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

Beloved is MINE." There had been growth by 6:3 and the statement is of less importance. However, not until 7:10 is the "MINE" eliminated. What vestiges of pride remained is minimal.

"...we will build upon her a palace (battlement)..."

Notice carefully that the building of a "battlement" is not the responsibility of the young sister to build but the Bridegroom's and the Bride's ("we will build...we will inclose"). Who are the "we"? It is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit ministering through the bride! Here it is dear Christian from the Word of God, "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." (I Cor. 3:5,6). God receives all the glory in whatever is accomplished when you are mentoring a young believer. The bride is now a yielded spiritual instrument in the hand of the Beloved to bless the little sister. A spiritual wall indicates separation; separation from the world's philosophies and mindless activities (John 15:19; II Cor.6:17), and separated unto the Lord for His use and pleasure (Rom. 14:7-9; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13).

He will work through His surrendered bride to build the "battlement" within her younger sister. This will happen when the bride begins to pray specific promises from the Word doing spiritual warfare over her sister. The bride will spend time just being a friend to her little sister, so that she can see what a mature Christian really is. This little sister must see the image of Christ in her older sister. How many times does the Lord have to say it to us. "Let them see My image in your life." Listen, listen, listen to His Word, "That which was from the beginning (Jesus), which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life...That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you...." (I John 1:1,3). Did you catch the order here? First they heard, then, it was proven out by what they saw! Let people see the power of what you spiritually proclaim. O God, let me be a transparent believer. Let my "little sisters" know You through me! The bride will be living out the life of Christ in her walk hoping that Her sister will become an imitator (I Cor. 11:1).

The new believer will begin to see: a love for God, a love for one another, a love for the lost, acts of kindness, an attitude of humility, a faithfulness in prayer, praise and worship, a strong spiritually sustaining purpose of intimacy in the ‘older sister’ (surrendered bride). The new believer will experience the gift of a loving, listening ear from the ‘older sister’! Spiritual fruit will be picked from the tree of the surrendered believer (Gal. 5:22,23).

"..of silver..."

Verse nine states that the "battlement" is to be made of "silver". Silver in scripture represents redemption. This thought comes from Exo. 30:11-16. The people brought the prescribed amount of silver money that would be used for the sockets. These sockets of enormous amounts of silver supported the boards that made up the Tabernacle. This "silver" money given to support the weight of these boards was called "atonement" or "redemption" money.

The "little sister" must be taught clearly about her spiritual foundation and never forget it. Christ is her foundation (I Cor.3:11) and she is not only on it but in it ("in Christ" Rom. 12:5)! That foundation is her stability and everything else: her life, her purpose; her daily decisions, actions and attitudes. The bride is to never forget she has been redeemed ("silver") without cost to her. The cost to the Lord was immense (I Pet. 1:18,19; Psa.103:4; Eph. 1:7). O how this needs to be constantly reinforced in new believers. The more that is understood about the enormity of their sin nature and the depths to which Christ went on the cross to buy back their soul, the more likely they will remain (abide) loyal to Him and grow to spiritual maturity because of their deep love and appreciation for Him!

How sad that young Christians are thrust into the battle of life without knowing how to use the spiritual weapons available to them (II Cor. 10:3-5). We tell them about Eph. 6:10-17 but seldom demonstrate how. No wonder there is so much defeat and defection from the fellowship of believers. It is easy to evangelize, but nurturing new believers requires much time and Holy Spirit wisdom. We who are "big sisters" (surrendered Bride) must realize that our every move is being observed. That is how the "little sisters" are taught. They are seeing Christ, our Beloved Bridegroom, living in and through us. All the little sisters who are brought into our lives must see the victorious Christian life lived out as much as hearing about it! They must see the "battlements" at work. Let them see a life being lived out on the promises of God in the Word – a walk of humility, patience, caring and accountability.

How often do young spiritual children see victory in adult believers lives? How many churches allow for a time of testimony from believers who are seeing God work in their lives through specific answers to prayer? It is one thing to testify about being saved, it is quite another to give personal examples of spiritual victories and how they were accomplished through the Holy Spirit's power by faith in God’s promises!

"a wall...a battlement"

At this point it is not known what the "little sister" will become – a wall or a door. If she be a wall then a spiritual "battlement" will be built upon it. She will be a watchman – looking out for the enemy coming against the body of Christ – an intercessor with a gift of discernment in recognizing the enemy’s subtle attacks against believers. She will be that expert warrior on the battlement using the weapons of spiritual warfare (II Cor. 10:3-5): the whole armor of God (Eph. 5:10-19); proclaiming the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 12:11); and the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11; Acts 4:21; Rom. 15:19).

 If her sister's function in the body of Christ will be a wall then her foundation must be solid spiritually. She must be very, very careful what she builds upon that foundation: prayer, praise, fellowship, doing good, intimacy with Jesus through His Word. That is why it is so important for young believers to be truly discipled, not just told what to do but shown how to do it. Then the "little sister" will become a spiritually strong watchman - protective wall for others.

But some are given a special place to lead in that battlement-watchman ministry. There are real dangers in a leadership role if the foundation is not strong (Psa. 11:3; II Tim. 2:19). Jesus is our example of how to fight in the daily battle, He knew how to take orders from His Father and obey them. He was totally in love with the Father. He is our example. If she remains humble and submissive, the Beloved will cause her to continually triumph (I Pet. 5:6-8; II Cor. 2:14). Oh to be a strong wall in Christ for His body. O to be a place where the spiritually immature may run to and be protected behind and in our wall.

Dear love of His heart, how many "little sisters" are out there watching your life? Do they see a victorious Christian? Do they see the fruit of the Spirit in your life? When you do stumble and hurt someone else do they see you confessing it and asking the offended person to forgive you? Do they see you praying for those who have hurt you instead of hearing you complain about them? Do they see you excited about being a Christian? Does your life demonstrate how simple it is to use and speak the Word of God to defeat the enemy? Do you use the authority given to you by the Lord? Listen, "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:6). Why are we seated with Christ? It is the throne of His authority. We have His authority (Word - promises) to exercise against the enemy!

As the bride sat at the table of the Lord, Abba Father remarked,

"...and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar."

It was so wonderful listening to her Abba Father, her Beloved Bridegroom and the dear Holy Comforter talk about what will be needed to be done for her "little sister"! A loving, caring God had all of her little sister's needs supplied already! The plan was set. O how secure and confident this made the bride feel. All she had to do was make herself available to her "little sister" and her heavenly Bridegroom would take care of the rest through her, His adoring, submissive, serving bride!

Will her "little sister" develop into being a door? Will her life be a door to which others may go through and find Christ, the Beloved? The door of her heart would become an entrance to the true Door of eternity and a door where hurting Christians may find access to encouragement, healing and strength (Gal. 6:2, 10)! Let’s teach the "little sisters" how, by example (I Cor. 11:1). Will her heart be an open door where the Lord will have complete access to every area of her life?

The "cedar" is an evergreen tree (see 1:17 for comments). It is an illustration of the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ about whom the Word of God states, "...Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." (Heb. 13:8). The cedar grows over one hundred feet tall. It is strong and stately! Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords ruling them with the power of His Word (Rev. 19:11-16). He must become the "little sister's" strength.

The cedar was rot-resistant and knot free. Jesus lived His life without sin (II Cor.5:21;Heb. 4:25; I Pet. 2:22; I John 3:5). He must become her holiness, purity and righteousness. What good is a door without a wall? Both are absolutely necessary. Notice that she will be enclosed with "boards". Other spirit-filled believers must become part of her life demonstrating by their walk what being a "board" is all about (I Cor. 11:1). Boards speak of stability when they are connected to each other! The boards in the Tabernacle are a good example of this principle. They were held together by four outward bars and one unseen bar (Exo. 26:26-29; 36:33). The boards cannot keep themselves standing straight and in line with the others, even though they are all standing in sockets of silver.

They must have the four bars on the outside and the unseen bar running through all of them which represents the Holy Spirit. The four seen bars represent what was important in the early church found in Acts 2:42: bible study, prayer, fellowship and the breaking of bread! In the Tabernacle all the boards together are "looking" inward. They are centered around all that represents Christ in the Tabernacle. O to have the local body of believers centered around Jesus in what they say and do so the "little ones" will see the beauty of Christ in our actions and sense the presence of Christ in our worship of Him.

Dear bride of the Living Lord, become a board in some new believer's life. Be an encourager, a prayer warrior! May this be your heart's desire, "Moreover, as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way." (I Sam. 12:23). The bride continues to speak...

 

V.10 "I am a