• Subscribe
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Google Podcasts

How can we come closer to God?

How do we draw nearer to God?  We do that by worshipping Him, praying to Him and inviting Him into every aspect of our lives.  

James tells us, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  …Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:7-8,10)  

What does James mean by “double-minded”?  A person who is double-minded is drawn in two completely different directions. His loyalty is divided and he vacillates between faith and unbelief. 

“The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” (James 1:6-8)

That person cannot draw near to God because he tries to serve God and his own interests at the same time.  Only a person with a love for God and a sincere heart attitude can begin to draw closer to God in prayer.

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges God has afforded the Christian. Prayer is the vehicle by which we may commune with our Heavenly Father through the merit of His Son Jesus Christ in order to gain spiritual strength and wisdom. In fact, prayer is not only a privilege, but it is a necessity and indispensable to our Christian growth.  

How should we pray?  We should pray with reverence.  We should always ask that God’s will be done and not our own, even though His will may be contrary to our heart’s desire.  Additionally, the petitioner must be willing to grow and accept change in his life if God wills it. 

 In every case, God’s answers to prayers are directly dependent upon the heart attitude of the petitioner and, most importantly, God’s will in relation to the circumstances. Therefore, connection and communication with God grow in proportion to the petitioner’s dedication to God’s will.  The Christian should strive to learn what God’s will is for him rather than tell God what his preferences are.  Such prayers are “asking amiss.”  He should pray for development of character so that he will grow in Christ-likeness and not seek his own will, but seek to do the will of God.

The Apostle Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). There is a reason he makes that statement.  Prayer is the Christian’s lifeline.  No matter how hard the Christian tries, he is beset with sin from his own fallen flesh, from the world’s allurements and from Satan.  The Christian is incapable of withstanding these attacks on his own. The only way he can stand firm against them is to go to the Lord in full submission, asking for His strength. The Apostle tells in Romans 12:12 to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful [instant] in prayer.” 

You grow closer to God by following the righteous example Jesus set for us and by seeking the will of God through prayer. 

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.” (1 Peter 3:12)  

As we stated above, prayer is the Christian’s spiritual food and lifeline to God.  We receive spiritual strength and peace when we connect with God through prayer. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

To learn more about how to build a relationship with God listen to, “So, Where Do I Start?”

Related Episodes

So, Where Do I Start?