We must seek Him persistently (Matt 7:7-8). We should keep on seeking until we find.
What are the ways we commune with God?
The five ways we commune with God are: contemplation, conformity, control by the Spirit, communication, and consecration.
What is contemplation?
Contemplation is any act of meditating on God and praying to Him. (Ps 1:2, 119:15, James 1:25)
What is meant by conformity to Christ?
Conformity is the progressive likeness to Christ in affection, mind, and action that is imparted to the believer who gazes on Christ. (2 Cor 3:18)
How are we conformed to Christ?
The Holy Spirit imparts the righteousness of Christ as the believer puts off sinful ways, is renewed in mind, and consecrates all actions to Christ. (Gal 5:16-24; Eph 4:22-24)
How does the Holy Spirit enable this?
Philippians 2:13
a. By creating and sustaining the desire to be like Christ. He gives us the ‘will’ to do God’s pleasure — that is, to please Him, seek Him and love Him.
b. By enabling us to follow through on those desires.
Sandwiched between His two works, is a third work: our obedience. (Philippians 2:12)
What is control by the Spirit?
Control by the Spirit is the voluntary act of seeking to be dependent upon and controlled by the Holy Spirit in thought and deed. (Ephesians 5:18, Gal 5:16, 25)
What is communication?
Communication refers to communing with God by learning and sharing the truth of God’s Word with others. (Col 3:16, 1 John 2:24)
What is meant by consecration?
Consecration is how we commune with God indirectly (outside of the Word), by dedicating something we do or experience to the holy glory of God. (Rom 12:1)
What are we to consecrate to God?
Whatever cannot be loved for God’s sake should not be loved at all; whatever can be loved for God’s sake should be consecrated to Him. (Phil 4:8)
How are we to consecrate all lawful things to God?
- We are to present our entire lives as a sacrificial offering (Rom 12:1).
- We are to do all deeds for Christ’s sake (Col 3:17, 23).
- We are to do all for God’s glory (1 Cor 10:31).
- We are to do all that we do in love (1 Cor 16:14).
What is meant by conviction?
Conviction is the work of the Spirit upon our renewed consciences, alerting us to ways we fall short of the glory of God. (John 16:8-11; Heb 4:12)
How does conviction take place?
First, the conscience, being stirred by the Spirit’s work, warns us before we sin,