Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
I believe stirring within the body of Christ today is a hunger for the presence of God at a level as never before. Many within the church have grown tired of a religion that is nothing more than performance based. Many are tired of hearing of life but never experiencing the abundant life that the Word of God promises us can be ours. If you are finding yourself seemingly sitting on the sidelines feeling more like a spectator and not a participator in what God is doing today…then I pray the effect of this word today will stir within in you a desire to pursue the more that God has for you.
I. The Process: As with all things that come from God there are directions that the Word of God
gives us that will bring to light the process that must be adhered to to receive what God has for us.
To experience His presence we must experience….
a. A time of thanksgiving and praise, Ps. 100:4.
b. A time for the penitent to deal with his/her sins in a time of repentance.
c. Sanctification and separation. I Th. 4:7; Heb. 12:14
d. Prayer, Ps. 141:2
e. A time of Godly sorrow over the condition of, not only fallen man, but also the condition of the hearts of many within the body of Christ who have willingly laid aside a life of repentance, praise, holiness, and prayer for the temporal joys of the carnal life. I Sam. 7:2
I believe that once our hunger for God supersedes our hunger for self we will willingly accept and accomplish these demands of God. This will be done with a heart of gratitude for His grace that has put our past of sins and failures behind us. Because of this we can now, with His blessings, step forward into all that He has to offer. Are you ready?
We stand in a unique position, a position of choice if you please. We can keep “Holding On To What Was” or “Step Into What Is”. It is our individual choice and no one can make it for us.
II. Holding On To What Was: The inability to release what was and step into what is offered has caused many in the Kingdom to miss out on what God has offered.
Note two places in the Word that adds needed gravity to this time of decision. Matt. 23:37-39 ” O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. ”
Lk. 19:44 ” And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. “
Israel refusal to except their spiritual need and weakness caused them to miss the greatest opportunity ever accorded man.
There are, no doubt, many here today who stand on the side of tradition. You can’t accept change. You’ve become comfortable as you are for so long until you have accepted that this is the way it should be. The church world as a whole is infected with this disease.
It is man made and man orchestrated traditions that keep us bound in denominational warfare, church splits, divisive clicks, and fussing and fighting over isms and schisms that doesn’t even warrant the time of God when He is called on for help. “ OH HOW THE DEVIL MUST LAUGH AT THE CHURCH WHO PREACHES LOVE AND YET CAN’T LOVE ONE ANOTHER ENOUGH TO GET ALONG. ”
This very spirit is what caused Israel to miss the greatest visitation of their history. Look around
you friend. If there are more people lost in your family than found; more people bound that free;
most people sick than well……something isn’t working. And God isn’t broke!!!
III. Stepping Into What Is: For a brief moment note Isa. 43:19-21, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.”
a. A new thing is here…are you ready for it?
b. It will spring forth…a suddenly will happen.
c. There are many within the church that will not even know it is happening for has happened.
Why? Many are so busy going through the motions of ‘having church’ until they have forgotten
the need of ‘being the church’.
d. He will make a way in your wilderness…and rivers in your dry places. This the God who
established the laws of nature over-riding those natural laws with a super-natural manifestation
for His power.
e. Why? #1. That those who He has formed for Himself will show forth His praise. #2. Because
He cares…He cares about where we are and what we are going through and is willing to do
whatever it takes to alter our situation for our good.
A Reminder: “In His presence is fullness of joy!” Are you hungry for joy…happiness…peace…if so step through veil entry into what He offers.