AD

    There are several phases of the way that we relate to God. How does it work and how do we relate to Him now? I like to think of it in three phases-- Before Christ (BC), during Jesus' time on earth (JC), and after His death/ascension (AD).

    When God created the earth, He made Adam and Eve spiritually connected to Him. They walked and talked with Him in the garden face to face. But when sin entered the world, it separated us from God. It made us spiritually dead, or disconnected from Him. So God had to find a way out of that. At first, He made the old covenant with Abraham. He chose the Jewish people and separated them from the world that they would be purified and led by God. This involved a sacrificial and purification process just so that the mess of their sin wouldn't stand in the way of God. He hated the sin, not the sinners just as it is today. So God appointed a priest to be the one to speak with Him. The priest would meet with the presence of God, never being able to fully look at Him because of His holiness, and then bring His words to the people.

Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die." (ESV)

Exodus 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp (NIV)

    The second phase of relating to God was when He sent His son to earth. Jesus came to close the barrier of sin between us and God. Jesus lived a perfect life and became the sacrifice for everyone who would accept Him. When we do, we are seen through the lens of Jesus and His perfection and can therefore have a personal relationship with God. But while Jesus was here, that relationship was one on one. We related to God directly! He walked among us and could minister to the people physically around Him. This is why He left the earth to give us something even better.

1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (NIV)

1 John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. (NIV)

    After Jesus ascended, He sent us the one He promised-- His Holy Spirit. He is the one who lives in us and gives us the power we need to live like Jesus. He guides us into the perfection of Christ and speaks to us what He hears from the Father. All we need to do is accept the gift of the Spirit and everything He offers is ours. You can be a Christian without the Spirit, but it is a defeated lifestyle. The Holy Spirit brings a piece of Heaven to us while we are still on earth. Don't you want that in your life?

Luke 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. (ESV)

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (ESV)

John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (ESV)

John 16:7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (NIV)

John 14:16-20 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (NIV)

    Really these three phases can be described as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each has a time on earth physically even though they coexist and are the same God. We live in the era of the Holy Spirit and that is how we are meant to be relating to Jesus. Have others pray for you so that you might revive this gift of power and watch it change your life.