7 Ways to Draw Near to God and Keep Him Close
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Getting closer to God is a phrase I hear often. As believers, it is possible to feel like you aren’t as close to God as you were before.
James 4:8-10, NKJV, says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
This Bible verse tells us that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. The catch here is that we can’t be walking in sin and be close to God. He wants us to have pure hearts, pure minds, and to be humble.
If you are feeling like you aren’t close to God right now, you’re not alone. I experience this feeling too. The good news is that the Bible tells us how to grow closer to God. Today, I’m going to share how you can get closer to God.
What Does it Mean to Draw Near to God?
Drawing near to God means that you want to be in a close relationship with God. Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). He is the only way you can draw near to God. God sent Jesus to be the mediator between God and man.
Choosing to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior means you are trusting Him with your life. We must have faith and know that we can get closer to God through Jesus.
Don’t miss Where to Find God in Your Life!
How to Draw Near to God
There are specific ways to get closer to God. I’ve felt like I’ve been far from God several times during my walk so I’m going to share what has helped me draw near to Him.
1. Receive Jesus
Receiving Jesus into your life is the first step to getting closer to the Lord. Without Jesus, there is no access to God. The Bible tells us that God sent His only son to make a way for us.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV
This verse means that in order to get to God, you need to go through Jesus. If you want to receive the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ, place your faith in Him (Acts 16:31), repent of your sins, and fully trust His death as the sacrifice for your sins. He promises to send His Holy Spirit to those that receive Him.
Works do not save you (Eph. 2:8-9). Baptism is an important step to identify with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. It illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. Baptism is not required for salvation. The only thing required for salvation is faith in Jesus Christ.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31 ESV
Once you have accepted Jesus, you will have access to growing closer to God. His Holy Spirit will guide you into God’s Truth and convict you of your sin. Repenting your sins will allow you to walk with Jesus and grow with Him.
2. Study the Bible
Studying the Bible is essential if you want to grow closer to God. It is impossible to know our creator if we don’t know anything about Him.
2 Timothy 3:16, ESV, says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
The Bible has everything we need to know to navigate through life. I recommend that you get a good study Bible so you can study the scripture. There are Bible apps and free online Bible studies that can help further your knowledge. If you want to study a specific topic, you may benefit from a reading plan.
Make it a priority to study the Bible and you will draw closer to the Lord.
3. Pray
Prayer is how we communicate with God. Praying through Jesus will bring you into communication with God. You can pray all day long and ask as many questions as you want.
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 NIV
Prayer doesn’t have to be done in any specific way. I try to reserve a specific time to pray in a quiet setting because I want to hear from God. If there’s too much going on I get easily distracted.
I also pray while I’m doing the dishes, folding laundry, making dinner, etc. There is no right way to pray. Don’t let anyone deceive you into thinking you need to pray a specific way.
God is omnipresent. He is with you all the time and is available anytime you call for Him. Include Him in your life and you will grow in a closer relationship.
4. Worship and Praise Him
We are given the privilege to praise and worship God. God is our maker and everything we have comes from Him. Acknowledging that having a relationship with Jesus is personal allows us to see how Mighty Our God is.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1, NKJV
We should be worshipping and praising God all the time. He is always good (Psalm 100:5) and worthy of our praise. One of my favorite ways to worship and praise Him is through music.
Music just really touches my soul and brings me deep into worship. I even find myself memorizing scripture when I’m listening to music.
Music will draw you near to God. He created music and loves to hear the joyful noise of it (Psalm 98:4-6).
5. Trust Him
When I decided to receive Jesus into my life, I had a hard time trusting Him. It wasn’t until I grew closer to God that I was able to rest in Him.
The Bible teaches that we need to trust the Lord with our whole hearts. If we truly believe that He loves us and will work everything for our good, we will be able to trust Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
You need to examine your heart and ask God to reveal the truth about who you are trusting. I did this and found that I was trusting myself.
Trusting in yourself or someone other than Jesus is a problem. The Lord is the only one who can make your paths straight. Your own flesh will make you stumble.
Learn to trust the Lord and know that you don’t need to understand everything. If you are close to God, you will trust that His understanding is enough. He works everything out for our good (Romans 8:28) and knows what’s best for us.
6. Have Faith
In order to have faith, we need to know who God says we are. The Bible tells us that we have a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11). He has plans for us and we need to have faith that His plans are the best thing for us.
If we don’t have faith we risk falling into fear. Choosing faith over fear takes daily discipline. We have to choose faith otherwise we will be headed down a dark empty road.
Having faith draws you near to God because you believe what He says. Choosing to make Him Lord over your life means you need to surrender your will to His will. In my life, He has proven over and over that His ways are better than mine. He always provides.
7. Get Involved
When I made the decision to receive Christ, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to get involved. I took the first step by attending a Bible study at my church.
I was so blessed by the ladies. It was my very first women’s Bible study by Beth Moore. My growth in Christ grew through the fellowship of other women.
There are so many ways to get involved other than in Bible study groups. There are multiple ways to bless people and show them the love of Christ.
I personally enjoy Bible study groups but I know they aren’t for everybody. Pray about how you can get involved. The Lord may put starting a Christian blog, Christian podcast, or even a Christian YouTube channel on your heart. These are all great ways to share what God has done in your life.
Getting involved will help you draw closer to God by being a living testimony of His faithfulness.
How are you Drawing Near to God?
These are 7 ways that have helped me get closer to God. I’d love to hear any other ways you have found to get closer to Him. Let me know in the comments below.
Baptism is a required thing for salvation.Just believing and just asking the Lord in your heart will not work.
Thanks for stopping by. Jesus’ payment for our sins is appropriated to our “account” by faith alone (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). Baptism is an important step of obedience after salvation but cannot be a requirement for salvation. You can read more about it here: https://www.gotquestions.org/baptism-salvation.html
Absolute truth, baptism is buried with Christ after salvation
This is not true. God says he justifies us by faith alone. He never says we need to be baptized to be saved. Baptism is an outward sign of out inward salvation. It is like having a graduation party to symbolize you graduate. If you do not have a graduation party, this doesn’t mean you haven’t graduated. You simply chose not to throw a party.
I agree but if you really our expecting Jesus wouldn’t you want that party and to show the love you have for him . I look at it like this Jesus went through more then what a man could stand when he was crucified and he should be able to withstand being dipped in water to show out love for him .
I don’t think you would go to hell because your not baptized but that’s between you and god and no one else.
Great analogy!!! When did the thief on the cross get baptized?? Jesus told him “today you’ll be in Paradise with me”.
You are absolutely wrong sir. Being Baptized isn’t a mandatory thing that needs to happen in order for a person to enter into heaven or become a Christian. It’s traditional, but if you read the scripture and understand it’s meaning you’ll realize that it’s a confirmation among believers that you are born again. The deliverance from sin was won on the cross. Not in the river Jordan. Although I believe in Baptism and have been baptized myself, I know that saying yes to Jesus and entering heaven does not require the religious practice to take place in order for that to happen.
Praise God 🙏
Amen 🙏 Hallelujah 🙌
Today I’m living because of my Jesus. He is light of life. I’m from Hindu family, Jesus touched me nd I was completely healed. My faith was growing He loves me more than any bodie in my family nd life. Everyone throw me out 😭
My wife also broke relationship nd married other because I’m in Christ. I have two children till God able to take care of them as a single parent. I have a daughter Christine Joyce and son Paul Abraham we are Blessed in mighty name of Jesus Amen.
Without Jesus this world would have been destroyed. He is the strong Rock He will never let us to slip or fall down.. Amen
With Regards
Chris Matthew
Phone.. 8550096555
Amen, brother. Beautiful testimony. I love you in Christ.
Amen I’m touched and inspired by your comment
Hi, Maybe you forgot to mention tongues which is the way our spirits communicate directly with the Father I believe, in a way which is beyond our understanding. 1 Corinthians 14 and can be very powerful.
Yes, spiritual connection is very powerful. I did write a post specifically on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. We can use any of those gifts to draw closer to God. Prayer and worship are the most common way people connect with God spiritually. If you have the gift of tongues that works too.
Thanks for sharing, its a requirement to get closer to God for one to remain on the truck of faith.
This is true!
I want to get closer to God no matter what it takes I want to know my savior more everyday as I live in his holy presents
Praise Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He delivered my me.
Thank you for your insights in drawing closer to God. I see that you know Him well. I am very excited about putting all I read into practice. God bless you always!
Thanks for stopping by!
Drawing close to Jesus, whether it is a walk through the woods with the sun shining through the trees, a view of the mountains, or worshiping Jesus in a concert. In these places I feel my reason for living most fulfilled. As strange as it may sound, as I watch the news of shootings, I can’t help think that these horrible acts are simply a perverse cry for purpose. Usually done by young men without father figures to provide guidance in finding Jesus. People find church boring, I too have at times felt this way. Yet, worship of Jesus and his great love for us is just the beginning of an incredible adventure to see Gods passion in creation. At this time we maybe on a plan of restoration of that creation. But God ask us to join him in that process. So get to know him, and let the adventure begin
One of the most important ways, if not the most, we can be close to God is to eliminate sin in our life. Of course we can’t do this without God’s help, however, if we living with an active sin, all the prayer, bible study, etc. will not bring us to that deep and beautiful intimacy that God longs for with us. God cannot be next to sin, and we separate ourselves from God everytime we sin, but are quickly accepted upon repentance. Read James 4, especially verse 8 – the whole verse. Unfortunately, most Believers are sleep walking into their future.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to write this article. It was very helpful and encouraging. Drawing near to God is such a privilege and you have laid out so beautifully the heart of the Father for us to draw near and the price he paid to open up the door.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great article but I would just like to emphasize the need to “talk to God.”.about anything and everything..he wants you to communicate the good and bad with him.He will be happy that you are drawing near to him .
The first thing that really started was to move where He wanted me, and to go to the Church family that was best. If you take the risk of letting Him place you, more He gives. He gave more responsibility as I listened and obeyed. “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Read the Word, and meditate on it, what it means to you. Psalm 23, as memorized, has always been useful in prayers for others, as a Prayer Leader.
Can you be forgiven if you have already accepted Christ in the past and backslid then went back several times doing awful sin and at one point even playing church while I was really in the world sinning and living a lie.
It terrifies me to think that He would not but doing all of that seems to me it’s like crucifying Jesus all over again.
I have come back to the Lord but I wasn’t drawn by the Spirit. I don’t believe I was I just knew somehow it’s time to get right with the Lord and mean it.
I did and it’s been 5 years now and I have truly given myself to the Lord. It is different now inside of me the desire to pray and read His word everyday. The days I would miss reading His word I feel guilty. I cannot forgive myself for the things I did either. I don’t feel his Spirit. This concerns me greatly! Not like years before and I keep seeking the Lord and sometimes I think he speaks to me thru his word but not like before years ago.
I have read the scriptures on back sliding but they all refer to Israel and the one in Hebrews I really don’t understand and it scares me honestly.
Do you or anyone know anything much about His Grace for the Backslider that has backslid more times than I can count?
Thank you and please pray for me.
Hi Carol,
Thanks for stopping by. I don’t have the answer to this question. I do know that the only one that knows your true heart is the Lord. He knows your true intentions and if you are seeking a true relationship with Him. I will be praying for you and that He gives you the answer to your question.
The Hebrew 6:6 passage is in present tense indicating ongoing actions. So, “since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame” would be better translated while or as long as. If you have repented and are trusting in the sacrifice of Jesus, He is once again your mediator. May He cleanse you from all righteousness. Abide in Him.
Fasting and praying makes me feel closer to god
I never knew that getting close to god could help you learn more about Jesus and how they can provide salvation.
3 critical areas To walk in the light as HE is in the light, (as the thief on the cross walked in all the light He had, full surrender Romans 12:1-3 and Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men and Holiness without which no man shall see the LORD