The ultimate prize of the Christian life is intimacy with God. It is through pursuing this intimacy with God every day that a Christian is able to experience everyday freedom from the power and pain of sin.

Tyler’s Main Points

1. Everyday freedom comes from continuing in the everyday practices of breaking free.

2. Continue the practices of breaking free by looking to God – admit, believe, trust.

3. Continue the practices of breaking free by looking to self – inventory, confess, repent.

4. Everyday freedom comes from cultivating everyday intimacy with Jesus Christ.

Key Takeaways

• Many Christians continue to leave the ultimate prize of intimacy with God unclaimed.
  
  
• You never graduate from regeneration. In this life, you never move beyond the need to daily practice all you’ve learned when it comes to following Christ.
  
  
• If you stop the spiritual practices of breaking free you will experience a regression of freedom and progress back into the prison, power, and pain of sin.
  
  
• Through faith in Jesus Christ, God offers not only forgiveness, but fellowship, fullness of joy, and freedom through an intimate relationship with Him.
  
  
• Eternal life is not solely a future event, but offered today through personally knowing Jesus Christ.
  
  
• In the story of Mary and Martha, Mary values and chooses the one thing that matters the most– to be with Jesus. What we do with Christ is far more important than what we do for Christ. What we do with Christ leads to the lasting works Christ intends for us.
  
  
• Jesus offers an abundant life that transcends all circumstances. The freedom, joy, and peace found through intimacy with Christ is more valuable than health, wealth, prosperity, and anything else the world can offer.
  
  
• If dependence is the goal, weakness is an advantage. Paul’s ministry, sufferings, and teachings reflect the intimacy he experienced with Christ as he experienced unimaginable hardships.
  
  
• We must daily and deliberately cultivate intimacy with Christ through admitting our weakness, worship, God’s Word, prayer, God’s people, and good works. 
   
• Nothing will change your life in a more significant, enduring manner than experiencing intimacy with Christ.
  
  

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal reflection:

• In the story of Mary and Martha, Mary values and chooses the one thing that matters the most– to be with Jesus. What are you valuing most right now? What are the greatest barriers to your intimacy with Christ?
  
  
• Tyler shared a graph that charted his quality of life and joy to his corresponding age. Create your own graph. What commonalities do you see in your spiritual highs and lows?
  
  

Discuss with your community group:

• As an individual, what is your plan to better cultivate intimacy with Christ through admitting weakness, worship, God’s Word, prayer, time with God’s people, and good works?
  
  

As a group, what is your plan to better cultivate intimacy with Christ through admitting weakness, worship, God’s Word, prayer, time with God’s people, and good works?

Passages Referenced
Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 139:23-34, John 17:3, Luke 10:38-42, Psalm 27:4, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 84:10-12, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, Romans 12:1, Ephesians 2:10.