How to Love God More: Cultivating a Deeper Spiritual Relationship with the Biblical Jesus

The Secret to Loving Jesus

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, casting a long, golden shimmer across the rhythmic waves of the beach. I remember the cool sand between my toes and the salt air filling my lungs. It was 1995, and I was a brand-new creature in Christ. Everything old had passed away, but I was standing there with a massive, aching hunger in my spirit. For years, I had tried to fill a specific, god-shaped hole in my heart with anything I could find—drugs, alcohol, music, and the hollow pursuit of worldly success. None of it worked. Now, standing on that shore, I realized I had found the Source, but I didn't know how to draw closer. I was like a man who had found a vast ocean of fresh water but didn't have a cup to drink from.

You might be feeling that same ache today. Maybe you’ve been "in church" for years, but the fire has gone cold. You know the doctrines, you know the songs, but the person of Jesus feels like a distant historical figure rather than a living, breathing reality in your life. The pain point for many of us is the realization that our love for God feels stagnant. We want to love Him more, but we don't know the "how." We treat it like a mystery we can't solve, or worse, a chore we have to perform. We feel the guilt of not "feeling" enough love, and that guilt creates a barrier that keeps us even further from His presence.

In this post, I want to take you on a journey to the very heart of this question. A while back, I was reading a book by Francis Chan, and he posed a question that stopped me in my tracks: "How does one love God more?" It’s a simple question with eternal implications. I took that question to my community on Facebook and the Voxer Christian chat, and the responses were profound. Through those insights and my own supernatural encounters with the Lord, I’ve discovered that loving God more isn't about trying harder; it's about drawing nearer.

The solution isn't found in a religious formula or a set of rules. It is found in a spiritual relationship with the biblical Jesus. He is the author and finisher of our faith, and He is the one who perfects love within us. We’re going to look at how to simplify the complex, how to hide the Word in our hearts, and how to orchestrate our lives so that Jesus isn't just a part of our day, but the very center of it. If you're ready to dig deeper and go higher, let’s explore how we can truly grow in our love for the Father.

When I encounter a difficult spiritual question, I often think back to my high school math days. I remember sitting at a desk, looking at a problem with these massive numbers and complicated decimal points. It was overwhelming until I realized a secret: if I reduced the numbers—if I made the problem smaller in my mind—I could see the relationships between the numbers. Once I understood the relationship, I could solve the big problem. I believe we can do the same with God. Since we are made in His image, we can look at our human relationships to understand our spiritual one. How do you love a spouse more? How do you love a child or a friend more? You spend time with them. You learn what they like and what they hate. You share your heart with them.

One of the first responses I got on social media was from Jean, who suggested that maybe one cannot love God more. While I understand the sentiment that God's love for us is infinite and unchanging, our experience and expression of love for Him can certainly grow. Think about your life "BC"—Before Christ. You didn't know Him. You didn't love Him because there was no relationship. As you began to spend time in His presence, as He began to bail you out of difficult circumstances and give you strength, your love grew.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

That strength creates a bond of gratitude, and that gratitude is the fuel for love.

Billy Taylor mentioned that we should read the Bible as much as possible because faith comes by hearing the Word. Recently, I was talking with Stephen Barrett from Holy Fire Japan on Voxer, and he reminded me of something crucial: Jesus is not just the destination; He is the Way.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6 KJV).

People often confuse the Bible with the destination, but the Bible is the map that reveals the Person. When we read the scriptures, we aren't just gaining intellectual knowledge; we are learning the nature and character of our King. We learn His authority structure, His calendar, and the things that move His heart. If you aren't reading about Him, you are essentially walking away from Him. You can't love someone you refuse to get to know.

Another brother, Todd, pointed us to 1 John, which says that whoso keepeth His word, in him is the love of God perfected. This is about more than just "following rules." It’s about hiding the Word in our hearts so we don't sin against Him. But why do we want to avoid sin? If it’s just because we’re afraid of hell, that’s not love; that’s self-preservation. Love says, "I don't want to sin because I don't want to hurt the one I love. I don't want His name to be blasphemed because of my actions." When we value our relationship with Jesus more than our own fleshly desires, our love is being perfected. We are saying that He is worth more than the temporary pleasure of sin.

There is also the power of the testimony. Billy Goodapp suggested that we love God more by remembering what He has done for us. To "remember" literally means to bring back to the "member"—to put it back together in our minds. When I share my testimony of how the Lord delivered me from drugs and alcohol, it reignites that fire of gratitude. I’ve written about this extensively in my books like OPEN YOUR EYES and Overcoming Night Terror. When you realize that you were once taken captive by the devil at his will, and now you are free, you can't help but love the Deliverer. Gratitude is the shortcut to love.

We also have to talk about obedience. A lot of people say "just obey," but I want to offer a different perspective. You can obey a drill sergeant or a boss out of fear or duty without loving them at all. Jesus said:

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24 KJV).

True obedience must flow from the heart. God searches and tries the "reins" of our heart. He wants a relationship, not just a set of performed actions. If our obedience isn't fueled by love, it's just religious theater.

Finally, we love God more by loving His people. Janelle pointed out that what we do to the least of the brethren, we do unto Jesus.

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" (1 John 4:20 KJV).

I think about Saul on the road to Damascus. He was "using the Bible" to persecute Christians, thinking he was doing God a favor. But Jesus asked him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Every time we use the "sword of the spirit" to slash at our brothers and sisters instead of the devil, we are attacking Jesus. To love the Head, you must love the Body.

Personal Reflections

I remember one particular time when I decided to take my seeking to another level. I went into the wilderness to fast and pray. I didn't bring any food—I knew my flesh would win if I had a snack in my pocket—so I just took water. The heat was pressing in, and the silence was deafening. My stomach was growling, a persistent, gnawing reminder of my physical nature. It was a battle. I was trying to "crucify the flesh," but in that weakness, something supernatural began to happen.

As I walked through the brush, scriptures didn't just come to my mind; they popped into my spirit like bubbles rising to the surface of a spring. I realized that the more I prioritized Him—the more I orchestrated my day to be alone with Him—the more the "god-shaped hole" was being filled with His actual presence. I learned that God gives good gifts to those who ask.

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13 KJV).

I look at someone like Brother Yun, the "Heavenly Man." This man went to prison for his faith, was beaten, and fasted for over 70 days without food or water. Why would someone do that? It's not because they have a high pain tolerance; it's because they are so deeply in love with Jesus that nothing else matters. I'll be the first to tell you, I'm nowhere near where I need to be. I am still a student in the school of love. But I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, and I’ve become "addicted" to the ministry and to seeking His face.

The lesson Jesus corrected me on was the "time limit" issue. I used to think I could give God thirty minutes in the morning and call it a day. But as Stephen Barrett once asked me, "What if you told your spouse you only had thirty minutes for them?" That would be a relationship based on my own priority, not love. Now, I try to allow Him to orchestrate my entire day. Whether I'm at the beach, in the wilderness, or sitting at my computer, I want to be in constant communication with the Spirit of Truth.

Biblical References

The scriptures are not just ink on a page; they are the revelation of the Heart of God. Throughout the Bible, we see a consistent theme: love is synonymous with knowing and abiding.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6 KJV).

To love the Father, we must go through the Son. In Hebrews, we are told to look unto:

"Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2 KJV).

He is the one who starts the fire of love in us, and He is the one who will bring it to completion. If you feel like your love is weak, ask the Author to write a new chapter of passion in your heart.

We also see the necessity of the Word in 1 John:

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him" (1 John 2:5 KJV).

Keeping His word isn't just about memorization; it's about "guarding" it like a precious treasure. When you treasure someone’s words, you treasure them.

The story of the woman washing Jesus' feet with her tears in Luke 7 is perhaps the greatest practical example of loving God more. The Pharisee looked on with judgment, but Jesus said:

"Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little" (Luke 7:47 KJV).

When we truly grasp the depth of the hell He saved us from, we will be willing to "look stupid" for Jesus. We will weep at His feet because we know the magnitude of His mercy.

Finally, we must remember that our love for God is reflected in our treatment of others.

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40 KJV).

If you want to love the invisible God more, start by showing tangible love to the people He died for.

Key Takeaways

• Simplify the Problem: View your relationship with God through the lens of family and friendship to understand the dynamics of love and time.
• Priority Over Policy: Don't put a time limit on God. Let Him orchestrate your day rather than squeezing Him into a slot.
• Gratitude is Fuel: Regularly revisit your testimony. Remembering where He brought you from naturally increases your love for Him.
• Love the Body to Love the Head: You cannot claim to love Jesus while persecuting or hating your brothers and sisters in Christ.
• The Word as a Map: Read the Bible to discover God's character and nature, not just to check off a box.
• Forgiveness and Passion: The more you realize how much you’ve been forgiven, the more capacity you have to love Him deeply.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Loving God more isn't a destination you reach; it's a journey you walk every single day. It’s a pursuit of the "spiritual Jesus" who is alive and active right now. Don't settle for a cold, intellectual religion. Dig deeper into His Word and go higher in your personal encounters with Him.

If this message has touched your heart, I invite you to join our community. Share this post with your friends and family on social media—you never know who needs a spark to reignite their first love. Visit ConradRocks.net for more podcasts, blog posts, and resources. You can also find my books, OPEN YOUR EYES MY SUPERNATURAL JOURNEY and Overcoming Night Terror, which dive much deeper into these supernatural realities.

I’d love to hear from you! How do you cultivate your love for the Lord? Leave a comment below or join our Voxer Christian chat to keep the conversation going. Until we meet again, keep seeking, keep knocking, and keep loving.

Action Items

• Identify Your "Time Limits": Practice "The Presence of God" by talking to Him throughout your entire day.
• Write Down Your Testimony: Spend 20 minutes writing out the major things God has delivered you from.
• Targeted Bible Reading: Read specifically to find one thing God "likes" and one thing He "dislikes" in a passage.
• Bless a "Least of These": Intentionally do something kind for a fellow believer this week.
• Schedule a "Wilderness" Walk: Find a place away from distractions to tell the Lord you love Him and to listen.

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