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

(Psa. 23:3). We are to step out in faith with Him and the entourage of His bride. According to Heb. 12:22-24 Zion can represent true believers! In her dream she is made to focus on other "lilies" (daughters) (Phil. 2:2-5). The bride in this vision observes how they also love and follow Him with all of their hearts. She finds herself being drawn to them for they love what she loves - Jesus! Soon, they will become her closest friends and not just those who minister to her in the court. Her heart filled with His presence as she watched them! Even in this vision her heart was changing. She now deeply desired to intimately fellowship with those who loved her Beloved as much as she did!

 

"...Behold..."

For real victory two things are absolutely important: to "go forth" and "behold" our King of peace. Oh what the eye of faith can actually see! Here and in v. 7 the blessed Holy Spirit beckons us to "behold" Jesus. That is the major work of the Holy Spirit in the bride, to keep her eyes on the Beloved. The command in Hebrews 12:2 is to be a continual "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured crucifixion, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Listen to Hebrews 2:9, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." In every circumstance of life keep your eyes on your Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ! Let Him be King in all things (Prov.3:5-7).

 

"...with the crown wherewith his mother crowned Him..."

As the Holy Spirit ends this vision, the bride is given a very special scene to ponder. Who is this person representing the Bridegroom's mother? Let the Holy Spirit give us the answer from His Holy Word. Jesus tells us exactly who His mother is in Matt. 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Do you realize that symbolically we are His sister, brother and mother if we obey Him? Wow, what a thought! He considers us intimate family because of our unreserved willingness to do His will! That is the proof we truly belong to Him (Matt. 7:21).

Will you, His "mother", crown Him? A crown is to be seen! What is this crown? We are His crown! In Pro. 12:4 it states, "A virtuous (Heb. excellent, strong, valiant, able, efficient) woman (or wife) is a crown to her husband...". We are His wife! Listen to these words. Rev. 19:7, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." And from where does this righteousness come? II Cor. 5:21 says, "For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Any righteousness in our life that's spiritually worthwhile comes from Him alone! When our heart is surrendered to Him (Rom. 12:1,2) then His righteousness just flows through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. The moment we willingly obey His Word - His righteousness (right living) is produced in us.

Crown Him with Holy Spirit humility, surrender, submission and service. This is the "crown" of His "gladness" when His righteous image is seen in us! That's a real testimony to the world (II Cor.3:18; Rom.8:29). Isn't it amazing what simple, loving obedience produces in us!

 

"...espousals (wedding)..."

Praise God we are wedded to the Bridegroom in our spirit. O the joy of true, pure unity with Him and His body. What joy it brings to Jesus! When we leave this earth a glorious change will take place - we will finally receive our new body (Phil. 3:20-21; II Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7-9). Then the marriage ceremony will take place! Dear bride of Christ, be His gladness and joy now, allow Him to be the Husband He is supposed to be to you - the head of the spiritual household of your heart!

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Dear Lord Jesus, I so desire to be the kind of bride which will bring joy to You and a completion of Your will in this life You have given me. I submit my will to You. Now, fill me with Your Spirit, fill me with Your wisdom, fill me with Your love and fill my walk with Your humility. Since it is Your responsibility to fill me, I can only ask! I empty out my will and surrender to You right now. Cause the characteristics of this wonderful filling to be seen in my life (Eph. 5:18-21). As You humbled Yourself, I humble myself before You. You said, "...I am meek and lowly in heart...." (Matt. 11:29).

 

What a vision! What a scene for victory! The King is triumphant over the wilderness! So sure of His victory in heading for crucifixion, that before He went, the Lord spoke these words in the past tense! "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I HAVE overcome the world." (John 16:33)! Even in His pronouncement concerning the enemy He spoke not in the future tense, "Of judgment, because the prince of this world IS judged." (John 16:11). He hadn't been led to be crucified, yet but He knew the victory was entirely finished before He ever climbed the hill of Calvary! Think of His promises to you from His Word. Any doubt that they will be fulfilled? Walk by faith as Jesus did! Jesus, the Son of Man, relied totally on His Father's promises and direction (John 5:19,30; 14:10).

At this very moment in the dream she takes the crown of her redeemed life and places it upon His head in total surrender! What inexpressible joy fills both of them! Even in this dream the bride knows she will never be the same! What a vision this has been - a capsule of the basic biblical promises (our spiritual weapons) that we are to live and conquer by!

Oh what a day it will be when the bride becomes complete perfection as He has planned! Listen to the beat of His loving heart concerning her in Eph. 5:26,27, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it (bride, church) to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." It will be realized in heaven.

Dear surrendered reader, give your glorious Bridegroom what He longs for most, a holy walk. You have been given all that is necessary for a separated walk. Let's show the world what a glorious difference the surrendered life makes. Read II Cor. 7:1; II Pet. 1:3,4; I John 5:14,15; II Cor. 1:20; II Cor. 4:7-9; Zech. 4:6 and Phil. 4:13!

The bride in our song begins to awaken. Unaware that He is sitting next to her, with the voice of the heart, the bride speaks, "O my Beloved King, my Bridegroom, it is too much for me to comprehend that I, who was made lower than the angels and born in sin, am able to bring such gladness of heart to You. To think that before I was born, before the world was created, I was on Your heart!"

"O my Blessed Bridegroom, not for one moment did the gladness of Your heart for me ever skip a beat, not even when the nails split Your hands and feet. There was not a moment of change in Your infinite intensity to win my heart when the crown of thorns was pressed into Your sacred head; when the spit ran down Your face; when Your hairs were plucked from Your cheeks; when Your head was being beaten with a rod; when the whip came crashing down on Your back!"

"Glory to You my God and Father! Glory to You my God and Savior! Thank You my God, dear Holy Spirit! O my soul, rejoice and praise, rejoice and adore, rejoice and worship Him Who alone is worthy. Was there not one moment of hesitation concerning the cost? Or when Your Father turned His back from You in disgust because You had become my sin? No! No! No! With all the worship of the heavenly angels, cherubim and seraphim, You did not have second thoughts about becoming all that Your Father hated concerning my dead, sin-sick soul! Look at me now. I am all dressed up in Your beauty and I become lovelier day by day as long as I stay close to Your side!"

"I understand now just how much You really love me. The vision You gave me in my sleep has already strengthened my soul. Open my eyes further that I may see even more wonderful things from Your word (Psa. 119:18). O my Love my heart belongs to You. Now teach me further how to walk with You so I may bring pleasure to Your heart!"

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Praise You Lord Jesus! You went to hell for me! I bow my heart in inexpressible joy in the Holy Spirit. You alone are my portion (Lam. 3:24). O how I long to fulfill Heb. 12:2 everyday. O Holy Spirit take me and cause me to bring a bride's joy to my Bridegroom this day. Work in me holiness and purity as I surrender to You. May my Bridegroom, whom my soul loves, never have to look at me and see impurity. May His ministering angels never have to turn their heads from me because of unholiness! O Father, I want my soul and spirit always to be attractive to my Husband, Your Son! I love You Lord! Continue to conform me to the image of the Lover of my soul. Thank You for providing for me all that is needed to have a pure and holy walk before You in Your wonderful name dear Bridegroom of my heart. Amen!"

 

COME APART AND REST FOR AWHILE. GO TO THE PRAISE LIST AT THE END OF THIS BOOK AND SELECT A FEW WORDS OR PHRASES WITH WHICH TO PRAISE YOUR DEAR BRIDEGROOM.

 

THE DISCOVERY OF FULL ACCEPTANCE 4:1 - 5:1

AN OVERVIEW OF CHAPTER FOUR: The Beloved describes His bride in detail reassuring her that His love has not diminished one degree because of her sin. Jesus declares that her love for Him overwhelms His heart. The Spirit leads her to the Mt. of Crucifixion in order to deal with areas of her life that are holding her back. After that, to her amazement, He begins to describe her as a garden possessing different kinds of fruits and spices. She prays that He will