THE PRIORITY OF PRESENCE
And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 39:29
We are seeking more of God’s presence at the Healing Rooms & even more so in this strange season in which we find ourselves. We aren’t able to lay hands on our guests at the moment due to Covid 19 restrictions in place. However, this is an even greater opportunity for our guests to experience His powerful Presence (to which many have testified since we have reopened). Our guests aren’t able to say ‘this one or that one laid hands on me and I felt such anointing’ so all the glory goes to Jesus, which of course has always been the case.
In the Old Testament we read time and again where the visible presence of God was seen not only by God’s people but also by everyone present.
The Israelites, following the exodus from Egypt, asked Moses to talk to God on their behalf and to pass on to them what He had said. (See Ex 20:19). The Bible says “the people remained at a distance while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” (v21)
Moses went up the mountain and spent a long time with God – so much so the Israelites weren’t sure when he was coming back! Many know the story only too well – they asked Aaron to make some gods for them and of course before long Aaron had made the golden calf.
God’s anger burned against His people and He was about to wipe them out but as we read in Exodus 32 Moses wasn’t afraid to remind Him of the covenant He’d made with Abraham – the Bible records “…then the Lord relented and did not bring disaster on the people” (Ex 32:14). How could Moses get God to change His mind? I believe it was on the basis of relationship.
Moses was one who met with God face-to-face. It was out of this intimate relationship he was able to remind God of His covenant.
Moses said to God “if Your Presence doesn’t go with us from here then don’t send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and your people unless You go with us. What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex 33:15-16).
The distinguishing attribute Moses was so keen to have in order to have others see he and the Israelites were different, (not better) but markedly different, was the Presence of God.
His Presence is just so important for what we’re called to do here at the Healing Rooms. If His Presence isn’t here, then at best it may be a ‘nice’ experience for those who come – but who wants ‘nice’? We long to see His power poured out in such measure that visitors are healed in the waiting room before receiving prayer! Why not? Peter’s shadow healed those on whom it fell. (Acts 5:12-16) Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons brought healing to those they touched.
How could this be? I would put to you these two men were people of Presence. In other words, they spent time in the Presence of Jesus. They were ‘full of His Spirit’ so the anointing to heal the sick & deliver the oppressed could not be contained.
Peter and John on their way to pray at the temple, encountered a man who had been lame for over 40 years and was begging at the Gate Beautiful. Many will be familiar with the story. What he wanted (money) they didn’t have but what he NEEDED (healing) they had. They released the healing Presence of Jesus onto this man. Peter simply took him by the right hand and instantly, the Bible declares, ‘’his ankles became strong and he went walking and leaping and praising God.” (see Acts 3:6-8)
This of course upset the religious people of the day and Peter and John were brought before the Sanhedrin – those who were more focussed on keeping the law than seeing people who were lost found, sick healed and demonised delivered.
Peter spoke up boldly before them and declared it was the Name of Jesus who had healed this man. (See Acts 4:10)
Acts 4:13-14 says “When they (the Sanhedrin) saw the courage of Peter and John and realised they were unschooled ordinary men; they were astonished and took note these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing with them, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD SAY!” (emphases added).
They had been in the Presence of Jesus and as a result were able and empowered to do mighty signs and wonders.
God’s very nature and character is one of intimate relationship. Right from the beginning of time He said - “let US make man in OUR image.” That speaks of relationship. There’s probably no better example of intimate relationship than the Trinity – 3 distinct persons in one – so close in relationship there is perfect intimacy.
That’s what we’re pursuing at the Healing Rooms – greater intimacy with Father, Son and Holy Spirit because it is out of that place of intimacy- where His tangible presence is felt by all who come here. People will find the liberty, joy, deliverance, salvation and healing as a result of entering into His Presence.
We’re living in the days of a new and better covenant. If it was the experience of the Old Testament people to SEE the manifest presence of God, how much MORE should we experience His tangible presence now!
As born again, Spirit filled believers we get to carry the presence of God everywhere we go – how good is that?! It is no longer restricted to the Tent of Meeting or Solomon’s temple but we take the Holy Spirit into each and every situation!
As sons and daughters of the King – in other words royal family – we should expect to change the very atmosphere of every place we enter. Not through arrogance, but out of knowing who we are in Christ! If we are really seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2:6) then we should EXPECT to change the atmosphere wherever we are because the Presence of royalty demands a response. Darkness flees when the light arrives – it has no choice!
What an awesome privilege it is to carry the manifest presence of God into people’s dark worlds and simply pour the light of Christ into circumstances.
Of course, one of the great keys to healing is forgiveness. When we, by an act of our will, and relying on the grace (enabling power) of Jesus, choose to release those who have hurt us in any way and also to bless them, we’ve seen time and again captives being set free often from decades of pain and suffering! Praise God! One person remarked recently “is it really that easy?” Yes it is! Forgiveness releases us from the control the offender has over us and ejects the ‘DVD’ playing in our heads going over and over the offence. It removes any ‘legal reason’ the enemy has to keep us in a place where Jesus paid for us not to be!
Jesus said I no longer call you servants but friends because a servant doesn’t know his master’s business. (John 15:14)
He also said, ‘if you love Me, you’ll obey my commands… he who loves me will be loved by my Father and I will show myself to him.’ (See John 15:21)
He promised to reveal Himself to us – reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to those who love and obey Him. Let me encourage you to pursue more of His wonderful Presence in your life and expect to have Him ‘show up’ powerfully everywhere you go!