There is a word I want to plant into your spirit today. That word is PRESENCE.
Here are some of my notes.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17 NET)
The word “present” is to specify that the presence of the Lord’s Spirit is emphasized rather than the mere existence of the Lord’s Spirit.
Whenever and Wherever God finds a PEOPLE HUNGRY For HIM, to KNOW Him, to WORSHIP Him, to Live Holy before Him He wants to MANIFEST HIMSELF to them through HIS MANIFESTED PRESENCE.
Psalm 116:11 ESV, You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
God created Earth to have a people and a dwelling place on earth as he has in heaven. God wants to be present with us.
“They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." (Genesis 3:8, ESV)
God wanted to be present with Adam and Eve, but they hid themselves because of sin.
Moses shows us the need for the Presence of God if we are to fulfill God's purpose in our lives.
Exodus 33:14-15, He (God) said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
All through the wildness the Ark of God which contained the presence of God was placed at the very center of the camp. All Israel camped around the Ark of the Covenant.
Later in Solomon's Temple, the Ark was placed in the Holy Place.
Now, We are the Temples of God. We are God's dwelling place on earth.
1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16 Amplified Bible: “Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole Church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you—to be at home in you [collectively as a church and also individually]?”
The whole Church at Corinth was God’s temple, God’s sanctuary.
We are the people who Host the Presence of God.
David is a good example of a person who hosted God's Presence.
1. WE HOST HIS PRESENCE WHEN WE WANT HIS PRESENCE.
1 Chronicles 13:3 NLT, “It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.”
2. WE HOST HIS PRESENCE THROUGH TRUE WORSHIP
Romans 12:1 ESV, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
3. WE HOST HIS PRESENCE WHEN WE PRAY FOR HIS PRESENCE.
Acts 4:29-31 NKJV, Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
They were a spiritual house made up of the body of believers. The Holy Spirit filled that “house.” They were all filled. What happened? The place was shaken,
Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord,
God wants to be FOUND by YOU today! He wants to be PRESENT with you now and forever. He wants to walk with you and show you the path of life.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
I challenge you to be a Host of His Presence.
Larry & Janet Neville
Email: Larry@praisechapel.com
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