                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                     The Power of the Lord's Presence!

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By David Wilkerson
December 7, 1998
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          This message is all about the almighty power of God's
          presence - and how we can lay hold of that power!
          Scripture provides endless examples of how the presence
          of God empowers his children to live for him. And one
          of the most powerful of these is found in the life of
          Moses.

          Moses was convinced that without God's presence in his
          life, it was useless for him to attempt anything. When
          he spoke face to face with the Lord, he said, "...If
          thy presence go not with me, carry us up not hence"
          (Exodus 33:15). He was saying, "Lord, if your presence
          is not with me, then I'm not going anywhere. I won't
          take a single step unless I'm assured you're with me!"

          Moses knew it was God's presence in Israel that set the
          people apart from all other nations. And the same is
          true of the church of Jesus Christ today. The only
          thing that sets us apart from nonbelievers is God's
          being "with us" - leading us, guiding us, working his
          will in and through us.

          Moses didn't care how other nations received their
          guidance, formed their strategies, ran their
          governments or directed their armies. He said, "We
          operate on one principle alone. The only way for us to
          be guided or governed, to make war and survive in this
          wasteland, is to have the presence of God with us!

          "When the Lord's presence is in our midst, no one can
          harm us. But without him, we're helpless, reduced to
          nothing. Let all the nations of this world trust in
          their mighty armies, their iron chariots, their skilled
          soldiers, their new weapons. We will trust in the
          manifest presence of our God!"

          Here is how God answered Moses' bold statement: "...My
          presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest"
          (verse 14). What an incredible promise! The Hebrew word
          for "rest" here is "a comfortable, quiet rest." God was
          saying, "No matter what enemies or trials you face,
          you'll always be able to find a quiet rest in me!"

          Think about this: If a church has the manifest presence
          of God in its midst, there won't be any hustle or
          bustle, sweating or striving. The worship meetings
          won't be hurried along, with three songs, an offering
          and a short sermon. Instead, there will be a calming
          peace, a quiet rest - and everyone who walks through
          the doors will sense it!

          Of course, this doesn't mean a church can't experience
          loud praises or exuberant worship. On the contrary, I
          believe those things are often the result of a people
          at rest. A church body that has God's presence in its
          midst will live, move and worship with a quiet
          confidence in the Lord at all times.

          The same is true for every individual Christian. If you
          have Jesus' presence in your life, you will experience
          God's divine order. You'll have a peace and a calm,
          with no fretting or anxiety, no running to and fro to
          seek guidance, no sense that the bottom is falling out.
          You'll live at rest, knowing God has everything under
          control!

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                        The Old Testament Is Filled
                  With Accounts of the Wonderful Blessings
                             That Came to Those
                  Who Had the Presence of God With Them.

                      -------------------------------

          Consider these Old Testament examples of the blessing
          that God's presence brought to the lives of his
          followers:

             * God's presence was so evident in Abraham's life,
               even the heathen around him recognized the
               difference between their lives and his:
               "...Abimelech...spake unto Abraham, saying, God is
               with thee in all that thou doest" (Genesis 21:22).
               This heathen king was saying, "Abraham, there's
               something different about you. God guides you,
               preserves you and blesses you wherever you go!"

             * God promised Joshua that no enemy could stand
               against him when God's presence was with him:
               "There shall not any man be able to stand before
               thee all the days of thy life: as I was with
               Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail
               thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of good
               courage..." (Joshua 1:5-6). When God's Spirit is
               present with us, we can be strong and courageous -
               because no enemy can harm us!

             * God told Gideon. "...The Lord is with thee, thou
               mighty man of valour...Go in this thy might, and
               thou shalt save Israel..." (Judges 6:12,14). The
               phrase "thy might" in this verse refers to the
               previous verse - that "the Lord is with thee." Do
               you see what God is saying? "Gideon, there is a
               might in you that's so powerful, it can save
               Israel. And that might is my presence!" Scripture
               reveals Gideon to be a coward - so, why did God
               call him a "mighty man of valor"? It was because
               he wanted to prove to Gideon what any person can
               do when the Lord's presence is with him!

             * God warned Jeremiah that the whole nation would
               turn against him and reject his prophecies. Yet
               God promised, "...they shall fight against thee,
               but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am
               with thee to save thee and to deliver thee..."
               (Jeremiah 15:20). God was saying, "It doesn't
               matter if the whole country turns against you,
               Jeremiah. All that matters is that my presence is
               with you. Be confident I'm with you!"

             * God told Isaiah of a special promise he makes to
               those he loves: "Fear not: for I have redeemed
               thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art
               mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will
               be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall
               not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
               fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the
               flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy
               God...and I have loved thee...Fear not: for I am
               with thee..." (Isaiah 43:15). God was saying,
               "With my presence abiding with you, you can go
               through any flood or fire and survive. Yet you
               won't merely survive. You'll be blessed and
               favored through it all, because my presence is
               with you!"

          These Old Testament passages aren't just dead-letter
          stories. They're meant to encourage and exhort us to
          seek God's presence in our lives. We can thank God for
          what his presence did for Abraham, Joshua, Gideon,
          Jeremiah and all of Israel. Yet each of us has a
          powerful testimony of what God's presence has done for
          us - guiding our lives, opening doors, moving
          obstacles, melting hearts, making us fearless.

          I have seen this proven true in my life. You may say,
          "You're just boasting!" No - the fact is, God's
          presence has been with me in spite of myself!

          When we started Times Square Church in New York City
          ten years ago, the presence of Christ emanated from us
          in all we did. I remember walking into a famous
          Broadway producer's office in search of a theater to
          use as a church. This man's secretaries and staff
          scoffed at me; their words and attitudes assured me, a
          lowly minister, I wouldn't be able to get an
          appointment. In fact, I thought I might even get kicked
          out. But then the producer came out of his office - and
          when he saw me, he invited me in!

          Over the next several weeks, the producer and I got to
          know each other. At times he would look across his desk
          at me and say, "I don't know why I'm spending so much
          time with you. My schedule is absolutely full." But
          whenever I walked into his office suite, his secretary
          pushed me past all other visitors, saying, "Go right
          in, Reverend - he's waiting for you!"

          Eventually, this man sold his flagship theater to us to
          use for Times Square Church. Even as he was signing the
          documents of sale, he said, "I don't know why I'm doing
          this!" It was only God's presence that moved him to
          sell that building to us. Just a few years after the
          deal was done, he and his attorneys were begging to buy
          it back!

          I saw God change other people's hearts as well. The man
          who owned the building next to ours refused to sell it
          to us as an annex. But over time he became a friend of
          mine, and eventually he sold us the building. All
          along, he kept telling me, "Somebody up there is
          working for you!"

          That is the power of the presence of God. And every
          Christian can testify in the same way: "God's presence
          with me has done great things!"

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                       There Is a Condition Attached
                         to Getting and Maintaining
                     the Presence of God in Our Lives.

                      -------------------------------

          God attaches a condition to his presence in our lives.
          This condition is found in 2 Chronicles 15. In the
          previous chapter, King Asa had led the armies of Judah
          to a great victory over Ethiopia's million-man army.
          Yet Asa testified it was God's presence that had
          scattered the enemy:

          "Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is
          nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with
          them that have no power: help us, 0 Lord, our God; for
          we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this
          multitude...So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before
          Asa..." (2 Chronicles 14:11-12).

          As Asa and his armies led the triumphant procession
          back to Jerusalem, a prophet named Azariah met them at
          the city gate with this message from God: "Hear ye me,
          Asa...The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and
          if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye
          forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season
          Israel hath been without the true God...But when they
          in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel,
          and sought him, he was found of them" (15:1-4).

          Here is the secret of getting and maintaining the
          presence of God in your life. The Lord reminded Asa,
          point blank, with no holds barred: "Asa, don't ever
          forget how you got this victory. You sought me with all
          your heart, turning wholly to me, when you were in
          trouble - and I sent my presence to you. It was my
          presence that put your enemies to chase!"

          Now Azariah was telling Asa, "Do you remember what the
          kingdom was like before you came to power? Everything
          was out of kilter, with no law, no guidance, no
          righteous teaching. Everyone was a law unto himself,
          doing his own thing!"

          This is an accurate picture of many Christian homes
          today. Everything is out of order, with no authority,
          peace or rest. Everyone does what he or she pleases.
          Many such families have become tragic, dysfunctional
          messes.

          Yet it doesn't have to be this way. No Christian home
          has to remain dysfunctional. God's promises are
          unchangeable, and his word pledges, "For the rest of
          your life - as long as you continue to seek me - I will
          be with you. Whenever you cry out to me, I will always
          be found of you!"

          This is not a complicated theology. Simply put, if both
          husband and wife - or merely either - are seeking the
          Lord, there is no need for their home to be troubled or
          "without law." Anyone can have the abiding presence of
          the Lord, if he or she will simply seek him for it.

          "...The Lord...will be found of you..." (15:2). The
          Hebrew word for "found" here is "matsa," meaning, "his
          presence coming forth to enable, to bless." In short,
          this verse tells us, "Seek the Lord with your whole
          heart, and he will come to you with his presence.
          Indeed, his presence will be an almighty power that
          emanates from your life!"

                      -------------------------------

                        According to the Scriptures,
                 Our Chief Concern Is to Keep Seeking God,
                      to Ensure His Presence With Us.

                      -------------------------------

          God makes his covenant of grace with every believer.
          This covenant is embodied in promises such as, "God has
          laid on Christ the iniquity of us all." "Jesus became a
          curse for us." "He will never leave us nor forsake us."

          Yet God also makes certain, special promises to those
          who determine to seek him with all their hearts. One
          such promise is a covenant of God's presence. However,
          this covenant is strictly conditional. Scripture makes
          it clear that if we abide by the rule of this covenant,
          we will enjoy the incredible blessing of God's presence
          in our lives. And this doesn't refer only to issues of
          salvation. It speaks of being such seekers after God
          that his awesome presence is poured out on us - and it
          is seen and known by all!

          God revealed this covenant of his presence through an
          unnamed prophet who delivered a message to Eli, the
          high priest of Israel. At the time, Eli was
          backslidden. The Lord had been speaking to him, warning
          him against allowing sin and compromise. But Eli had
          ignored all of God's words. And now, this unnamed
          prophet said to Eli, "...the Lord God of Israel saith,
          I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy
          father, should walk before me for ever: but now the
          Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me
          I will honour, and they that despise me shall be
          lightly esteemed" (I Samuel 2:30).

          The phrase "lightly esteemed" has to do with God
          lifting his presence. This doesn't mean a person is
          damned, but rather that he'll have to walk in the power
          of his own flesh. God was telling Eli, "I intended to
          bless your house, to favor you. But you've scorned me,
          becoming soft on sin and allowing your lusts to push me
          aside, Now I will take my presence from you!"

          Many people come to Christ with a great, initial burst
          of faith. Yet over time their zeal wears thin, and they
          begin to neglect the Lord. They lightly esteem his
          commands and turn back to their old, sinful ways. Yet
          they still believe God's presence remains with them. No
          - that is a hoax, a lie, a delusion! The Bible makes it
          clear: If you forsake him, he will forsake you!

          God's promises never fail. But some - like the covenant
          of his presence - are absolutely conditional. They
          require more than merely our cooperation. Of course,
          God will never abandon us or stop loving us. But if we
          remain in sin, his presence will not be with us - and
          our lives will no longer be an instrument of his
          powerful presence. We will live according to the flesh
          - striving, floundering, with no power or guidance!

                      -------------------------------

                    Only When God's Presence Is Upon Us
               Can We Behold, See and Understand His Glory.

                      -------------------------------

          When Israel was in the wilderness, God manifested his
          presence to them through a cloud. This cloud was a
          physical manifestation of God's pledge to be with his
          people. It came down and covered the tabernacle night
          and day. And it acted as their guide for every
          undertaking. When the cloud moved, they moved, and when
          it stayed, they stayed. The people didn't have to hold
          committee meetings to try to figure out their direction
          or future. They put their confidence in that visible
          cloud of God's presence.

          Today, that same cloud of his presence hovers over your
          secret closet of prayer. It waits every day to envelope
          you in its peace. It will lead you, empower you and
          give you peace. And it will give you detailed guidance
          for your home, work and relationships.

          Your secret closet can be anywhere - in the shower, on
          the bus to your job, during your commute to work. You
          can shut out everything else and say, "Lord, I've got
          half an hour right now. I love you, Jesus, and worship
          you. This is my closet time with you!"

          It's a wonderful thing to be shut in with God,
          developing a consistent prayer life. God promises that
          as you become a seeking, praying servant, his presence
          will break forth in your life - closing and opening
          doors and working his divine order all around you. Yet
          something even greater than this will happen: God's
          presence will lead you into a revelation of his glory!

          There is a difference between God's presence and his
          glory. Most Christians know his presence - his great
          works in their lives - but few know his glory. In
          Exodus, we're given a glimpse of this difference: "Then
          a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the
          glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exodus
          40:34).

          The apostle Paul writes that all believers' bodies are
          the tabernacle of God: "Know ye not that ye are the
          temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in
          you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Like the Israelites who
          lived under the cloud of God's presence, we're
          constantly under the covering of God's grace. Yet, what
          is the difference between beholding God's presence and
          beholding his glory?

                      -------------------------------

                            The Lord Gave Moses
                        a Revelation of His Glory.

                      -------------------------------

          Moses sought God for a continual manifestation of his
          presence: "...that I may know thee..." (Exodus
          33:13-14). And God answered him, "...My presence shall
          go with thee, and I will give thee rest" (verse 14).

          Moses' request would be quite enough for most
          believers. We all want the presence of God - leading
          us, guiding us, empowering us, blessing us. Really,
          what more could any believer desire? Yet having the
          assurance of God's presence wasn't enough for Moses. He
          knew there was more. And he cried out, "...I beseech
          thee, shew me thy glory" (verse 18).

          God did show Moses his glory. But it didn't appear in
          some luminous cloud or in an earthshaking demonstration
          of power. No, God expressed his glory in a simple
          revelation of his nature: "The Lord passed before him,
          and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and
          gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and
          truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity
          and transgression and sin..." (34:6-7). God's glory was
          a revelation of his goodness, mercy, love and
          compassion!

          I've heard many Christians say, "Oh, how the glory of
          God came down in our church last night! There was such
          incredible praise, and people were slain by the
          Spirit." But that isn't proof of a manifestation of
          God's glory. It has nothing to do with God beyond human
          emotions. It doesn't include a revelation of who he is!

          Some may argue, "But what about the disciples'
          experience on the Mount of Transfiguration? Wasn't that
          a manifestation of God's glory? There was an
          overpowering light and the miraculous appearance of
          Moses and Elijah."

          But God's glory wasn't in Moses or Elijah or in the
          spectacular light. Rather, his glory was in Jesus:
          "...his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was
          white as the light...behold a voice out of the cloud,
          which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
          pleased; hear ye him" (Matthew 17:2-6).

          God was saying, "Here is my glory personified - in
          Christ!" Indeed, Jesus is the fulfillment of all God
          said he was to Moses - gracious, merciful,
          longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping
          mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and
          transgression of sins. And now the Lord was saying,
          "Here's a living picture of my glory. It is all
          embodied in my son!"

          I've heard some Christians say, "If only the Lord would
          give me a vision of the horrors of hell, I would never
          forsake him. I'd live for Jesus every day!" No - that
          kind of vision never keeps anyone. Only a vision of who
          Jesus is - of his glory, grace and mercy - will keep us
          holy. I know a man who was near death and experienced
          just these kinds of hellish visions. Afterward, he
          swore he would dedicate his life to Christ. But within
          weeks that vision died, and he went back to his sinful
          ways.

          God wants to open our eyes to "...the riches of the
          glory of his inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians
          1:18). He's saying, "All the glory I revealed to Moses
          is embodied in my son. And now I have given him to you
          as your inheritance. You have a right to know him in
          all his glory!" "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the
          Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9).

          Why did Moses so desperately seek a vision of God's
          glory? I believe the reason is found in this verse:
          "There I will meet with the children of Israel, and the
          tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory" (Exodus
          29:43). The word "sanctified" here means "made clean."
          God was saying, in other words: "Moses, as you and the
          people worship me, I will meet with you and give you my
          presence. And when I reveal my glory to you, it will
          cleanse you!"

          This is one of the most powerful verses in all of
          scripture. It offers hope to everyone who struggles
          with a besetting sin and yearns to be free and clean.
          God pledges, "Your temple will be made clean by a
          revelation of my glory. And that revelation is
          available to you right now - in my son, Jesus Christ!"

          Where can we find this revelation of Christ? We find it
          only as we come to the scriptures! Paul says that as we
          allow God's word to reflect to us an ever-increasing
          revelation of Jesus, we will be changed from glory to
          glory: "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass
          the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
          from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord"
          (2 Corinthians 3:18).

          This revelation of God's glory will provide keeping
          power for our lives: "...upon all the glory shall be a
          defence" (Isaiah 4:5). In other words, God's glory will
          keep us clean in our worst hour. Satan may lie to us,
          "You're defeated! You're a cheat, a liar, an
          adulterer." But we can answer, "No, devil. I have a
          high priest - and I'm cleansed by a vision of his
          glory!"

          When God revealed to Moses all these things about his
          nature, he also gave him the full revelation that he
          "...will by no means clear the guilty..." (Exodus
          34:7). Azariah prophesied to King Asa in his most
          prosperous hour, "If you despise God's glory - if you
          excuse your sin and neglect the Lord - he will not
          cleanse you!" "...The Lord is with you, while ye be
          with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you;
          but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you" (2
          Chronicles 15:2).

          What God is telling us here is so simple: "Take time to
          get to know my son! Search my word and seek me in your
          secret closet of prayer. Then, as you abide in my
          presence, your eyes will begin to open to my glory. It
          is all revealed in Christ. He is the full revelation of
          my love, grace, mercy, kindness.

          "As you continually reflect on this revelation, it will
          cleanse and purify you - because you'll become more and
          more like Jesus. As you see how loving and merciful he
          is to you, you'll become more loving and merciful to
          others. And that will be my glory revealed in you!"

          Beloved, stop looking for a sign. Stop expecting some
          force to shake your church building, or for some
          preacher to lay hands on you and solve all your
          problems. Seek the Lord alone! His word makes it clear
          - you'll either enjoy his continual presence or be
          lightly esteemed: "For the eyes of the Lord run to and
          fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong
          in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward
          him..." (16:9).

          Seek him with all your heart, and desire his presence
          in your daily life. Then you will know and experience
          the incredible glory of God!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

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