Then I hear you sing to me / You don't have to do a thing / Simply be with Me and let those things go / Cause they can wait another minute / Wait this moment is too sweet please stay here with Me / And love on Me a little longer / Cause I'm in love with you.

Written by: Jenn Johnson
Copyright 2004

Lise
July 18, 2007
Since before the Tsunami in Asia the Lord was talking to me about a "Shift" that was coming, "Just as the wave was a physical manifestation of what was happening beneath the surface of the earth before people could see the demonstration... so too had our God begun the shaking that would "Shift" in order to bring about what He desired to have done.

Your e-mail that referenced: "While we don’t know fully what the shift will look like, the heart of it is that the church we know today is about to be transformed into a church that manifests the kingdom of heaven, the way Jesus spoke about. This is what many of us have been longing and praying and fighting to see. And we all agreed that the time has come for to hope and to dream again." This was a confirmation to this dream / picture.

“I (I represent the body) was in the backstage area of a theatre getting ready to go on stage. I wasn’t anything special, a background person that had no significant part. Suddenly the Lord stepped forward and extended His hand to me. He drew me out of the crowd and unto the stage. He encircled me in a most beautiful dance like manner, hugging me to Himself. My own arms hugged my body as He brought my back against His chest. He encircled me and we began to be lifted above the crowd. We were dancing somehow but not like anything we would understand to be a dance; it was a floating twirling beauty that transfixed the crowd below. The feeling of being loved, secure enveloped and special can’t be articulated by even the greatest author, it had to be felt to be understood. Any area of your life that is empty is suddenly filled and you are overjoyed at the filling of what you didn't even know needed filling. As we continued this dance of intimacy/performance, nothing and no one mattered, it wasn’t about the performance, it was as though we were creating our own world. This was greater then any fantasy of a young woman on the verge of new love, this was fantasy married to a reality that exceeded the deepest of all desires culminated. (If this is a taste of heaven…nothing we ever go through will matter.) I felt His loins but not in any improper way, rather it was an awareness of life, creating, and fruitfulness. There would be a fruitfulness of righteousness, power and glory...in that order. I felt the Lord’s cheek against mine and His intimate whispers beckoned communion. In the midst of this He asked, "What is this love worth to you? " I started to list all that I had done for God and given up but I declared in my Spirit that anybody would give up their lives for this. (Martyrs must certainly experience this!) He showed me that this now represented His body, His bride. He is going to take us from the wings of obscurity and take us into the centre of where the world is watching and perform things that the world will marvel at. If we’re focused on the beauty of the dance of intimacy He is drawing us into we are not going to be conscious of the world’s eyes on us. We are not going to even for a moment think it is about us or our talent…it will all be about Him. He is taking us to a new level. He will perform things on behalf of His church. No longer will the church be indistinct, the world will be watching in awe. As we stretch out our hand and let Him lead He will take us to new heights that will include such a release of fruitfulness in righteousness that will create power and glory. His word doesn’t return void and His faithfulness precedes our praises, so to... as we are one with Him will He create a fruitfulness of righteousness, glory and power. (2Cor.9) What is it worth? Perhaps it isn’t about the negative of cost…perhaps it is about reaching, desiring, knowing that intimacy! What is His death worth? Is he not worthy of ALL?

Shawn
Kelowna, British Columbia
July 24, 2007
Consecration is a somewhat painful process, but the fruit is ENDURING righteousness. I sense that this is a season of dealing with DEEP/ROOT issues in the heart that are contrary to God’s will (rending our hearts) as well as unprecedented grace (outpouring of the Holy Spirit, times of refreshing that come from His presence). Both are needed for our spiritual growth, and I thank God for both aspects of His word. I also feel that this is a season of new life, a season of explosive growth for many in the body, but with the sudden growth new and even unexpected challenges. It is important that as ministry activity and responsibility increases, so does our intimacy with the Lord. I hear Him saying “I am jealous for your heart and I will not share it with fame, fortune or mans agendas. Now is the time for You to draw near to me. Let the pressures of success drive you to Me, I am here with a listening ear, DO NOT leave Me out of the ‘equation,’ for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Shirley
Vermilion Bay, Ontario
July 24, 2007
The Lord says to tell you that He wants to make you drunk with His Spirit. He wants to saturate you with His love so that you will be totally enamored, totally consumed with His passion, and nothing else will appease you. He longs to draw you to the secret place, the secluded place, where He can speak kindly to you. Come stay awhile He says and I will comfort you so that you will be healed. I will bring you out [of the world], so that you may come in - into My Presence and hold fast to My Words, for the time is ripe for My harvest- My vineyard, and I need you to be ready.

Timo
Ontario
July 20, 2007
I had a vision that I would like to share: "I saw an old man stand in the speaker's place in the House of Commons in Ottawa. The members of parliament were listening but I believe this word was for the church in Canada. The old man said that when there is a revival of healing, "don't forget Jesus". He spoke with passion and from experience, with a concern for the church. His 'fatherly concern' was about the Canadian church losing sight of the sufferings of Jesus on the cross, His shed Blood, what it means to live a holy life, and losing sight of the person of Jesus Christ. He was not against miracles, healing, signs or wonders but his spirit was against idolatry, sin, hypocrisy and "shallow living" in the church. He wanted God's people to know Jesus intimately and personally and not only experience God's blessings."