Theme: Thy Presence
Text: psalms 24:3-4, Job 22:25-26
Remember this year has been declare by the Lord as a year of surprises and it will come as a coin with two side. For the sons of God it will be an open doors of pleasant surprises while to the wicked a surprise of shame, nakedness, total disgrace and permanent destruction. But I pray for you throughout this year the grace to please the Lord will be release to you and you shall access your open doors with great joy in Jesus Name. Prov 16:7..
Let take a look at our phrase " YOU CAN KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND EXPECT A DIFFERENT RESULT" IGNORANCE" And how does it relates to our theme "THY PRESENCE" and that of the instruction of Job in Job 22:25-26..
In that scripture Job pointed that the Almighty God shall be our defence..God can never defend a man out of His presence..and if He is going to be our defence then we must delight in Him, Ps 37:23..
It Is Always A Great Experience To Be In God’s Presence, Because The Fullness Of Joy And Everlasting Pleasures Reside There. Psalm 16:11b Says:
“…In Thy Presence Is Fulness Of Joy; At Thy Right Hand There Are Pleasures For Evermore.”
However, The State Of Our Lives Determines What We Derive From God’s Presence. According To Psalm 68:2-3, While The Righteous Receive Joy In God’s Presence, The Enemies Of God Or Those With Wicked Schemes Will Melt Like Wax Before The Fire Of His Presence.
The presence of God is the most save place on earth. Guarantee of this safety is describe in Proverb 18:10, which says the name of Jesus is a strong towel, the righteous runs into it and are save. Let this sink into your subconcious not only in the church is where the presence of God is but everywhere and in everything you do, if you acknowledge Him hearfeltly in humility of mind, His presence envelope and engulve you. May the good Lord begin to find you worthy of His presence this very year in Jesus Name. Like Ps 16:11 states it..
Joy and pleasures are virtues which can not be found anywhere except in His presence. Some might argue about pleasure, trust me the pleasures of this worldly living can never be compare to the pleasure of God.
With This Knowledge Of The Potency Of God’s Presence, Every Child Of God Should Desire At All Times To Be In His Presence. Nevertheless, You Don’t Enter The Presence Of A King Just Anyhow; There Are Certain Protocols You Must Follow. How Much More, When Entering The Presence Of The King Of Kings? How Then Do We Enter God’s Presence? We enter by the following:
Thanksgiving and praise. We should always in gratitude of who our God is and what He has done and is capable of doing enter and acknowledge His presence. Ps 100:4
Many enter the presence of God day in day out without any benefits to show because they were nonchallant and carry away by activities. Let use Lk 10:38-42 as a template to explain the mistake of so many believers and why they have'nt enjoy the fullness of God's presence. It was a Visit of the Lord Jesus to the house of these two beautiful ladies, Mary Marthalyne and Mary. Quite surprisingly these two ladies was previliege to have the master coming into their dwelling. However, there is one thing to come into His presence and another to have Him come to your abode. A wise man said, praises and worship enable you access to His presence while worship bring you to His feet thus creating much intimacy. I pray you will not only benefits from just enetering into His presence but He shall share and unfold deep secrets that will lead to your fulfillment this year in Jesus Name. Marthalyne chose to do something good, hospitality, which the Lord admire but when she was provoke and annoy with Mary saying why Mary left her alone to do the hospitality and has gone to sit at Jesus' feet, then Christ responded to Martha, O martha you are carry away with so many things..though it is good but Mary has chosen the right thing and it can not be taken from her. The truth is this probably she might not have such glorious opportunity of intimacy with the Lord again. This is the lesson for us believers have to take to full consideration this year. You may be doing the good, easy and acceptable thing in the church or His presence but ask yourself am I doing what is right and require from the master Jesus. I pray the Lord open up our eyes this season to do what is right in His presence in Jesus Name. From that teaching it is obvious and clear that though many go to the presence of the Lord but they are doing the good thing instead of the right thing like Martha. They are carry away by activities and hence they lack the intimacy which has the ability to catapote their destiny, destroy all the wrongs and unfold to them the works of the enemy. Take for example, some will tell you I only go to the church for the worship and I am not too interesting in the rest of the service, while some during the time of the message/sermon will be doing selfie and taking the pastor or the choruster pictures which is good but not the right reason you are into His presence. I am praying for a reader of this message, that the Lord will enable you to do the right thing this year in His presence in Jesus Name. Like i told you before intimacy unfold a lot secret to the one involve. I pray for you throughout this year you will reignite your passion and be focus in His presence in Jesus Name.
Let me share a testimony to you. A service was going on, and a man of short stature was present in that service and upon hearing the word of God, he was eager and highly expectant to be able to see the preacher. But He was deny because of his height and he tried to manuer his way among the crowd but no chance, then where he was he cried in His heart, God if you can just make me taller to see this preacher, I would be grateful. Immediately the spirit of the Lord spoke to the preacher saying there is a man in the crowd that wants to be able to see you. And God told the preacher to say what you have asked recieve now. So the man of God spoke the word of knowledge as God told him and said there's a man in the crowd that said he want to grow taller, recieve as you have requested, instantly that man trouser got shorter and he increase in height and was able to see the man of God preaching. The next day, the wife of the man that got taller took her husband to the pastor and said pastor all my husband trouser has gotten shorter for him, it was never like this before. Then the man of God remember and they all begin to thank God. I am praying for someone today as the Lord live as you prioritise the present of the Lord expectantly this year, that word that will change your story to glory the Lord will release to you in Jesus Name. Never underestimate the power that is visible and capable of turning your mess into a glorious message in the presence of God. You can draw from that wonders of His presence when you are expectant and so passionate about Him this year. Dont be decieved it is acceptable by the world to be passionate about other things than the presence of the Lord. This year let them know you as a fanatic if that's how they going to describe you for your zest for His presence. Remember David dance that he was noted by the wife, (Saul's daughter) to be a fool, however the fool she taught she was mocking became her own problem, she end up dying a barren lady. I pray for you as you priroritise His presence this year, any power or human that mock you will have God to face in Jesus Name.
Let see practical ways we can benefit more from His presence as regarding our text in Psalms 24:3-4
We must always enter His presence with:
1. Clean hands..Deut 23:19, , Dont cheat or exploit your neighbor neither the poor in your dealings. (1kings 21:16)..Dont be coveteous to the extent of hurting others to please your evil desires.
2. Pure heart...(prov 23:7, James 4:3) What are your motives and intent when entering in His presence, remember you can decieve man but not God, therefore watch your motives.
In conclusion, those that value the presence of God this year, will have God working greater works on their behalf. If you aren't a child of God, remember you are an enemy, and His fire is out to destroy. Pls accept His Lordship now. 2cor 6:2
PRAYER
Father, Cleanse My Heart And My Hands With The Blood Of Jesus, As I Access Your Presence Today To Partake Of The Pleasures At Your Right Hand.