Hello All,

The Lord has really been speaking to me recently about the connection between intimacy and identity.  He revealed to me that our authority comes from our identity and our identity must come from intimacy.  If our authority is derived simply from the “truths” that we have accepted…apart from an intimate relationship with Him…we can become arrogant instead of confident.  I say that because our faith will be placed in “what we know” instead of in “Who we know.”  I believe that is why Jesus spoke to His disciples and said “learn from Me…”

Matt 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." NKJV

Jesus didn’t want them to just learn the truths that He was sharing…He wanted them to know Him and the heart with which He was sharing them.  I believe this is further substantiated in John 5 where Jesus talked about the relationship between Him and His Father…

John 5:19-20
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.  20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. NKJV

The “works” that Jesus did were simply an expression of the intimacy that He had with the Father…that is a perfect picture of authority which comes from identity…that was birthed in intimacy!  Jesus establishes two things in this passage…1) The Father loves Him and because of that love relationship, 2) He will show Him even greater things.  He wasn’t going to see greater things because of His performance, but because of His Father’s love for Him…Jesus rested in His relationship with the Father…and so must we.  I believe that is the heart of Jesus’ prayer in John 17…

John 17:20-23
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;  21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.  22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:  23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. NKJV