Intimacy with GOD by Esher Shoshannah (e book reading free .txt) 📕

granted this intimacy. "...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. (I Cor. 2:9,10)." Don’t you feel the holy determination in the words "we will"?

Overwhelmed with awe and knowing they were changed forever, these ladies found a private place where they could share all that had transpired between them and their Beloved King. Upon entering they sensed an awesome presence of the Holy Spirit filling the room just the same as it had been when they gathered round the Beloved. Some quietly sang praises, a few wept from overflowing hearts, others raised their hands in worship. It seemed like only minutes had passed by but it was more than an hour. Then there was a moment of absolute quietness.

Filled 'till they thought they would burst, all began trying to share at the same time, then they broke out in laughter! Each one glowed as children do when unwrapping presents at birthday parties. Something had happened to them and they knew they would never be the same. This beautiful group of ladies shared all that was on their hearts. Everything was new and fresh. With a joy filled countenance, the bride spoke excitedly, “Did you see the joy in His eyes as we walked into the room? I have never seen Him so happy! Remember how He had us all sit close around Him? The moment I sat down I felt a burst of love flow all through my soul. I have never experienced anything like that before! I have been in many meetings with other believers but this was different. It was as if I had been transported to Heaven itself."

One of the ladies said, "You know, I have been in Bible studies all my life. I have heard much shared concerning the meaning of passages. It was enjoyable and instructive! But this, this far surpasses those times. Talking about Jesus with others who are in love with Him is indescribable joy! Praise His holy Name that I am with you all! You understand how I feel. Only you can. You were there!" They hung breathlessly on every word, wanting to relive over and over again the deep experience with Jesus.

All of a sudden the bride remarked, "Do you realize what has happened? Have you heard what we have been saying to each other? It's a miracle my sisters!" Some looked puzzled not understanding, but with intensive expectation they knew they were in for a blessing. The bride continued, "Each one of us has shared something very different, yet infinitely precious about our Beloved King. He didn't speak individually with us. We all heard the same words from His lips. He kissed each one of us individually. Yet He gave each one of us a different and very personal revelation from His heart!" They sat there stunned! A holy presence fell all over the room. One remarked very quietly, "This must be the filling of the wonderful Holy Spirit. I have heard others talk about it but I had no idea what it truly meant."

They began to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord (Eph. 5:18-21). Having poured out their hearts in praise and thanksgiving to the Lover of their souls, the bride exclaimed, "I have never, never experienced anything like this. My heart was so full to overflowing! You felt it ladies. Look what happened when we came together. We were compelled to worship or we would have burst. This must be the springs of living water flowing from our innermost being by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit." (John 7:38;39). Another asked, "What caused Him to choose us for this unspeakable joy? Why us?" At the very same moment, the Holy Spirit spoke the answer in their hearts. Then at the exact same moment they whispered one word, "Surrender!" The bride said, "Yes, yes that is exactly what we all have in common. We surrendered our all to Him before He invited us into His chamber! Every one of us in this room is gloriously in love with our King!" Hours which seemed minutes passed by. Filled with unspeakable joy they departed.

Surrendered love activates faith! His love for me and my love for Him is the catalyst for all spiritual blessing and strength. Gal. 5:6 teaches us that it is, "...faith which works by love." Is not our Beloved King love itself (I John 4:8,16)? Look at how important love is: Deut. 23:5; Psa. 145:20; I John 3:1; I Cor. 13:1-13; I John 4:7-21; Rom. 5:5; 8:26; I Cor. 2:9,10; II Cor. 5:14; Eph. 3:17; John 14:21! The enemy came to ruin this holy experience. A group of the daughters of Jerusalem meet her. She is hated because of ethnic pride. To them she is not pure! She is not a Hebrew. In a demeaning tone and with a look that could kill, they ask, "Who do you think you are? Your blood is not pure! You are an unclean Gentile. We are Hebrew daughters! How dare you even think that the King would give you the time of day." It was as if knives had pierced her heart. The enemy had done his work. "Persecuted but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed" (II Cor. 4:7-9), filled with the Spirit of Christ, she looked up with the power of her Beloved all over her and said...

 

V.5 "I am black, but comely (lovely), O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon."

When the daughters heard this they became indignant. This woman before them was not an Israelite but simply a treaty wife given to the King. She is "black" - a Gentile without the rights which a daughter of Jerusalem possesses because of God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This lady is a foreigner, yet the king had singled her out above all the others and had given her his heart. She mentions "the tents of Kedar"; "kedar" means "dark". These tents were black because of the color of the goats hair used in making them. These were the tents of the second son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13). The Jews would not come near those tents (Psa. 120:5)! This is the same attitude the Jews displayed in Jesus' day concerning foreigners. He told His very own people that salvation was not only for the Jews, but for the whole world (John 3:16). The hated Samaritans (half Hebrew/half Gentile) understood this in John 4:9,39-42; 8:48! How appropriate and exact is this depiction of us! She is a Gentile and Solomon’s Gentile bride who had no rights and we are His spiritual Gentile bride and we had no rights according to Eph. 2:8-22. It’s all of grace! Hallelujah! 

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Abba Father, I praise Your Holy name! You gave me to Your Son as a gift to be His bride (John 10:28,29; 6:37)! I had no rights and I was dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1)! Lord Jesus, You accepted me as a gift from Your Father's hands (John 10:29), and then You died for me. O dear Bridegroom, You gave me life so I could love You. You washed me with Your blood so that You could reside inside of me (Gal. 2:20). Thank You dear Father for giving me the most wonderful gifts ever, salvation and Your dear Holy Spirit, because I am the bride of Your Son. How could I ever love You, my Bridegroom without Your Holy Spirit? He alone makes You real to me. I love You Father! I love You my dear Bridegroom! I love You dear Holy Spirit! Hallelujah! In Jesus' name, amen!"

 

"...(lovely) as the curtains of Solomon."

What makes you lovely in the sight of your Bridegroom? The beautiful curtains of Solomon represent the veil in Solomon's Temple dividing the holy place from the holy of holies. What did this veil represent? It represented Christ's flesh (Heb. 10:19-20)! He took all of your sins and bore them in His own body on the cross making you clean (I Pet. 2:24)! Not only that, you are now His body (I Cor. 12:27). The Beloved looks at your spirit and sees that you are as beautiful and lovely as He! How can this be? It is because He dressed your spirit up with His garment of salvation and His robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10)!

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Dear Lord Jesus, Your veil, that is Your flesh, was torn from top to bottom when You were on the cross (Matt.27:51). Your body was torn by the whip, the beatings and the nails! You became ugly to make me Your beautiful bride. I am beautiful because I am dressed up in You! Thank You dear Lord Jesus! Thank You for giving me the beautiful "garment of salvation" and the glorious "robe of righteousness" (Isa. 61:10). O how I love You! In Your name Lord, amen!"

 

Satan will try to tell you how unworthy you are! Yes, in myself I am unworthy! But I am a new creation (II Cor. 5:17)! The Holy Spirit indwells me. I am the bride of the King and a child of Abba Father. I have been made worthy because of His grace and mercy; because I am in a blood relationship to my Lord!

Everything that belongs to my Bridegroom belongs to me. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed (me) with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Eph. 1:3). I am as lovely as the curtains of Solomon! That spiritual curtain drapes my heart! I am lovely as Jesus, my Lord and my God! "Enemy of my soul, I cast your thoughts out of my mind in the name of Jesus, who is my Lord!"

 

V.6 "Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me..."

When you have surrendered all to your wonderful Bridegroom, expect to be misunderstood and misrepresented. Others will still see the old you, they will remember your past and bring it up in gossip. Satan will try to distract your loving gaze from Jesus onto yourself or others. When this happens speak to your mountain and pray for them (Luke 6:27-28), then return your gaze back to the eyes of your Beloved! People will look on the outward appearance but remember, God looks on the heart (I Sam. 16:7)! Don't get focused on what others think. Remember Mary of Bethany? She kept her eyes upon the Love of her heart!

The very presence of a fully surrendered believers, filled with the Spirit, brings conviction to those who are lukewarm. Because Jesus has become your all consuming reason for living, you will find those who used to be close to you, seldom seeking your fellowship. You are really not the problem but it is the Lord shining through you who disturbs them! Pray for them. The following statement is a description of her spiritual walk before entering into the joys of the surrendered life!

 

"...my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept."

The Holy Spirit reminds her of a problem imbedded deep in her soul. O how gentle He is with us. He doesn't expose everything all at once. It will be little by little throughout our lifetime. She has had all kinds of trouble with her brothers. They care not one bit about her obligations in the home or how tired she gets just trying to keep up. They just want an extra hand to do chores that they themselves should be doing. There were times when they ridiculed or mocked her in "fun".

And out of sheer