One of my favorite things about God is that he speaks. The true heart of the prophetic celebrates his loving nature through leaning in to hear what’s on his heart. This action of leaning in requires a heart posture of intimacy. Such intimacy assumes that God is present, engaged and listening. It sees God as relational, available and longing to be pursued.
The intimate ones: Mary, John the beloved, David. You’ll recognize them by the unparalleled access they have to the heart of God, occupying places of trust where God reveals to them his secrets (Amos 3:7; Psalm 25:14). We disqualify ourselves from this level of relationship with the lie that it’s for a chosen few. In truth the intimate ones lay aside everything to be lovers and God responds giving them the very thing they are asking for: more of himself (James 4:8).
Yes we are to desire spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1), but it is in the pursuit of intimacy that we have our greatest triumphs. Intimacy creates the sweetest overflow of the Holy Spirit into our lives, our callings, our ministries and our giftings. But it can never be pursued for this reason; intimacy must be pursued for intimacy’s sake: to know him and be fully known.
A number of years ago, after being hurt by church and very confused about the nature of God, I discovered true intimacy. I decided to come before God as I was: raw and broken, giving him the absolute truth. I had no plan, no profound words, no strength, nothing to give him, bar one thing: honesty.
I later realized that in that seemingly insignificant moment I had unintentionally hit upon the key to intimacy: me giving my unhidden self in exchange for his self and choosing to do this again and again. Intimacy demands that I come as I am in trust that he will receive me that way, its full disclosure.
Since that day nothing but intimacy will satisfy me. I love prophetic ministry and become so excited when I see the power of God on display but I live for the moments when he reveals himself to me, when I get a glimpse of his nature or hear the tone of his whisper.
When I pursue him for the sake of being with him, his voice becomes clearer to me than crystal. We plead with God to answer our prayers, to use us, to speak through us, but what if like Mary we chose to sit at his feet? What if we chose intimacy and friendship with God over everything else, and from that place of being go into all the world?
I urge you to get real and raw with God, to let intimacy take a hold of you. Try it. And as you pursue him solely for the privilege of knowing him, watch as the secret things of God begin to manifest themselves everywhere you look.
The invitation to intimacy awaits you: will you lean in?
By Lisa Clarke
October 12, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Lisa Clarke you are amazing!! This is so so great! It’s such a joy and honour to have walked alongside you and had your input and wisdom in my life! Love all that you are and carry!
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October 13, 2016 at 12:18 am
Lisa, this is gorgeous, so honest and profound. Thank you for sharing your heart, and thank you for allowing the overflow of your intimate relationship with God to spill into the lives of those around you. Love you lots x
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October 13, 2016 at 4:16 pm
This is it Lisa. So simple and so true. Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart in such a life-giving way. Love you X
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October 14, 2016 at 12:28 am
Lisa, your honest writing is inspiring. Thank you for having the courage to write this & the courage to be brave & give so many prophetic words – you have blessed & encouraged so many including me 🙂 I have been reminded through your blog the importance to continue to lean in and be raw with Abba. You’re awesome. Clair xx
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October 14, 2016 at 12:55 am
Nailed it darling.. it took me so many years to understand this and yet really it is the MOST important thing… Love you and GRACE GRACE to you in your sadness. XXXX
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October 14, 2016 at 3:16 pm
And that’s the truth Lisa.
Amen.
Dad
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October 14, 2016 at 3:16 pm
“intamacy must be pursued for intimacy’s sake: to know him and be fully known.” So simple yet so powerful x
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October 16, 2016 at 8:08 pm
Yes Lisa Yes this is raw truth,
I love these moments with him. His sweet presence is like a magnet drawing us up so close to his heart.
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October 22, 2016 at 3:16 am
Thank you for sharing Lisa and reminding us, what you timely write about the importance of leaning, after as you mention ‘being hurt and broken’ you decided bravely to come before God, plain honestly and raw, full disclosure, no pretence. Love that! This requires courage (heart strength). Something I really can relate to in my own life journey. Its so true when we become aware that our walls are crumbling, when we find our coping mechanisms won’t suffice any more, our escapes or easily distractions lead to nowhere, or avoidance by being so called busy doesn’t cut it, when we see our own ‘build cistern are cracked and cannot hold water’ (Jer 2:13) and we choose to run to Him instead (finally) and let Father in-to-see-me, when we let our guards down, raw and vulnerable, because our shields have been penetrated, that’s the very moment we realise that He already loved us unconditionally and never stopped believing in and pursuing us in the first place, that He is close. And than amazingly an inner transformation starts to take place. That’s where our ‘hearts of stone’ start to become ‘hearts of flesh’ (Ez. 36:26), which is an invitation to all of us, where our hearts are changed in His Presence and we discover He is the Fountain of Life, our Shield and our great Reward, and consequently that life spills over to those around us. It is as Jesus says drink from Me and you never thirst again. Yes! Bless you for your encouragement.
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