So what does it mean when our relationship with God is void of fellowship? It means there is no joy, no real growth, and no faith in that relationship.
The only way for us to walk in joy and faith is to become intimately acquainted with God.
Remember, Paul didn’t say in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know what I have believed.” He said, “I know whom I have believed.”
The entire New Testament is all about developing a close communion with God. That’s why Jesus died on the cross – to give us a way back to the Father. If we don’t have that kind of intimate fellowship with God, we cannot serve Him with our whole heart.
I once heard someone say to another believer, “I know the Word of God.”
The other person responded, “Yes, but do you know the God of the Word?”
I thought that was such a good answer. God doesn’t want us to just know His principles or His steps to victorious living. Thank God for those principles and those steps!
They are great teaching tools. But if we don’t cultivate a close fellowship with God, His principles won’t do us a bit of good.
That’s why so many people are preaching faith and then falling by the wayside. You may know some of those people. They may have started out with you pursuing the things of God years ago. But now you look around and say, “Where are those people today?”
They knew how to teach the principles, but they didn’t maintain a close fellowship with God.
I don’t want to fall by the wayside. My faith is not just in the Bible; my faith is in the person who wrote the Bible. I don’t just love the Book because it’s a book. I love that Book because I love Him!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”
