Intimacy with God: When Prayer Becomes Partnership

In a world filled with distractions, many Christians have lost the essence of why God saved them and brought them into fellowship with Him. The enemy knows exactly how to distract believers, often in ways that make them think God is behind it. But the truth is, Satan's goal is to prevent us from entering into an intimate relationship with Christ.

What Does It Mean to Abide in Christ?

Jesus emphasized in John 15:7, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." This verse contains both a condition and a promise. The condition is two-fold:

• You must abide in Christ. 
• His words must abide in you

Only when these conditions are met will the promise follow. But what does it really mean for Christ's word to abide in us?
Colossians 3:16 tells us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." Being rich in something means having a depth of knowledge about it—being filled with it. This goes far beyond merely quoting scripture. Many Christians can finish Bible verses and recite passages, but that's not what it means for the Word to dwell in you richly.

Why Aren't God's Promises Being Realized in My Life?

If you're asking why you're not seeing God's promises fulfilled in your life, you need to first ask, "How well am I abiding in Christ? How richly is His Word dwelling in me?"
The Word dwelling in you richly means you become an outward expression of the Word you speak. Your actions align with what the Word says at all times. It's not just about reading scripture but letting it infiltrate your thoughts, desires, and decisions.
When His Word truly abides in us, it shapes our will to align with God's will. It's no longer about what we desire, but what God desires through us.

How Does Prayer Change When We Truly Abide?

When we abide in Christ and His Word abides in us, our prayer life transforms. Prayer becomes less about changing God's mind and more about having our minds renewed through His Word.
True prayer isn't about offloading our problems onto God. It's about aligning our thoughts with His and making ourselves available for His purposes. When we're truly connected to the vine, our requests spring naturally from His purpose, not our selfish desires.
As Jesus said in Mark, "When you pray, believe." This means acting in accordance with the prayer you just prayed. Your actions need to demonstrate your belief in what you're asking for.

Five Practical Steps to Deepen Your Abiding Relationship

• Set aside daily time to connect with Jesus intimately—no rush, no distractions. Turn off your phone and eliminate interruptions that are designed to disconnect you from heaven.

• Engage with Scripture deeply—read it, memorize it, and meditate on it. Remember that Scripture is not just words on a page—it's a person. When you read the Word, you're interacting with Jesus Himself.

• Create a rhythm of prayer that listens as much as it speaks—prayer is communication, not just talking. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying through the pages of the Word.

• Regularly evaluate your spiritual roots—are they dug deep in Christ, or are you drifting? Examine the choices you're making, the statements you're putting out, and the friendships you have. Do they align with God's desire for your life?

• Pray with confidence—when you're rooted in the Word, your requests naturally align with His will. There's a level of confidence that comes when you express that Word in prayer

The Supernatural Life We're Called To

God didn't save us just so we could chase money, fame, or material possessions. He saved us to demonstrate His supernatural power through us. Jesus walked on water, healed the sick, and controlled the elements of this world—not to show off, but to show us what we're capable of through an intimate relationship with Him.
Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great and mighty things which you do not know." There are aspects of God's nature and power that we haven't even begun to experience because we haven't entered into that deep, abiding relationship with Him.

Life Application

Prayer is not just a spiritual discipline—it's the key vehicle through which God involves believers in His work and will. If you're not praying about something, heaven isn't doing anything about it.

This week, challenge yourself to:

• Evaluate your prayer life honestly. Are you praying from a place of abiding in Christ, or are you just presenting wish lists to God?

• Set aside specific, undistracted time each day to connect with Jesus intimately.

• Choose one scripture to meditate on deeply throughout the week. Don't just read it—speak it, think about it, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal its meaning to you.

• Before making any significant decisions this week, ask yourself, "Is this aligned with God's Word and will for my life?"

• Begin to pray with the confidence that comes from knowing you're asking according to His will, not just your own desires.

Remember, the goal isn't just to have your prayers answered—it's to develop such deep intimacy with Christ that your desires naturally align with His, and your life becomes a reflection of His character and purpose.