You can know a great deal about someone without actually knowing that person.
You might know where they were born, what they believe, what they have accomplished, and what other people say about them. But none of that means you have a personal relationship with them.
I believe the same thing can happen in our relationship with God. We can attend church, listen to sermons, memorize Bible verses, and learn Christian language while still feeling distant from the Lord.
That raises an important question: What does it really mean to have intimacy with God?
At Burning Truth Africa, our mission is simple: to help believers develop an intimate relationship with Christ. Not simply a greater collection of Bible facts, but a deeper relationship with the One those Scriptures reveal.
Intimacy With God Means Knowing Him Personally
Intimacy is deep personal closeness built through trust, love, openness, and shared life. When we speak about intimacy with God, we are not talking about a physical relationship or an occasional spiritual sensation. We mean knowing Him, trusting Him, spending time with Him, and allowing His presence and Word to shape the way we live.
In John 17:3, Jesus connects eternal life with knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. That is a remarkable statement. Eternal life is more than a destination we hope to reach someday. Through Jesus, we are invited into a relationship with the Father that begins now.
Jeremiah 9:23–24 says that our greatest reason to rejoice is not wisdom, strength, or wealth, but understanding and knowing the Lord.
God wants to be known. He has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, through His written Word, and through the work of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether we will respond to that invitation.
Consider the difference between reading a letter from someone you love and studying a stranger’s biography. Both involve words on a page, but one is part of a living relationship. That is how we should approach Scripture: not merely to gather information, but to encounter the character, promises, and heart of God.
Four Ways to Grow Closer to God
1. Spend time with Him, not just asking Him for things
There is nothing wrong with bringing our needs to God. Jesus taught us to ask the Father for our daily bread. But imagine a friendship in which the only time you spoke to someone was when you needed a favor.
Prayer is much more than presenting requests. It is fellowship. There is room for thanksgiving, worship, questions, honesty, and quiet attention to the Lord.
James 4:8 gives this invitation: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” We do not earn God’s love by spending enough minutes in prayer. We respond to the love He has already shown us.
2. Let the Word reveal His character
Jesus said in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.” To abide means to remain, stay, and continue in relationship.
As we read the Gospels, we see how Jesus treated people, how He spoke to the Father, how He responded to temptation, and how He loved those who were overlooked. Scripture gives us something steady to hold onto when our emotions change.
Try reading a short passage and asking: What does this show me about God? What is He inviting me to believe or obey? Then talk to Him about what you have read.
3. Learn to recognize and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading
Romans 8:14 says that those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. The Christian life was never meant to be lived by our own strength and reasoning alone.
As we fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we grow in sensitivity to His guidance. We learn to test what we sense against Scripture, to recognize His correction, and to obey when He directs us.
If hearing God has been difficult for you, read our related teaching, How to Hear God’s Voice: Learning to Recognize When God Is Speaking.
4. Respond to God with trust and obedience
Intimacy is not just the feeling of being close. Relationships deepen as trust becomes action.
There will be days when obeying God feels easy and days when it costs us something. Jesus connected love for Him with keeping His commandments (John 14:21). Our obedience does not purchase His acceptance; it is a response of love and faith.
Sometimes the most meaningful step toward closeness with God is a simple act of obedience: forgiving someone, telling the truth, laying down bitterness, or taking the next step He has already shown us.
What Intimacy With God Is Not
We should be careful not to measure intimacy by outward appearances.
It is not the number of hours we can pray compared with someone else. It is not how emotional a worship service becomes. It is not the ability to describe impressive spiritual experiences. And it is not pretending we never struggle.
David brought grief, questions, thanksgiving, and repentance to God in the Psalms. That kind of honesty is very different from religious performance.
The goal is not to manufacture a feeling. The goal is to know the Lord and remain faithful in our walk with Him, whether the day feels extraordinary or ordinary.
A Simple Place to Begin Today
If you want to grow in intimacy with God, start with ten unhurried minutes.
Read a passage from the Gospel of John. Thank the Lord for what it reveals about Him. Share what is honestly on your heart. Give yourself a moment of quiet, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize what Scripture is teaching you. Then look for one simple way to respond in obedience.
Do that again tomorrow. A relationship grows as we continue showing up.
You do not have to become a perfect Christian before you can draw near to God. Jesus has opened the way for us to approach the Father with confidence (Hebrews 4:14–16).
You can know about God without knowing Him intimately. But through Jesus Christ, you have been invited to know Him personally.
Join the Family
If you want to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus, we would love to walk with you. Join the Burning Truth Africa family for biblical encouragement, ministry updates, and invitations to our Tuesday night prayer gatherings on Zoom at 7 PM Central.
You can also explore more of our teaching in the video library.
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