Step Ten – Connecting with God

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Mike

Connecting with God is a fairly simple process that is available to everyone through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. God is one essence, but three persons – Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Father God is the all powerful Creator of the universe. His Son, Jesus Christ, is God manifested in the form of a man who walked the earth teaching the ways of God and in the end sacrificing Himself on the cross as payment for our sins. The Holy Spirit is the power of God that lives inside every Christian believer.

Matthew 28:19 (NASB)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

If you love God the Father with all your heart and believe that His Son Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and was resurrected on the third day to return to Heaven, you are granted eternal life and filled with the Holy Spirit. You are connected.

Acts 2:38 (NASB)

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Once you become a believer and follower of Jesus Christ you have access to the power of the Holy Spirit. This power is not something with which you can achieve miraculous feats; it is a connection to God that gives you a sense of peace and a deeper understanding of all things pertaining to God.

Romans 15:13 (NASB)

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Connecting with God on a Deeper Level

Through careful study of the Word of God, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will be able to achieve a much deeper understanding of God and move closer to Him. The world we live in can be hostile to this kind of understanding and you will need to be on your guard for those who will try to uproot your faith. The Holy Spirit is with you to give you the strength to endure these kinds of assaults.

2 Timothy 1:14 (NASB)

“Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”

There is of course another force that is opposed to us connecting with God. The devil will continuously try to maneuver his way into your thoughts and push you in all the wrong directions. We are spirits living inside human bodies that are susceptible to the deception of the devil. God has created us this way so that we are constantly exercising our ability to overcome evil and walk toward the light. This is essentially our daily spiritual workout.

Galatians 5:16-17 (NASB)

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.”

We are connecting with God when we call on the Holy Spirit to help us fight the temptation of the devil. In addition, by keeping ourselves away from the devil’s schemes, we are keeping the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit pure and undefiled.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NASB)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

The Formula for Connecting with God

Connecting with God is a simple process that can be carried out by following this formula found in the book of Galatians:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Take some time right now to pray about the “fruit of the Spirit.” Consider how prevalent these things are in your life. Consider how the devil is constantly trying to turn you in the other direction. Ask the Holy Spirit living inside you to help you focus on these admirable traits. Stop and meditate on this list several times a day. Make it your mission to respond in every situation, no matter how difficult, with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is your most powerful connection to God.

Psalm 51:11 (NASB)

“Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.”

All scripture references are linked to Bible Gateway so that you can read each verse in context. Bible Gateway allows you to change the verse to your favorite translation and compare it side-by-side with multiple translations. In addition, you can select to hear an audio version of any verse by clicking on the speaker icon. Keep the Bible Gateway App on your phone so that you can visit the Word of God at any time during your day.