IN GOD’S PRESENCE: BE AN ABIDING DWELLER, NOT A VISITING GUEST!
“As the deer PANTS for the water brooks, So PANTS my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul THIRSTS for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? . . .” Psalms 42:1-11/NKJV
“If ye ABIDE in me, and my words ABIDE in you, ye shall ASK what ye will, and it shall be DONE unto you” John 15:17. s
“Thou wilt shew me the PATH of LIFE: in thy PRESENCE is FULNESS of joy; at thy RIGHT HAND there are PLEASURES for evermore” Psalms 16:11.
The Scriptures say that it is those who DWELL in God’s PRESENCE — the secret place of the Most High — consistently and diligently, who can ABIDE under the shadow of His wings.
For in the PATH of LIFE, it is only in God’s PRESENCE that there is the FULNESS of joy and PLEASURES forevermore. For God REWARDS those who DILIGENTLY seek Him without a shadow of doubt and turning — Hebrews 11:6; Psalm 91:1; Psalm 16:11.
Therefore, stop being a VISITOR and a VISITING GUEST into God’s PRESENCE if you desire the FULNESS of His enabling GRACE and BLESSEDNESS. Be a DWELLER and ABIDING person, so that His ABIDING WINGS will carry you along in LIFE and GODLY LIVING.
There is nothing as gracious and graceful as abiding in God’s PRESENCE 24/7.
Do you mean 24/7 in His presence? YES! It is not about sleeping in the church building or locking yourself up in a secluded place — it is about living in the abiding CONSCIOUSNESS of His bids and leads in every aspect of DOING LIFE AND GODLY LIVING.
And this is made possible by the Holy Spirit who is given to us and who dwells in us, in Christ Jesus’ stead. For it is not just about HAVING the Holy Spirit in you, but about being LED by Him in His CONSCIOUS PRESENCE in you, in Christ Jesus’ stead.
Make it your daily goal. You will not have any cause to regret it — Romans 8:14-17.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK!
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“He that DWELLETH in the secret place of the most High shall ABIDE under the shadow of the Almighty” Psalms 91:1.
“If ye ABIDE in me, and my words ABIDE in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” John 15:17.
“Thou wilt shew me the PATH of LIFE: in thy PRESENCE is FULNESS of joy; at thy RIGHT HAND there are PLEASURES for evermore” Psalms 16:11.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that DWELLETH in love DWELLETH in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world” 1 John 5:15-17.
“For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not RECEIVED the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have RECEIVED the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth WITNESS with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” Romans 8:14-17.
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is GIVEN unto us“ Romans 5:5.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall GIVE you another Comforter, that he may ABIDE with you for ever; 17 even the Spirit of truth; whom the world CANNOT receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye KNOW him; for he DWELLETH with you, and shall be in you” John 14:15-17.
“As the deer PANTS for the water brooks, So PANTS my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul THIRSTS for God, for the LIVING God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him. For the help of His countenance. 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar. 7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. 8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me— A prayer to the God of my life. 9 I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a breaking of my bones, My enemies reproach me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God” Psalms 42:1-11/NKJV.
SUMMARY
The message is an urgent charge to be an ABIDING DWELLER in God’s PRESENCE, not a VISITING GUEST, because only in His PRESENCE is there the FULNESS of joy, grace and BLESSEDNESS for LIFE and GODLY LIVING 24/7 by the Holy Spirit.
KEY POINTS
- THE THIRST FOR GOD’S PRESENCE
“As the deer PANTS for the water brooks, So PANTS my soul for You, O God. My soul THIRSTS for God, for the living God” — Psalm 42:1-2
True life begins with a deep hunger and longing to be in God’s presence, not just to visit. - THE DIFFERENCE: DWELLER vs VISITOR
God rewards those who DILIGENTLY seek Him — Hebrews 11:6.
“He that DWELLETH in the secret place of the most High shall ABIDE under the shadow of the Almighty” — Psalm 91:1
Visitors come and go. Dwellers stay consistently. Only dwellers experience the covering of His wings and the fulness of His grace. - THE BENEFIT OF ABIDING
“in thy PRESENCE is FULNESS of joy; at thy RIGHT HAND there are PLEASURES for evermore” — Psalm 16:11
In the PATH of LIFE, fulness of joy, pleasures, answers to prayer, and divine enablement are found only in His presence — John 15:17.
When we abide, His abiding wings carry us in LIFE and GODLY LIVING. - WHAT 24/7 ABIDING MEANS
It is NOT about sleeping in church or isolating yourself.
It is about living in the abiding CONSCIOUSNESS of His bids and leads in every aspect of DOING LIFE AND GODLY LIVING.
This is made possible by the Holy Spirit who DWELLS in us and ABIDES with us forever — John 14:16-17; Romans 5:5. - LED BY THE SPIRIT = SONS OF GOD
“For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” — Romans 8:14-17
It is not just about HAVING the Holy Spirit, but about being LED by Him.
As we dwell in love, we dwell in God and God in us — 1 John 4:15-16. This produces boldness and sonship.
CALL TO ACTION
- STOP VISITING, START DWELLING.
Make a deliberate decision to move from being a guest in God’s presence to a resident. Be consistent and diligent — Psalm 91:1. - CULTIVATE THIRST.
Like the deer pants for water, let your soul pant for God daily. Create time to seek Him without doubt or turning — Psalm 42:1-2; Hebrews 11:6. - LIVE CONSCIOUS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 24/7.
Practice hearing His bids and leads in your work, family, decisions and relationships. He is in you to lead you — Romans 8:14. - ABIDE IN HIS WORD.
“If ye ABIDE in me, and my words ABIDE in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” — John 15:17.
Let the Word and His presence shape your daily life. - MAKE IT YOUR DAILY GOAL.
Choose today: I will dwell, I will abide, I will be led. You will not have any cause to regret it.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI
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