The Secret of Friendship with God Part 2

0:00 You pray it and he can answer it. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much God will put the prayer in your heart to pray so that he can answer it, goes into the hearts of the people, does it return void, it produces results. Afraid because I was naked and then what did he do? He hid himself. And then God said to him, you know, who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree, which I commanded you not to eat? And the man said, oh, the woman you gave me, you know, she gave it to me and I ate. That's a whole other Bible study.

0:41 And the Lord God said to the woman, what have you done? And the woman admitted her wrongdoing. She said, the serpent deceived me and I ate. This is fear, guilt and shame. And as a result, they hid themselves from the presence of God. How many of you have ever done that? You do something, you say something, you're a certain way, and then you're starting to hide from God. So instead of looking onto Jesus, the author and the finisher of your faith, you look away from him in distraction and your distraction is fear, worry, guilt and you're hiding yourself from the presence of God and God, Jesus is just saying, if you'll just come to me, I'll restore you.

1:28 I'll heal you of your brokenness. I'll heal you of your disease. Come unto me. If you're tired, I'll give you rest. Listen, I say this to people and especially in the day and the season we live in today in this world. Don't run from Jesus. If you got stuff going on in your life, run to him. See, but that's where confidence comes in. There's confidence in the presence of God. When you know that you know that you know that God loves you, he will in no wise cast you out. When you know he loves you and he's knocking at the door of your heart and he's saying, would you please stop hiding from me?

2:12 When you know he loves you, you'll turn back to him in faith and you'll look at him once again and then you'll go up and go on your merry way. I know people, I think actually I heard Kenneth Copeland say this. He used to eat like four loaves of bread with two sticks of butter. It's kind of funny to see that now, right? Because he's so skinny and fit. But you know, he was bogged down by guilt. And so he would be like, well, it may mean about three days. I'll look at Jesus and I'll have that connection with him once again. And one day the Lord said, and what are you doing? Listen, if you sin and you confess your sin, he is what?

2:54 Faithful and just to forgive you of your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. You don't have to wait three days to get rid of all the guilt. Just pick yourself up, brush yourself off and move on. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. When you know that God loves you, you have nothing to fear. So think about John 3.16. He so loved the world that he gave his son. He would have given his son if it was just for you and you alone.

3:35 You need to have that mindset and it'll give you confidence in the presence of God. So we have a righteousness consciousness and we have a sin consciousness. What is sin consciousness? You cover yourself or Adam covered and he covered themselves. They were afraid, they were naked, therefore they hid. What is righteousness consciousness? Second Corinthians 5, 17 through 21 says, if you're in Christ, which we are, we're hidden in him. We're hidden behind the cross. If we are in Christ, what are we? We're a new creation. All things pass away, all things become new.

4:16 The sin nature is gone. The sin that passed from Adam to humanity is gone. Jesus was the second Adam, correct? So that sin nature is gone. So when the father looks at you, he sees his son and he sees the finished work of the cross. So you could have confidence in him. Confidence in his presence. Confidence that if you ask anything according to his word, he hears you. And you know that you have the petitions you desire. See, I know that I know that I know that I know that God's got me. And I have little examples all around my life popping up everywhere.

5:01 God's got you. He loves you. He's got you. But you've gotta have that righteousness consciousness and that righteousness consciousness will give you confidence in the presence of God. Are you listening? Hebrews 11, six. But without faith, it is impossible to please him. So you think about it like, okay, secrets of friendship with God. It's all by faith. Blessed are those that believe and have never seen him physically. Kenneth E. Hagan had multiple visions of Jesus, but he still had to exercise his faith.

5:47 It is impossible to please him. He who comes to God must what? Must believe that he is. And he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. See, I believe that he is. And so do you, or you would be in church today. You'd be hanging outside with all the greenery and all the pollen and... We need the dogs and the kids. You wanted to hear from God. Okay, let's look at Hebrews 4.16. When you have confidence, you can approach God boldly. I love this. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

6:29 Now that's a scripture that we could use if you need grace and mercy and help, go boldly to the throne. Lord, I have a problem. And you are the answer and I need your help. So that word boldly means in the websters, fearless. Let us come fearlessly to the throne of grace. It means taking liberties. Let's come fearlessly and let's take our place in Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Old things have passed away. Let us come shameless. That word also means shameless. I'm just gonna hide. I did something really bad. Move on.

7:10 I said move on. But I can't. You can. I just need therapy. We all need therapy. I have a therapy session Monday night. So what? But I just can't. You can. Why? Because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. If he said what he said about you, then it's true. Whether you believe it or not, it's true. I'm hearing this in my spirit again. There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives out fear. He who fears is not made perfect in love. So here's a remedy to the problem.

7:51 If you have that problem. Pray, I think it's Ephesians either one or three. Pray that you would have a revelation of the love of God. What is it? 1-18. So Ephesians 1-18. Pray that over yourself. Not once. Pray it over and over and over. Lord, I just pray. I wanna understand your heart. I wanna know you. I wanna understand your love for me. And I'll tell you, if you've got insecurities, it'll drive them all out. Because you'll be like, no insecurities here. I know God loves me. This is a really good message. This is a really good message. See, people think that you're doing this.

8:34 And we are the mouthpiece. But it's the Holy Spirit who speaks through the individual and gives inspired thoughts and creative ideas. You understand that? So the Greek word is pay a-r-r-e-s-i-a. It means the absence of fear speaking, boldly, confidence, cheerful, courage. So let's go boldly to the throne of grace with cheerful courage. So we have confidence. Then we have closet prayer. We're talking about the secrets to friendship with Jesus. I wrote a whole book on this. I have the whole thing. How to pray, find a room, get a journal, how to use your spiritual imagination.

9:19 The whole thing. It's a really good book. It's called Encounter God. But we don't have time, but closet prayer. Here, let me show you something. Mark 4.32. And with many such parables, he spoke the word to them. He was meaning to the crowds as they were able to hear it. So he spoke to the crowds in parables and with stories. But look at this. How many of you want friendship with Jesus? But without a parable, he did not speak to them, meaning his disciples were taking this out of context. I'm just telling you who he's talking to. But without a parable, he did not speak to them. And when they were alone, he explained or he expounded all things to his disciples.

10:06 Lord, show me your heart. I hear your heart in church, but I want to hear and know your heart when I'm by myself with you. Come away, my beloved. Spend time with me alone in a secret place where there is no thought of self, there's no thought of the refrigerator, there's no thought of needing to do anything, where you spend time alone with me face to face as a man speaks to his friend. And if you're mind wanders, bring it back and focus your attention once again on me, because I am an ever present help in the time of need.

10:46 I'm here with you. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. When you pray, I hear you when you pray, and I am literally standing right there listening, because my eyes will be open, my ears attentive unto all the prayers that you pray in that secret place. Are you not the temple of the Holy Spirit? I learned to pray in a closet, a literal closet, when I was at the Ramah Bible Training Center, because the Bible said in Matthew 6,6, if you do the Greek, it's a different word. We're not getting into it. It says, but when you pray, go into your room.

11:27 Actually, that word, I believe in the Greek, means secret chamber. And when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who is in the secret place will reward you openly. You know, I'm hearing this, come away, my beloved. Is that a song of Solomon's scripture? Come away, my beloved. Spend time along with me. You are distracted about many things, and you have many troubles. If you'll just come to me, I will make the crooked way straight, and the rough places plain, and I will cause all things to work together for your good.

12:12 But I need you to come away, because your strength is kept in prayer. Seven days without prayer makes one week. Why am I so distracted? Well, first of all, it's the phone, the internet, the computer has done damage to our brains. Do you know that? Right. We've got to get our focus back. And we are, and we will. So, closet praying creates closeness or intimacy, just like any other relationship, right? Husbands and wives, don't you take each other out to dinner so you could look at each other face to face and discuss whatever life is all about?

13:01 And doesn't that create intimacy in your marriage? Are you listening? Same thing with Jesus. It's not works, it's relationship. Here's one of my favorite, and I couldn't wait to get to it. This is something I've been learning over the last few years, because I always taught about closet praying, and then God started teaching me about continual prayer. Now, before I get into it, remember this. You're the house of God. What does he say? My house will be called what? A house of prayer. You're the temple of the Holy Spirit. So God dwells in you. He lives in you. You're his God. You're his child.

13:42 So I'm saying continual prayer. When I talk about continual prayer, I'm talking about just like closet prayer in a sense, meaning it's a habit that you could develop over time, practice, and patience. I'm just going to let that sink in. It's a practice that you can develop over time, practice. I forgot what I said when I go back and listen. I'll see. But it's a habit that you can develop and practice. It takes time. It takes focus. Give me some scripture, Mark.

14:22 All right. Are you ready? 1 Thessalonians 5.15, Pray without ceasing. How do you do that? Well, let me give you another scripture, and we can talk about it a little more. Ephesians 6.18, Praying always. How do you pray always? How do you pray without ceasing? Here's something that I've learned. Become God inside-minded, or God conscious. Looking inward as you go about your day. Remember, it takes practice. So let's give an example. So if I go to the grocery store, Lord, what do you think?

15:04 Lord, what should I have for dinner? If he's my friend, I'm going to talk to him like I would talk to a friend. Lord, what do you think I should have for dinner? Am I being crazy? Super spiritual? If you lived with me, you'd see I'm a very normal human being. I'm not one of these super spiritual people. But I'm talking about the secrets to friendship with Jesus. Lord, what should I wear today? What do you think about this? Lord, give me wisdom. I've got a hard thing going on right now. Give me wisdom. Lord, I really need you to step in for me right now. I need the right people in my life at the right time. It's looking inward.

15:44 And having a conversation with Jesus about everyday life, or you could have a conversation with him about his word, or you could have a conversation about whatever. I'm talking about continual prayer. Here's the Scripture. Ephesians 5, 18, do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. How? Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in where? Where? In your heart. To who? To the Lord.

16:25 He thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus. So it's continual prayer. So think about it. You listen to Christian music mostly, I hope, because whatever goes in you comes out. So I practice, even though I like, you know, Celine Dion and some of you too, I just can't, for me, I'm not saying you. There's nothing wrong with their music. But for me, I don't want to listen to it. I'll tell you why. It disrupts my frequency to heaven. For me, I'm not saying I'm not putting this on anyone, because whatever you put in comes out. So if I listen to Christian, my Jesus culture and all the Hillsong or whatever, the kind of music you listen to, what about that song, The Blessing?

17:13 May it's favor be upon you and your children, your children's children. And then my recent one is Sparrows. Have you heard that one? I love that song, my God. So I listen to this music, and so when I'm going about my day, I'm not on my knees, those songs come up where? In my spirit. You are a spirit. You have a soul. You live in a body. They come up in my spirit, because I put them in my heart. They're planted. They're coming up. So the Holy Spirit's job is to take the things of mine, Jesus said, and show it unto you.

17:53 So he takes that song. He takes that hymn. He takes that scripture. It rises up in you, and the Holy Spirit's revealing Jesus to you in a deep and intimate way. And then you're like, wow, he does care about me more than he cares about the Sparrows, because he just spoke something to me. He gave me a half a scripture. That song, when I used to get songs in my heart, I'd be like, oh, I've just got a song in my heart. I realized one day, that's the Holy Spirit giving you the song, so it keeps your relationship with Jesus fresh and vibrant. I used to think, oh, the Holy Spirit, because I'd taught on the Holy Spirit for 20-something years, I'd say, oh, the Holy Spirit, you know, he comes into our services, he teaches through us, he gives us inspired thoughts, the Holy Spirit moves, the gifts of the Spirit, so on and so forth.

18:46 One day I realized that another thing that the Holy Spirit does is, he keeps my relationship with Jesus fresh. This is really good teaching. Mase Keteh Ya Mahayah. I want my people to come to me. It's very simple. Continual prayer. So speaking to yourselves in songs and hands and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. So it's a melody in your heart. How many of you, here's another thing, how many of you have ever had a song that you had in your heart and it played over and over and over in your jukebox, right here, hundreds of times throughout the day?

19:29 And maybe just one verse of that song. That's continual prayer. That is friendship with Jesus. And it's friendship with Jesus where, in the secret place, where in your heart? Teresa and I, we went to a call of Florida and we ministered in the prisons. And I remember that one day, you know, what I'm going to say, tired, I was so tired, oh God, I could hardly keep my eyes open. I was so tired that day. And I had my head against the wall and I was just like, Lord, how am I going to minister to these women?

20:10 We did men and women. I said, how am I ever going to do this? Just to give you a little background. I got up to preach, preach like an hour and 45 minutes, like a house on fire and said things I never heard myself say before. Thank God for the Holy Ghost. This is not the work of man, it's the work of the Holy Ghost. And so I remember this coming out of my heart, not even knowing the circumstances of what it's really like to be in prison. Thank God I've never been to prison, but I didn't know that they're told what to do and how to do it and line up and anytime they want, they can make them stand up and then they got to do a head count. They have no control over any part of their life at all.

20:54 They're told what to do, how to do it, what to eat, what not. It's unbelievable. But you know, you just follow the leading of the spirit and I remember saying to the ladies, listen, no one can control your inward life. No one can control your inward life. You can have a melody in your heart to the Lord and sing to us in songs and hymns and spiritual songs. You can commune with Him in your own heart, even on your bed. David said, nobody can control that. You can develop that intimacy with Jesus that will carry you through anything.

21:39 I'm going to say it again because now I have it in my notes. This is an art, this kind of praying. And it takes conscious practice until it becomes a habit. I have a habit of working out. What do you have a habit of doing? It's a habit. It's something you practice because you know you're going to get results, right? If it's a good habit. You will get results if you practice continual prayer.

22:19 What will be the most incredible result? What would be the best reward having intimacy with Him? Like a friend. Lastly, contemplative prayer. I call it praying in your bed. This is a good one when you reach, when you're over 50. Because you know that closet praying, all that interceding, right? You know you're interceding, you're doing warfare. You know, I've been learned that praying in my bed is praying. And it's not lazy. And I have verses for that. Psalm 63-6, this is David.

23:00 Now remember, David made a lot of mistakes. But one thing that nobody could take from him is that he had a heart after God. Are you listening? David said, when I remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in the night watches. You go to bed, I had three kids in one year. Man, when I used to lay in my bed at night, they were all in their cribs. And the Franklin, of course, would always be out. One time she even broke out of her crib. But for the most part, when I put them in bed, they stayed in bed. And I'd lay in my bed, and I couldn't do closet praying. You know, the devil would like to condemn you for that.

23:40 But when I'd lay in my bed, I would just commune with my heart, in my heart to the Lord. And I would sing in melodies and songs, whatever. Here's another scripture. Well, I don't have another one. It's all right, I'm done. But I want to say this, how many of you have ever awakened in the middle of the night, and instead of, I would encourage you, worrying about all your problems, why don't you start singing in your heart to the Lord? Make your bed your prayer closet. Listen, I've done that. Because, even though it's strong, would be going over and over and over and over and over.

24:25 And after a while, I started to notice, and I got to get this back because I've lost it. Because when you're in relationship with somebody, you got to keep it vibrant. You got to keep that communication open, right? And I can remember one time I was having over and over just talking to God, talking to God, just the scripture, just thinking about Him, and meditating on the Word, just laying in my bed. And I noticed my heart started to burn. And He excelsed Him so near to me. And it's a burning in your heart. It's not acid reflux. There's a difference. It's a burning.

25:06 And then the scripture came to me, did not our hearts burn? When He walked with us, and He was going from all throughout all the scriptures about Himself? It's a burning. Let's stand. Secrets to friendship with Jesus. I want that. What a beautiful teaching this was. You have to understand, this is something that's very difficult to teach. If you don't have the Holy Spirit helping you.

25:49 You understand? And I believe even those of you that were listening online, there was something imparted to you. And I believe that God is raising up a people that will know Him in these last days. Not just the psychology of the gospel. You can do it. You can win. We're talking about truth intimacy with God. Isn't that what we need? So I'm going to pray over you before we disappear. First of all, I want to make sure you're saved. With the heart, that believes unto righteousness, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

26:32 If you want to know that Jesus that we talked about today, I want you to say this prayer with me. Let's all pray it together. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for showing us Jesus. I'm not sure I know Jesus. And I want to know Him. So Jesus, today, I'm asking you to come into my heart. I'm asking you to invade my life. I'm asking you to be the Lord of my life.

27:15 And now I'm going to pray over you. So Heavenly Father, I thank you for every person under the sound of my voice. I pray that they would come to know and understand the wonders of your person. I pray that they would come to know and understand your heart. I pray that there would be an increase of revelation in the knowledge of you. The eyes of their understanding being enlightened. That they would know it is the hope of their calling. And that is to know you in a greater depth of intimacy. In Jesus' name. Thank you so much for tuning in to today's podcast.

27:55 It has been such a joy sharing this time with you. For more inspiration and resources on today's topic, please visit our website at margiefloran.org.