Soaking In God’s Presence.
John 14:12-14NKJV
To soak means, to make or allow something to become thoroughly wet by immersing it in liquid. To be saturated.
“The early disciples of Jesus Christ needed to be thoroughly saturated by the Holy Spirit.’ ‘We too need be stay wet through immersion of the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit of God desires to live big in you!” P.H
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
First of all, Someone who follows Jesus and His eternal word will believe right. A true disciple of Jesus lives everyday with the proper motives. In return, they become a humble servant—They can be trusted!
From the very beginning of time there were many trees in the Garden of Eden. However, two were talked about by God, the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and the Tree of Life. Think about this, there will aways be at least two choices you can make throughout life.
Flesh or Spirit—Galatains 5:17-18NKJV For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Here’s the sad fact—When we refuse to soak in God’s presence for direction and vision, we make the Spirit lust for our attention.
A boy in Pakistan was flying his kite very high, so high it could not be seen. A man asked him, “How do you know your kite is up there?” The boy replied, “I feel a tug on my string and I know the kite is still there.”
Do you still have that tug on your heart?
Listen to the god of deception, it’s found in Isaiah 14:12-14NKJV “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
I will wasn’t the problem or the sin, No. Every person has the opportunity to say, “I will be seated in heavenly places, I will align myself and stay under submission to King Jesus.’
‘I will sit and submit to Jesus in my local church.’ ‘I will ascend and go be with my Lord and Savior one day.’
The ultimate statement for you to make—I will be like Him. I will be fruitful, I will multiply!
Jesus specially said in Matthew 7:15-16NKJV 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?
Remember Jesus said, “We’re known by our gifts.
No, He said, “We’re known by our fruit.”
Now listen to, Matthew 7:17-20NKJV Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Key point—The body of Jesus Christ should aways stay aware that the best-way might not be God’s way. P.H
What should we do? We should soak in His presence for His ways, and His direction.
Let’s soak for a moment.
Genesis 2:9NKJV Gives us insight on the two choices. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:16-17NKJV And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
God’s given Mankind a free will to choose. Adam and Eve partook of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, and they both died spiritually. However, sadly, they grew in human wit. Human creativity, along with every person receiving their own psychological profile through their genealogy, and their past experiences.
Here’s the sad fact, Mankind has never fully recovered because of this particular tree.
Again, according to Genesis—The Tree of Knowledge of good and evil is all about human ingenuity. Getting it done; Human strength and IQ mean everything.
“The tree of knowledge of good and evil is doing things the human way. It might be a good way, but it’s never the best way.” P.H
God’s perfect plan for mankind was spoiled. Therefore, to protect Adam and Eve, God drove them out of the Garden of Eden to save them from partaking of the Tree of Life and living forever damed. Driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden was God’s grace in action.
Therefore the Tree of Life would have to wait, and come through its only means—That means was through God’s only Son—Jesus!
Following Jesus means ‘one’ continues to partake of the Tree of Life. Again, The Tree of Life is Jesus. According to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Jesus became the second Adam.
Again, From today’s text John 14:12-14, Jesus isn’t mixing words, He says, “If you ask for anything in My name I will do it and my Father will be glorified!”
Jesus goes farther with this teaching in Matthew 18:18-20NKJV “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Asking in Jesus’ name causes a soaking, a saturation. Therefore, A continual saturation makes the Tree of Life grow and blossom within its recipient.
The Tree of Life causes manifestations to come forth. The anointing that God offers destroys every yoke!
Isaiah 10:27KJV And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
It’s the anointing that fixes what is broken, the anointing destroys every yoke! This anointing is sent by God to undo what is wrong.
Acts 10:38KJV How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
The Tree of Life—The Water of Life, Fountains of Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Gift of God, and the Manna sent from heaven, were all manifested to be spiritual food and water for all of mankind.
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to saturate and flood- out everything that is evil, or second best.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33KJV But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Remember according to God’s eternal word, God’s Kingdom is righteousness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit.
In other words—God’s Kingdom produces a soaking and even saturation.
Come to Jesus, allow yourself to soak in His presence.
Psalm 37:4NKJV Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Charles Spurgeon, ”The best evidence of God’s presence is the Devil’s growl."
This is an invitation from the Lord to come and soak in His presence. Delighting in the Lord.
Benediction.
