Jesus is Alive FOREVERMORE!  His Word is living and powerful.  In us is the fountain of living water welling up to eternal life.  “He raised us up with Him and seated us in the heavenly realms with our beloved Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King” (Ephesians 2:6 Voice). Therefore, we are called to live this new and living way, Christ in us the hope of glory.  

“For IN CHRIST there is ALL OF GOD in a human body; so, you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.” (Colossians 2:9 TLB)

The finished work of the cross and the resurrection power of Christ in us offer and give us much more than just forgiveness of sins.  Yes, we have been washed by the Blood of the Lamb that made us pure, holy and blameless, as new creations in Christ, but this is only the beginning.  Once washed, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us, Who is God’s divine presence and empowerment for us to have a new and wonderful life, we in Him and Him in us, and never apart from Him.  He is the Source of life, the Only One Who fully satisfies and truly quenches our spiritual thirst.

If I could have one word to describe this phrase “we in Him and Him in us”, it is INTIMACY.  In Colossians 2:9 TLB, it says, “IN CHRIST, there is ALL OF GOD in a human body; so, you have everything when you have Christ and you are filled with God through your union with Christ.” Divine intimacy with Him is living our lives fully persuaded that we are one with Him and our awareness of this truth is to be highly esteemed.

This is not a religious activity.  It is a divine relationship, nurtured and cherished by our continual fellowship with Him. This is the kind of life that Jesus came and paid a steep price for, by shedding His Blood.  He said, “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I CAME that they may HAVE and ENJOY life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” (John 10:10 AMPC)

If we are not yet having and enjoying life to its fullest, then, we must think again.  The Lord our God Who is rich in mercy and abounding in love is always on a lookout, Whose eyes go to and fro seeking whom He can show Himself strong to and demonstrate His love for.  He is always issuing us an invitation to know Him more and live in union with Him.  He knows that true fulfillment, satisfaction, contentment and completeness can only be found IN HIM.  Others may think otherwise, but if we desire to be rooted and grounded in our identity of being WHOLE, there is only ONE SOLID ROCK that cannot be shaken, IN CHRIST ALONE.

What then are the things that need to be adjusted and shifted for us to obtain intimacy with Him? 

“And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust Him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with Him.” (Colossians 2:6 TLB)

Intimacy needs cultivation.  It needs intentional quality time with the One we desire to be intimate with.  It needs a constant two-way communication conversed in a fine-tuned frequency.  It needs enjoyment while being united. It needs our absolute willingness to commune without being imposed. It is fueled by love, the kind of love that knows no bounds and is incomprehensible.  It is His love flowing in and through us.

It says, as we trusted Christ to save us, we are to trust Him, too, for our every day challenges.  Having Him in us only means one thing … He is with us ALWAYS, whether we are going through trials or not.  Our awareness of Him must be consistently heightened, and not just when we are on a tight spot.  We celebrate His presence always.  I believe this is supposedly deemed to be normal when the One we love most is present with us 24/7.

As we develop our fellowship with God in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in us, our sensitivity to His voice is sharpened with ease.  Our spiritual ears are no longer dull to hear Him speak, whether to love on us by His whispers or just to warn us by His promptings because He delights to protect us.

Anytime of the day, we can call upon His Name and SURELY He will answer us.  He will show us His way when we are lost.  He will enlighten us when we are in darkness.  He will keep us in His power when we are fearful and fill us with His love that casts out all our fears away. He will comfort us when we need it.  He will provide for us according to His glorious riches in Christ.  He can be Whoever we want Him to be for He is THE GREAT “I AM”.

How amazing it is to know that when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came with Judas who were there to seek and arrest Him. 

Jesus said, “Whom are you seeking?”

They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Jesus said to them, “I Am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.   Now, when He said to them, “I Am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” (John 18:4-6)

If we have a revelation of what it means to have the Spirit of “I AM HE” dwelling in us, what forces can come against us.  You see, the troops drew back and fell to the ground by Jesus’ mere introduction of Himself.  Indeed, “GREATER is He Who is in us than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4).  When He speaks, the whole world trembles in submission to His Word.

Oh how I love Psalm 91:1 AMPC that says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].”

And one more verse that I have been meditating lately, “He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.” (Colossians 2:10 TLB)

The power of the One we live in vital union with is unmatched.  This new life that He called us to live is in an elevated supernatural way of living, that can only be accessed and lived through by faith, expressed and evidenced by our words and actions.  It is purely by grace, the infusion of His very Being in us, for “We have been crucified with Christ: nevertheless we live; yet not us, but Christ lives in us: and the life which we now live in the flesh we live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved us, and gave Himself for us.” (Galatians 2:20)

Trusting Him and enjoying Him in our daily life is cultivating our intimacy with Him.  His presence can never be separated from us even when we go through the toughest of times, even when we fall short of His glory and we need to be fully persuaded that nothing can separate us from His love.

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT)

A couple of weeks ago, I had this odd experience of not being able to sleep soundly.  I was mindful if I had a troubled mind, but there was nothing I was consciously concerned about.  My heart was at rest, but I just couldn’t get myself to sleep. 

My initial thought was, “What did I bring home that troubled the atmosphere?” I had this question in mind because years ago I brought home one simple thing that disturbed my sleep.  When I was able to zero it in and took it out of my house, everything went back to normal.

This time, in the middle of the night, I read, I prayed, I worshipped, got back to bed and was still very much awake hahaha!  I wrestled and struggled because I had to get up at 6:45am to get ready for work.  I asked the Lord, but I got no immediate answer.  And so, I waited and waited.

A week passed and everything was still the same.  I believe I needed to make a decision about attending a life-class in church which I was half-hearted at first because I had done it years ago. And so, I signed up for it, not of a “must-do” attitude, but by being willing and obedient, all-in and fiery-hot to do it.  Yes, He said, “Be willing and obedient and you will eat the good of the land.” (Isaiah 1:19)   

That night, I thought I was going to experience that “He Who does not sleep nor slumber will give His beloved sleep”… but, nahhh, not yet. 

I inquired of Him again and He so lovingly said (not that I heard Him speak, but His Word says, “You have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.” (1John 2:20), “enjoy My Presence while you are awake!”   Oh wow … the next thing I knew was that I WAS REJOICING WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE!  I couldn’t care less if I’d get some sleep or not! 

Minutes later, I dozed off, I believe with a smile on my face.  From then on, all is well with my sleeping routine.

See, He cares for us affectionately and cares about us watchfully (1Peter 5:7 AMPC).  If it bothers us, it bothers Him, for we are one with Him.  We just need to engage ourselves with Him and Him with us to live a beautiful and enjoyable life. It is He Who makes our days extremely special, full of glory.

Communion and intimacy with the Lord our God is having our willing heart to make space to live a life with Him and towards Him.  It is a life of being vitally connected with Him like a branch that cannot possibly survive if it is cut off from the tree.  We are to be spiritually fervent, fueled with His love, well occupied with His agendas, filled with His presence and ready to be used and put on like a glove with ease, “for we are all made by Christ for His own use and glory” (Colossians 1:16 TLB).

Intimacy with God is the highest calling of our lives.  Let us cultivate it by delighting ourselves in Him daily for He delights to fellowship with us always. “Let us become enthusiastic about the things of God” (Revelation 3:19 TLB).

“Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears Me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20 TLB)

Paul’s prayer for all of us believers of Jesus Christ …

“This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding. For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself.” (Colossians 2:2 TLB)

Photo Credits: Binky Tolegida 😊