Now Moses used to take [his own] tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting [of God with His own people]. And everyone who sought the Lord went out to [the temporary] tent of meeting which was outside the camp . . . . When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the Lord would talk with Moses . . . . And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. (Ex. 33:7,9,11 AMPC)
Abraham had also conversed with the Lord (face-to face- in a vision)- where He told him to step outside his own tent, and in the starlight- try to count the stars. And as innumerable as they were- “so shall your descendants be.” (Gen. 15:1,5 AMPC) And since Abraham left Haran- until that particular moment in his life- God had been speaking to him as well- just like He did later with Moses. (Gen. 12:1-3, 13:14-17 AMPC)
Many times in my early Christian years- I had wondered how come these men- who lived up to- even 4,000 years ago- heard the Lord’s voice, and so easily conversed with Him in this fashion, whereas today- several millenniums later- so few believers can do this, and I both greatly envied these patriarchs for being able to commune with God, and also it made me think that today- something is drastically wrong!! If the ancients could do this- why can’t we do this- as we in the Church Age- are even the end-time Bride of Christ. And many times in my early Christian years- I longed to have a relationship with the Lord- as those who lived back then had.
In May of 2000, I too was in “a wilderness.” I had moved from my home state to another nearby state to accept a good job offer- but little did I know until I had replanted myself there- that this new location would turn out to be a real spiritual wilderness. I was there for a total of three years, and I spend two of those years- “looking for a good church”- within commuting distance of where I lived. The job that I had- was the best job- that I had been given up to that point in my life- but the downside was that the spiritual environment of that geographic location- really was the pits. So much so- that I grieved over this situation- much- but as Romans 8:28 says: “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” (AMPC)
Little did I know that God had a good plan!! Because just like with Moses- He was about to arrange for me to meet Him at my own “burning bush”- in my own “wilderness.”
One Friday evening in my apartment, I was browsing the Internet and I just happened upon a podcast of a Christian event going on that night- of a seminar where a visiting pastor was teaching on the subject of “hearing the voice of God.” I had never ever heard a church pastor teaching on this- in all of my years of being a believer- since most are strictly focused on the written Word of God- but not the rhema Word of God. And I was so interested in what I was hearing that night- that I resolved to drive the next day- to that church to partake of the rest of the seminar.
A very amazing thing happened that next day. I had been listening to the pastor’s teaching early in the morning, and he stopped at one point- in order to give the audience a short break. I was just sitting there in my chair- when all of a sudden I had a “burning bush experience” with the Lord. He just started speaking to me- in a conversational way. This was to someone- who had only heard Him in very short, barely audible phrases before, and even that- not very often. I was exceedingly overwhelmed– to say the least. And for the next ten minutes- it was like Jesus was right next to me there in the sanctuary- as I conversed with Him very clearly and loudly- just as if I were talking to the person in the chair right beside me. I had some “issues” in my life that I was dealing with- and He just very gently in a shepherdly manner- told me exactly what to do about them. I was so overwhelmed at being able to openly converse with Him- that I just couldn’t stay there- I just had to go somewhere where I could pray privately- so I quickly left the building, and going to my car- I prayed the most urgent prayer that I had prayed in a long time- I told Jesus “I’ll do ANYTHING– to have this kind of relationship with you!!!”
When I had finished my praying- I immediately noticed- that the conversation with Him had stopped, and I couldn’t converse with Him anymore!! I was now very distressed over this, and I went back into the church. To my astonishment- everyone else except the pastor had disappeared- and there was only me and him there- but the Lord was setting up a “divine appointment”: he came over and asked me how I was doing. I told him what had happened- that was so amazing, but that I had also been in a “real desert”- since moving to that area- for two whole years! His response was to ask me if he could anoint me with oil, and pray over me. He then anointed me, and then prophesied to me- saying (with a few other things as well)- that “the Lord says- that if you really want this kind of relationship with Him- i.e.- an intimate, communing walk with God- that you can have it.”
I was elated!!, and I drove home that day- not knowing what was in store for me- and that the journey I’d need to pursue to receive this- would be a real marathon– that would involve first more desert, then deliverance, then more consecration, and then finally “pressing in” to Jesus- to pursue Him- as the “Pearl of Great Price”- for these last seven years- in my “Arabia” experience (remember- that’s what the Lord had Paul do- going to his own Tent of Meeting- “outside the camp”- by himself)- until He has finally told me just recently- that I have now overcome- as a “wise virgin”- to become His Bridal Partner.
And now He wants to use me- to help others follow this general path also- as He would “tailor it” to His refined plan for them- to become an “overcoming Experiential Bridal Partner” also. I can only say that I’m only beginning to walk in partnership with Him- as a submitted, listening Bridal Partner (I can now converse with Him fluently- just like I experienced at The Burning Bush- for ten minutes- sixteen years ago), and I’ve begun to come into the third stage- of the three stages of “Becoming an Overcoming Bride”- (see this document on the Resources page of this website.) He now wants me to found Abiding Ministries– to help others to run their marathon- as He will call others to do this also. However- I believe that in the coming revival- with the Holy Spirit’s “Presence” there- that this will enable believers to commune with Him- much quicker than I was able to do- and will greatly shorten the whole process- for others- who will see the wisdom of choosing the “wise virgin path”- just as He enabled me to see this.
The results of the “wise virgin path”- are vastly superior– to the end result of only sticking with the (default) “foolish virgin path” (Mt.: 25:1-13 AMPC)- where you just try to “live out the written Word- with Believer Authority”- on your own. When Jesus is your intimate Bridegroom King- you have at your disposal (because He’ll converse with His Bridal Partner- anytime she needs Him)- the One who loves you SO MUCH- who is your “ultimate GOOGLE”- i.e.- He knows EVERYTHING that you’ll ever need to know, and He knows EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO- in Every situation.
And if you’re His intimate Experiential Bridal Partner– you’ll be walking with Him– talking “FACE-To-face”- just like He did with Moses, and He’ll be glad to have you walk right beside Him– “through the fields and vineyards”- in partnership with Him– as you then walk with THE LIVING WORD- just as is written in the Song of Songs- ‘skipping over the mountains with Him.’ (Song of Songs 2:17, 8:14 AMPC) And in this fashion- He’ll be right beside you– communing with you- to help you to do whatever you need to do- as you are truly “partnering” with Him doing His kingdom’s works: “and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually– regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion]” (Mt.: 28:20; AMP) This is what it’s like to come into the third stage of the “Becoming an Overcoming Bride” process (see this document on the Resources page of this website)- and it’s really a tremendous way to live out the Christian life!!
Isn’t such a walk with Him- vastly superior– to what most of us are doing with Him- right now? His last words to His disciples- before He went to the Cross- were indeed crucially important: ABIDE IN ME, FOR APART FROM ME- YOU CAN DO NOTHING!!
(See His last message before going to the Cross- in John 15:4,5.)
Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible
