Cultivating Spiritual Intimacy, Part 1

Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram Daily Podcast

Living on the Edge

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2026

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It’s hard to believe there are couples who’ve been married for thirty, forty, or even fifty years. So, what’s their secret? In this program, Chip shares a vital message in his ongoing teaching. He begins unpacking four biblical skills all great marriages have in common. Discover how you can improve your relationship today!

How do you develop spiritual intimacy?

I. Spiritual intimacy with Christ is cultivated by actively believing two things:

Whose you are: Chosen -Col. 1:13-22
Who you’ve become: Holy and loved -Col. 2:9-15

II. Spiritual intimacy with your mate is cultivated by recognizing the supremacy Christ’s role and relationship in your marriage. -Col. 1:15-18

III. The benefits of spiritual intimacy*

Allows you to CONNECT at the deepest level.
Links you with God’s PURPOSES and PLANS for you.
Allows you to BLESS each other with God’s love.
Brings your deepest values and desires into agreement.
Opens the door to the deepest levels of COMMUNICATION.
Empowers your marriage to SURVIVE.
Connects you to a SUPPORTIVE body of fellow believers.

*Divorce Proof Your Marriage by Gary and Barbara Rosberg, pgs. 254-256.

IV. How to develop your personal spiritual intimacy**

ASK God for it. -Col. 1:1-9
BEWARE of counterfeits. -Col. 2:8-10
GUARD your thought life. -Col. 3:1-4
KILL spiritual competitors. -Col. 3:5-7
SATURATE your life in God’s Word. -Col. 3:16

**Marriage that Works by Chip Ingram, specific help and practical steps for men and women; chapter 9 for men and chapter 11 for women.

V. Removing barriers and building bridges for spiritual intimacy

There is no one right way to develop spiritual intimacy
Pray together
Worship together
Share what you’re learning

Broadcast Resource

Additional Resource Mentions

I Choose Love Book
"Divorce Proof Your Marriage" Book by Gary and Barbara Rosberg

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.
0:14.5	You know, it's hard to believe that there are couples out there that have been married 30, 40, 50 years, and it's super inspiring. And yet in our day,
0:24.3	you have to scratch your head and say, what did they know? What did they do that kept their love
0:30.5	alive? It's so easy to drift. If you would like to know the secret that they have, then stay with me.
0:40.3	Sometimes keeping love alive feels impossible.
0:43.3	Crisis hits, plans get canceled, but hard times don't mean something's wrong with your marriage.
0:48.3	They mean you need specific skills to thrive.
0:52.3	Today on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram begins a powerful teaching
0:55.8	on four essential skills every couple needs, and it all starts with spiritual intimacy. Before you
1:02.4	can love your spouse well, you must first grasp who you've become in Christ. You can't give
1:07.8	away what you don't possess. As Chip unpacks this truth, you'll discover why drawing near to God is the secret to drawing
1:14.6	near to each other.
1:16.6	Well, here's Chip Ingram with today's message, cultivating spiritual intimacy.
1:21.6	Sometimes it's harder to keep love alive than others.
1:30.0	Sometimes you cope in a crisis.
1:31.0	I don't know about you.
1:32.6	I mean, I have been married 42 years.
1:34.5	This was one of the hardest years of my marriage.
1:37.1	You know, we had a number of things planned.
1:38.2	They all got canceled.
1:42.0	We had certain rhythms where we went and did certain things.
1:43.0	They were all canceled.
	...

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