Ryan Swanson: Hello once again and welcome to the Satisfied program here on Thee Generation Podcast. This is Ryan Swanson and we are beginning episode number two in our series on developing a personal relationship with Jesus. Now I wonder how many of you maybe after listening to the first several episodes of Satisfied and just being excited by the new tools that were available and The truths that were being presented really nothing new but just brought forth from scripture that maybe we had missed previously Maybe we’re really excited about that and now going back to a series on a relationship with Jesus is like Okay, isn’t this like any other series on knowing Jesus? What does this have to do with purity? I mean, I know Yes, we have more power over our lust when we have a relationship with God.

So that’s great, but Isn’t that what the other the generation podcasts? Programs are for is to focus on those things and we’re just specifically looking at purity well I want to tackle that question a little bit and see if it’s just some kind of a mystical thing where like okay we get closer to Jesus and then all of a sudden purity gets easier or is there some correlation with being satisfied with Jesus and our cravings being quenched So it brings me to this question right here. And this is something that honestly I’ve been wrestling with the last few days and even beyond that. But especially these last few days leading up to this podcast and knowing that a large percentage of this podcast is going to single young men and women. I understand that lots of times you’re wondering is this ever going to get better before I get married.

So here’s the question. Will Jesus really quench my thirst? Or is he just going to maintain it until I get married? Is it Jesus that’s going to satisfy those very desires that are so strong in me that lead me to do these wicked things and having a relationship with Jesus, all of a sudden those are going to disappear because now I know him? Or is Jesus just going to kind of help and maintain and and keep everything under control, keep me from acting out until I’m married, Lord willing.

And it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s a question, maybe if you’ve not thought it in those words, but yet it’s something that you’ve wondered, and I know I did when I was single. So we’re going to tackle this. And honestly, I think the right answer is not either one of those options. I don’t think it’s that Jesus is necessarily going to take all the desire away. But I don’t think it’s just simply that he’s going to maintain it and trying to keep it under control for you either.

It’s something entirely different. So let’s look at this. Now we know from a theological standpoint that Jesus is supposed to be everything we need, right? But yet, Solomon, he said to his sons at the end of chapter five of Proverbs, he very explicitly said that They are to allow their wives, even the physical, body of their wives to satisfy them at all times. And he uses the word satisfy.

So are we to be satisfied with our wives? Is that the only way we can be satisfied? Well, obviously there’s a point in marriage in which that’s right to be satisfied. But to you, most of you being single, does that mean you cannot be satisfied until you reach marriage? But then we take…

Jesus in other places and all throughout the New Testament, Jesus is presented as one who Him and Him alone can satisfy. He’s the bread of life. He’s the way, the truth, the life. And then in John chapter four, which is where we’re going to be today, He goes even further than that. So let’s see the actual role that Jesus plays in your purity, not just in your spiritual life and how He’s going to strengthen and help you, but that’s not what I’m talking about.

I mean specifically in your purity. What difference does it make to have a personal relationship with Jesus? So in John chapter 4, we’ve talked through this passage before and we’re going to hit on it in more detail in the future, I’m sure. There is so much we can glean from the story of the woman at the well, but let’s just talk this through in brief and get the concept and the principle here. And I think it’s going to teach us everything we need for this and answer the question for us.

So here of course Jesus shows up to the well where he finds a woman there. It wasn’t an accident. Clearly he had planned this out to meet this particular woman in this particular place. He simply asked the woman at first to draw some water for him and she’s surprised because she’s a Samaritan and she basically says, don’t you know who I am? In verse 9, I’m a Samaritan woman.

The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. And Jesus turns it around to her and says, don’t you know who I am? In verse 10, he said, answered and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water. So now he brings up living water into this. Obviously, it’s within the analogy of they’re standing at a well and she’s drawing and no doubt she comes day after day to to be drying this water and taking it back to her house.

This is something that she is used to. It’s something she does on a regular basis. And Jesus now meets her there and says, if you knew who I was, if you only knew, you would ask me for living water, something that would never go dry. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again in verse 13. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.

But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. And he presents the solution to the problem of just going to the well and drawing water. Is that really what he’s after? Well, the woman is clearly interested in this water. And in verse 15, the woman says unto him, Sir, give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

But now Jesus reveals to her what this has been illustrating the whole time. And we find out why he decided to meet her at a well of all things. In verse 16, Jesus sayeth unto her, call thy husband and come hither. Now what a very simple statement and a very tender way Jesus used to bring up probably the most painful thing in her heart. And the woman in verse 17, she says, I have no husband.

And she just leaves it at that. It makes me, I have to wonder if that’s a phrase that she would use and that’s maybe how she got herself with so many men. Whenever there was another potential, she would throw it out there, oh don’t have a husband. Which in this case is true, but she didn’t just go on to say that she’s actually with someone right now. She just said I don’t have a husband.

And then leaves it in Jesus’ court. Well Jesus at that point says, as well said, I have no husband. For thou has had five husbands, and he whom thou hast now hast is not thy husband in that, says thou truly.” And now Jesus brings it down oh so tenderly, but it comes down so hard. And it’s like Jesus is crying out, don’t you see your need? Don’t you see what it is that you need, that you actually need?

You’re coming here day after day after day to draw water, that is not quenching anything because you’re having to come right back and get more. It’s really not doing anything. It’s cyclical. You’ll be doing this the rest of your life. And then he says, when she finally admits, yes, I love some of this living water, and then he brings up, what about all these husbands?

What about the man you’re with now? Why is all this happening? You’re going from man to man to man to man to man trying to be satisfied with something, that is cyclical. You’re going back for more and for more. It’s not satisfying at all.

Don’t you see your need? And now it makes sense. Jesus saying, if you knew who I was, you’d be asking of me. Oh, she’s had six, but it’s like it’s almost like Jesus is there as the seventh suitor. But it’s it’s totally different because Jesus is not offering to meet her need, on her grounds and in the way that she thinks her need needs to be met.

She would love for this addiction that she has to just be quenched to be taken away to be totally annihilated. It’s caused her so much pain. I mean, clearly someone with that has had five husbands now going on to number six and she’s not even willing to commit to him yet. I mean, she’s been burned. She’s been hurt, but very likely.

She’s been seeking after something. She has, maybe it’s a love addiction, maybe it’s a sexual addiction, we don’t know, but whatever it is, it has her looking for more and for more, and it has ruined her life up to this point. And Jesus didn’t come here to give her marital counseling. He didn’t offer her another plan, some principles, he didn’t give her a program to help her out. He didn’t even give her a podcast.

Imagine that. Nope, he didn’t do that. Jesus offered her one thing, a person, himself. And Jesus lays himself out and says, if you knew who I was, you’d ask of me and I would be for you something that would quench that thirst forever. Now just what is that thirst?

Does this mean that this young lady would never have a desire towards a man again? No, because Jesus was not about to meet her physical need. Her desire and her addiction up to this point has been in the realm of physical intimacy. Physical, maybe emotional if she had more of love addiction, but physical, emotional, that has been her level. Of intimacy but Jesus now presenting himself and then in a few sentences later presenting himself as the Messiah as the son of God and he even goes on to say that God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

And it’s interesting I mean by then she has to know that this isn’t going to be a physical relationship this is something different what Jesus is offering is spiritual but it is a spiritual relationship and get this Understand this it is a spiritual intimacy That is the answer for her thirst now you say I don’t get it. I don’t get what is spiritual intimacy That’s weird. Okay now honestly, I get it in the past I have hated it when preachers would use the word intimate to refer to a relationship with Jesus because I just thought that is a physical thing and when you Put that with a relationship with Jesus. That’s not just awkward. That’s disrespectful.

But as I’ve been going through studying this out and trying to find out how Jesus meets that need, that need for intimacy, I can’t get away from that word. I was speaking with one pastor just yesterday and brought that up to him and asked him finally, I just said, okay, would you use that word? Would you use the word intimate in your preaching to refer to relationship? With Jesus and he said, know, I haven’t up to this point, but sometimes the reason that we don’t is because we’re afraid, because we don’t know really what that means. And I know that was the case for me.

So listen closely. This is this is what it comes down to. The majority of men and women with sexual addictions who think they are addicted to pornography or physical gratification or fantasizing or whatever it is, they are actually craving Intimacy so what is intimacy? You could define intimacy I think or at least describe it as the vulnerability on the deepest level The deepest level where there’s no subject that’s off limits. It’s a it’s a relationship.

It’s two-way relationship of communing fellowship between two people But it’s on the deepest level possible. There is absolute mutual Trust it’s a safe place to be always understood never misread it is a place of true love and affirmation and it’s a place to find genuine joy and fulfillment that’s what intimacy is. And if that’s what it is then of course that is the craving of every human being to find true Intimacy you think what you’re seeking and what you need is just physical physical intimacy, but so much of it is emotional so much of it is spiritual. And I’m here to tell you that the reason that we’re doing a series on a relationship with Jesus is because There is a right way for you to have intimacy now For you to enjoy that spiritual intimacy now Just like in John chapter 4 where Jesus was offering a right and proper way for that lady to finally understand what it is to have complete and pure intimacy. And it is available for you.

When I found Jesus, I gave you my testimony last time, and when I found Jesus a couple of years ago, two and a half years ago, in my need, I didn’t need intimacy. Anywhere else I found purpose in Jesus I trusted him I I felt loved and understood by him I had an intimate relationship with Jesus and so I didn’t need to go anywhere else to find it now yesterday I was talking with my wife about these things. And about her relationship with the Lord especially when she was single she went through a very difficult time when she was praying and Asking the Lord if I was the right one for her she knew about my Sexual addictions in the passion you about pornography and addictions in the past and so now she was wrestling over Can I trust that Ryan is the Lord’s will for me and because of my past it was not an easy? Decision for her at all and so she spent months and months and nearly a full year wrestling with the Lord over this. But during that time, and she can hardly speak of it without tears now, during that time she found Jesus.

And she told me the difference between that relationship and anything else and why it was so special is that whenever she was in front of Jesus, she knew that he would understand. He was the only one that could completely understand everything she was going through, everything that she felt, everything she was saying. He could completely understand there was a closeness there was an intimacy and because of that even as a single young lady she was satisfied with Jesus I heard of another young lady her name is Sarah she’s in her 30s I believe and and of course she would love to be married. But yet the Lord has not allowed that to happen at this point so she’s seeking to be satisfied without that ultimate fulfillment in the marriage And so you know what she does every single week? She will ask herself if I were married, what would I want to do with my husband?

And when she’s able to decide whether it’s a certain restaurant she would go to, or maybe it’s a park she would go to or drive out to the lake and enjoy time there, she will actually go by herself to that spot and meet with Jesus instead. Commune with Jesus, and find that fulfillment, that satisfaction in a relationship with Jesus. And because she’s found intimacy with Jesus, she doesn’t need intimacy anywhere else. Now, does that mean that we don’t need marriage anymore? No, there is still a fulfillment in that physical intimacy that will come and it will be wonderful in its place.

What Jesus has not done is come to obliterate the desires that he’s put into us so that we are not tempted anymore. No, instead Jesus has come to offer us an intimate relationship so that we can still be satisfied even without that fulfillment in marriage. So friend, this is what it boils down to. If you have some kind of a sexual or love addiction, you’re probably aware of it. And maybe up to this point, You have tried to find ways to appease that desire or to cover it up or at best give it to the Lord and forget about it.

But that desire within you is not a problem. It’s a need. And a need. Every one of our needs can be satisfied with Jesus. Your need is not for sexual relationship your need is for intimacy and you can have that today with Jesus That’s why we’re doing this series, you know in Joshua chapter 22 in verse 5 Joshua speaking to several of the tribes of Israel here says.

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which most of the servant of the Lord charged you to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and here it is and to cleave unto him and to serve him with all of your heart and with all of your soul. That word cleave is the same word used in Genesis 2. Man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his own. It’s the same word. At this point in your life when maybe you’re not at the point of leaving and cleaving unto a spouse, you are at the point where you can cleave unto your God.

And the fulfillment and joy and satisfaction that you will find in your marriage someday. Trust me, it will be so much more wonderful when you find satisfaction with an intimate relationship with Jesus now. So what’s this going to look like practically here real quick? Remember last month I wanted you to focus on desperation. Just get somewhere with the Lord and say, I’m not leaving until you show up.

If that is still the need of the hour, if you’re still looking for that first time for Jesus to show up, then you need to still seek after that desperation. And don’t give up until you’ve found Him. But I want to ask you to do something specifically. Why don’t you plan an outing with Jesus? Now, I’m starting to be weird about this, but with any of our other friends that we do, I mean, I had friends going through college and we would do stuff together.

We would go out to certain places and… Make it special. Would you do something special with Jesus? We can be so callous and carefree with our devotional time. We’ll just basically do it in our pajamas in bed.

But why don’t you do something special with him? Why don’t you plan something? Go on a bike ride and see if there’s a lake in your area you could bike to and spend some time with Jesus. I know it’s getting cold now. Maybe you’ll find something even indoors.

Maybe it’s a little coffee shop. Something my wife and I do about every week. Sometimes… Twice a I think last week it was twice a week, we’ll pick a special place and go to together but not to spend time with each other, it’s to spend the time with Jesus there. So we’d go to a park together and sit on two different benches and just spend the time individually with Jesus and then we’ll get together and go on a walk together.

Or we’ll go to a cafe and we’ll talk for a little bit and then we’ll split up in the cafe and just with our coffee there and we’ll just… Each individually spend that time with Jesus. It’s something that we enjoy doing is making it an actual occasion to enjoy. Imagine that. But if you’re going to have a relationship it’s not just going to happen when you are half awake in bed.

So plan something. Plan a time with Jesus. Pursue Him and seek to know Him and allow Him to know you on a deeper and even yes an intimate level. Hope I’ve explained this okay and that it’s been clear to you, but if you have any questions or something you want to share, go ahead and reach out to me, satisfiedattheegeneration.org. Maybe you want to share with me what you decided to do and how your outing went with Jesus.

Please go ahead and share that. Satisfiedattheegeneration.org. Make it a point this month until our next podcast to whenever you’re tempted to enjoy intimacy in a different way, some way that’s out of bounds right now, would you instead turn and cleave? Your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and develop and nurture that instead. And I know that will make just as much a difference for you as it has for me in your journey to be less gratified and more satisfied with Jesus.