Direct answer: A Bible study deepens intimacy with God by helping believers draw near through Jesus Christ, listen to God’s revealed Word, answer Him in prayer, confess sin, worship, obey, and live in Christian community. Intimacy is trusting communion with God—not secret revelation, constant emotion, or escape from ordinary responsibilities.
What Does Intimacy With God Mean?
Intimacy with God describes a growing relationship of trust, love, reverence, dependence, and obedience. Christians draw near because Christ has opened the way, not because they achieve a special spiritual level.
A deeper walk with God includes the mind, heart, will, relationships, and daily choices. It can involve strong emotions, but it is not controlled by them. A believer may feel spiritually dry and still practice faithful communion through Scripture, prayer, worship, and obedience.
Seven Biblical Practices for a Deeper Relationship
- Rest in the gospel. Begin with reconciliation through Christ rather than trying to earn closeness through performance. Read Romans 5:1–11 and Hebrews 10:19–25.
- Receive Scripture attentively. Read to understand God’s meaning, not merely to find a sentence that matches your mood.
- Answer God in prayer. Let the passage shape praise, confession, thanksgiving, and requests.
- Confess and receive grace. Bring sin into the light, turn from it, and trust God’s forgiveness in Christ.
- Practice obedience. Jesus connects love with keeping His commands. Closeness and obedience should not be separated.
- Worship with God’s people. Corporate worship, the preached Word, prayer, fellowship, and the ordinances are part of a deeper walk.
- Serve and love others. Communion with God should produce visible love rather than private spirituality alone.
A Four-Week Intimacy With God Bible Study
| Week | Theme | Passages | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drawing near through Christ | Hebrews 4:14–16; Hebrews 10:19–25 | Begin prayer by thanking Christ for access to God. |
| 2 | Abiding in Christ | John 15:1–11 | Set a daily time to receive Christ’s words and respond. |
| 3 | Honest confession and assurance | Psalm 32; 1 John 1:5–2:2 | Confess specifically and receive the promise of forgiveness. |
| 4 | Love, obedience, and community | John 14:15–24; 1 John 4:7–21 | Express love through one concrete act of service or reconciliation. |
Questions for a Deeper Walk With God
- What does this passage reveal about God’s welcome, holiness, or love?
- Am I approaching God through Christ or through confidence in my performance?
- What fear, shame, or distraction makes honest prayer difficult?
- Is there a command I have delayed obeying?
- How should fellowship with God change the way I treat another person?
Common Barriers to Intimacy
Unconfessed sin
Hiding sin damages honest fellowship. Confession brings it into the light.
Hurry and distraction
Constant noise makes sustained attention difficult. Establish realistic boundaries.
Shame
Shame can make believers withdraw. Return to Christ’s finished work and promises.
Self-reliance
Independence resists prayer. Practice asking God for help in ordinary decisions.
Isolation
Private spirituality without the church lacks correction, encouragement, and shared worship.
Emotion as the measure
Feelings matter but fluctuate. Measure faithfulness by truth, trust, and fruit.
Silence and Attention
Quiet can be useful because it removes distractions and helps a person attend to Scripture and prayer. Christian silence is not a technique for receiving messages beyond the Bible. Keep an open Bible, reflect on its truth, and allow pauses for honest prayer.
How to Know Whether the Relationship Is Deepening
- You return to the gospel more readily when you fail.
- Your prayers become more honest and Scripture-shaped.
- You obey more promptly in ordinary matters.
- You show greater patience, humility, and love.
- You remain faithful even when emotions are weak.
- You participate more deeply in Christian community.
- You desire to help others know and follow Christ.
How The Pursuit of God Can Help
Tozer’s writing can expose complacency and encourage readers to desire God Himself. Use that challenge alongside John 15, the Psalms, Hebrews, and the gospel promises. The book should point readers toward Christ, Scripture, obedience, and love—not toward a private experience detached from the church or daily responsibility.
A deeper relationship with God is not achieved by one intense session. It grows through repeated, grace-filled patterns of listening, praying, trusting, obeying, worshiping, and walking with God’s people.
A Related Resource for Pursuing God
The Pursuit of God (Annotated): A Modern Study Guide to A. W. Tozer’s Classic on Abiding in Christ and Making Disciples preserves Tozer’s original text while adding chapter summaries, study resources, word searches, and practical connections to abiding, obedience, spiritual growth, and disciple-making.
View the Book on Amazon← Return to The Pursuit of God Knowledge Catalogue
Frequently Asked Questions
What does intimacy with God mean?
It means growing in trusting communion with God through Christ as He has revealed Himself in Scripture, not receiving secret knowledge beyond the Bible.
Does feeling distant mean God has abandoned me?
No. Feelings can change. Believers should return to the gospel, Scripture, prayer, obedience, and Christian support while trusting God’s promises.
What can hinder a deeper walk with God?
Common hindrances include unconfessed sin, hurry, distraction, isolation, shame, self-reliance, and neglect of Scripture and prayer.
Can intimacy with God grow in community?
Yes. Christian fellowship, corporate worship, pastoral care, confession, encouragement, and service all support a deeper walk with God.