Spiritual Intimacy - Courtship Goals 2
According to first Timothy Chapter 4 verse 7, the Bible says:
But grow [spiritually mature] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory [honor, majesty, splendor], both now and to the day of eternity. Amen
To achieve spiritual intimacy during courtship, you must:
Be intimate with God – Your relationship with God must go beyond your salvation experience. God is calling you into a deep communion with Him through worship, prayers and study of the word. So, on an individual level, you must be a devoted follower of Christ. Your intimacy with God will positively influence your relationship with your intended spouse. Mathew 22:37 says:
You must love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.
Share the history of your Spiritual Journey – How did you come to know the Lord? When did you give your life to the Lord Jesus Christ? This will enable you to discover if the desire to draw near to God is mutual and if your godly values are in alignment with each other. For you to grow spiritually, you must be pulling in the same direction with the same purpose.
Incorporate Spiritual Disciplines –This will enable you to achieve spiritual connection through your faith in God.
Pray together – It is necessary for you to pray with the person you intended to get married to. The Bible says that one can chase a thousand and two can put ten thousand to flight. Pray about different areas of your relationship. Pray about your decision and your future together. You can also add fasting.
Read the word of God together – Some of the topics that will give you a deeper understanding of the doctrines of the word of God are repentance, water baptism, being filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as well as having faith in God. When you have a consistent view of the word of God, it will foster oneness and unity in your relationship, you will become more like-minded and this will enable you to continue to grow up spiritually. You can also read Bible plans together and discuss what you learned and how you can apply the word of God to your everyday life.
You must establish boundaries and be spiritually connected in the same way you would be with any other friend because you are not yet one. So, you must not act as though you are married. Pray and read the word of God together during the day, and not alone in an empty house where you can be tempted. Don’t share topics that are too intimate for your level of relationship. You should both respect the boundaries that you have set and God will reward you for doing that.
If we [claim to] live by the Holy Spirit, we must also walk by the spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage - our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Now I’m going to pray with you from the book of Colossians Chapter 1 verses 9 and 10:
I pray that God will fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Amen.