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The Presence of the Lord – II

Posted on 08 Mar 2021, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: The Presence of the Lord – II

Text: Ps. 16:11

[Psa 16:11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Introduction

The presence of the Lord makes all the difference in the life of a believer.
Unfortunately, many believers do not know what the presence of the Lord is.

Main Topic

What happens in His presence? There is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore.

In His presence, there is healing
In His presence, there is deliverance
In His presence, there is protection
In His presence, sorrow turns to joy
In His presence, you hear the inaudible, the plans of the enemy are revealed
In His presence, you see the invisible

How to get to His presence

The presence of the Lord can be likened to the design of the old testament tabernacle and the three realms of prayer.

The tabernacle consists of the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies – Ex. 26

[Mat 7:7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

[Mat 7:8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Outer court – Asking realm – for everyone

[Exo 27:9] And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
The outer court is where all the sacrifices are made
This is the realm where we ask for forgiveness of sins. Where sin is dealt with
Where we meet salvation.
The place of the cross – where the ultimate sacrifice was made
Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice in the outer court
This is where baptism by immersion takes place
For everyone. Believers and unbelievers operate in the outer court. Some come to get clean, while others are there to hang out with their sins
Believers that are not broken (carnal) stay in the outer court – 1 Cor. 3:1-3
- [1Co 3:1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [1Co 3:2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. [1Co 3:3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Many of us get here and stop. It is not a place to dwell in. It’s a place that prepares us for the Holy place
Demons can operate in the outer court
Distractions can be in the outer court
Gossips happen in the outer court
Some people are here because of what they can get from God or from God’s people
As a believer, we must not stay here. We must go deeper to the Holy place
[Heb 5:14] But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Tuesday and Friday services are for those ready for the strong meat

The Holy Place – seeking realm – for he that seeketh

[Exo 26:33] And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
You seek Jesus with all that you have and all that you are
This is the realm of true worship
- [Joh 4:24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
[Psa 42:1] As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
[Deu 4:29] But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
[Act 17:27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
[Jer 29:13] And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
For those that purposely seek the Lord and are not satisfied until they find Him
For those that love the Lord with all their heart and soul
When you are thirsting and hungry for God, you will look for Him as if He is lost
If God is indeed precious to you, you will search for Him with everything that is within you, and you will not be satisfied until you find Him
- This is when you are drawn to read the Bible from the beginning to the end
- This is when you know you need to pray, not because of what you want or need, but because you want to get close to God
- This is when you fast just to get close to God
- This is when you come close to other believers that are equally hungry for God
Ministers and worship leaders ought to operate in this realm
- You can’t take others to a place that you have not been
- All that matters in this realm is the presence of God
- Not for you to be seen, but for God to be seen
Paul and Silas were in this realm in Acts 16:16-24
- They were in prison, yet they sought the presence of God
- They did not pray to be released from prison
- When the presence of God came, it was not to break them out, it was to break in
  - [Psa 24:7] Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. [Psa 24:8] Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. [Psa 24:9] Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. [Psa 24:10] Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Matured believers, this is where you belong.
No demon can enter the Holy Place
On your way in and out, you will go through the outer court, but know that it is not your dwelling place

Holy of Holies – the bedroom of the Lord – knocking realm – for him that knocketh

The Holy of Holies – Heb 9:1-7
- [Heb 9:1] Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. [Heb 9:2] For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. [Heb 9:3] And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; [Heb 9:4] Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; [Heb 9:5] And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. [Heb 9:6] Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. [Heb 9:7] But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
The priest can only enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the day of atonement
If the priest is not clean, they will have to drag his dead body out
One can only enter by invitation
[Mat 27:51] And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
One can only enter into the Holy of Holies by the precious blood of Jesus
You can’t come in/out as you please.
It is a most precious place that one may enter once in a lifetime.
In this realm, there is no asking, there is no seeking. You just soak in the presence of the Lord
It is impossible to enter the presence of the Lord being dirty
You can’t get to the Holy of Holies until you have gone through the Outer court and the Holy Place
Don’t stop until you are invited into the Holy of Holies.

Conclusion

[Psa 16:11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Sermon

The Presence of the Lord – II