JESUS IS OUR DWELLING PLACE: intro.
Introduction
“LORD, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations...” Psalm 90:1
“He who dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” Psalm 91:1
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our Home with him.” John 14:23
“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” 1John 2:28
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me...” Psalm 27: 4,5
God’s deepest desire for us, is for us to live in intimate fellowship with Him. We were born to exalt Jesus and to live in His presence. Christ’ Spirit, is the Kingdom of God within us, and as we worship Him and magnify His attributes, we joyously celebrate the reason for our existance, for God is“enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22: 3) and that also includes all of us who have been grafted into the tree of Abraham! It is God’s eternal will that we continually “offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle!” Psalm 27: 6. Our praise and adoration to God is a powerful way of showing Him our trusing faith in His promises and His presence. Praise enthrones Him in our hearts! Jesus is our Dwelling Place and we are also His dwelling place!
This book is an exhortation for the bride to enter boldly and with all abandon, into God’s presence– into His most precious Ark and Temple; the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus longs to be enthroned within us– the same Holy Presence, Who dwelt in the Holy of Holies in His ancient Tabernacles, has come to make His Home in us! Jesus’ ultimate intercession and will for us, is revealed in John 17:21-23:
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one IN US, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”
Christians are walking, talking, living temples, that contain His Holy Presence– if by faith we have claimed His promises, are obedient to His word and have been filled with the power of His precious Holy Spirit. Close examination of the Old Testament scriptures reveal to us the life changing transcendence of entering into, and coming before God’s Presence. “Qodesh” (Holy ground, Most Holy Place, Holy of Holies), was the word that God first used when Moses stood in God’s Presence for the first time on Mount Sinai. The Holy Fire found in the burning bush and then in the pillar of fire and smoke, has been given away free of charge since Pentecost, to all who might receive Him. God revealed this deep truth, when on Pentecost, tongues of fire appeared on and over His new temples, and yet “were not consumed,” just like the burning bush and the Ark of the Covenant!
The Old Testament, though neglected by Christians, is just as living, vital and important as is the New Testament. There are so many patterns, types, revelations and prophetic treasures to be discovered there, if one is willing to wait on God for understanding from the Holy Ghost. Just exactly who is this Angel of the Lord, who seems to show up at all of the most critical junctures of His seed and lineage in the Old Testament? Who was the “Angel” who appeared in the burning bush and who looked down through the fiery pillar when He defended and protected His chosen people? This was the “Angel,” in whom God had put His own Holy name! There is great blessing in this message for those who are open to the deeper things of God– to those who are blessed to explore the Jewish roots of the mighty tree of Abraham into which Christians have been grafted. Jesus wants us to know exactly who we are IN HIM and to have a taste of what He has predestined us to be IN CHRIST!
We have the privilege as born again believers, to enter into and remain in the very presence of God. Jesus longs for us to abide (remain, dwell, rest and live) IN Him. Jesus made this possible when He sent us His indwelling Spirit, who is present in every true believer. Moses was inspired to write that God has always been our dwelling place and Jesus reveals to us that He, is the Secret Place in whom we are commanded to abide! Dwelling in Christ is not an option for the believer, it is a commandment! The Christian life is impossible to live unless we are abiding in Jesus and He is living through us.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless
you abide in Me!” John 15:4
In Hebrews chapter four, Paul makes abiding in Christ, synonymous to what most of the wandering Jews in the wilderness found impossible to achieve; entering into God’s rest. “Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest...” (Hebrews 4: 11) We are commanded to enter into an abiding rest in Christ, “For we who have believed do enter that rest...” (v.3). This great chapter of promise in Hebrews, earlier states that the Jews in the wilderness could not enter into God’s promised rest because it “was not mixed with faith in those who heard it” (v.2). Unless we are walking in faith, we cannot please God, let alone abide in Him. When we mix God’s word with faith (trust) in God, we are able to abide in His presence and come boldly before His throne of grace, as promised to us at the end of chapter 4 of Hebrews; the greatest fruit of being able to enter His rest! Paul warns us to “fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it” (4:1), that’s how important resting and abiding in Christ is. It is so vitally important to enter into a trusting, abiding, rest in Christ that we are to fear coming short of it!
Another commandment that is practically synonymous with resting in Christ and walking in faith, is walking in His Spirit. If you are walking in His Spirit, you are also resting in Christ and He is living through you. It is no longer you who live but Christ who lives through you! Those that have sought to worship and know Him in Spirit and in Truth, realize that it is by abandoning ourselves to Jesus, consuming His word and coming boldly before His throne to receive His grace, that He reveals Himself in us and to us. We have the greatest privilege ever bestowed upon any man or woman: to rejoice in His very presence and lavish our love and adoration upon Him through praise and worship, for Jesus is worthy! Jesus is not merely the One showing us ‘the way.’ Jesus is our life and our destiny--- He is the Way! Jesus is our greatest treasure! Unless we are walking in His Spirit and truly resting in Christ, we are not totally available to Him, to be used as He sees fit to use us.
The righteous pursuer of Jesus Christ, does not ask; “what is in it for me,” but instead comes to offer himself as a “living sacrifice” to God. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:19). This is the major promise that God has made to us, that through “faith and patience (we have) inherit(ed)” the promise of being called and chosen to come before Him and dwell in His Presence (Hebrews 6:12). This has been my personal quest and greatest desire, to enter into the deepest possible relationship with Jesus; to know Him and the power of His resurrection and to enter in behind the veil and remain in the Holy of Holies before the Lord in worship and adoration. Most people think that the only way to enter into rest in Christ, is to die. In the spiritual sense this is true. We must be dying to self before we can live and abide in Christ. Jesus offers us rest for our souls and abundant life. A consistant spiritual attitude of praise and adoration to Jesus, is the key to entering into this kind of intimate fellowship with Him.
Many who claim to know the Lord, are worshiping everything but Jesus these days. Did you know that it is even possible to worship worship, or to so accentuate a certain style of worship that it becomes the primary focus rather than Jesus? It is also possible to worship the word, when the word was only given for the purpose of revealing to us the Eternal Word of God, who is Jesus Christ (and the Word became flesh). The word instructs us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” (I am not saying that the word (bible) is not integral--- it is vitally important to us---it is a manifestation of the Bread of Heaven) and directs us to Him. Jesus desires that we lovingly abandon ourselves to Himself! God wants everyting about our daily lives to be an act of worship and to shine forth His presence! When He has this kind of preeminence in our lives, the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace! It is only when we enter into intimate relationship with Jesus, that we can taste and see that the Lord is good– that His steadfast love never ceases. Jesus is our divine Shelter and our Covering in every situation!
It is God’s will that we all know and experience His abundantly loving presence within us. To know and walk in His loving presence, is to abide (dwell) in Christ and to love like Christ. It is in knowing Him through His word and all that He has done for us and entering into His very presence and experiencing His wonderful attributes, that we will desire to completely abandon ourselves to Him! It is only because He first loved us, that we may know and love Him. As we abide in Jesus, it is revealed to us that an endless measure of His grace and love has been poured out upon us and that divine revelation draws us even deeper into Himself. Abiding in Jesus and walking in His love, changes our very natures and lives and makes us want to adore and worship Him even more. We all need to know His blessed assurance deep within us and that we are truly His. This ‘blessed assurance’ is His very presence, His Spirit that cries out from within us; “Abba Father” (Daddy I love You- Daddy I need You- Daddy, I’m yours!). Two vital words that the Lord has spoken deeply to me about, are the words desperation and abandonment.
We are all faced with such stresses these days that most of us are desperate for rest and relaxation, (R&R) which seems to elude us. But have we, in our desperation for peace and true contentment turned solely to Jesus to find rest for our souls? Are you desperate for Jesus? He is saying to you; “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28). This is the promise of a personal and loving God, whose arms are outstretched to us all, in hope that we might enter into Him and find His promised rest, by living (abiding) in His presence! But true rest in Christ is only found by those who by realization of their utter helplessness and desperate need for a personal Savior, have abandoned themselves completely to Him. Oswald Chambers had a great revelation on the importance of abanonment to Jesus:
“Why doesn’t God reveal Himself to you? He cannot. It is not that He will not, but He cannot, because you are in the way as long as you won’t abandon yourself to Him in total surrender. Yet once you do–– immediately God witnesses to Himself–– He cannot witness to you but He instantly witnesses to His own nature in you.” (My Utmost For His Highest Oct. 22nd) 1
If God were to audibly speak to us, I think that many of us would be like the Jews in the wilderness, who upon hearing the voice of God Almighty, all shook with dread. Even Moses, “quaked and feared exceedingly,” when from out of the fiery pillar, God spoke like thunder. Despite this awesome experience, the Jews complained to Moses that they couldn’t stand it. They demanded that God speak to them only through a man! Why was it that they didn’t want that kind of intimacy with God? Because in their hearts they still harbored idolatry. In Acts 7:39, Stephen says that “...in their hearts (they) turned back to Egypt!”
Intimacy with Jesus isn’t possible for the believer who is holding back on God by harboring idolatry in his heart. An idol is anything that we hold more precious than Jesus. Intimacy with Jesus is always preceeded by a desperation for and then abandonment to Jesus. This spiritual principle is found in abundance in the scriptures–– like the woman in Luke chapter 8 with the issue of blood, who believed that if she could only touch the tassel of His garment, that she would be healed. Preceding the woman in Luke 8 who touched Him, was Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue who had just fallen at Jesus feet in desperation, pleading for his dying daughter. She had died, but Jesus went to his house and raised his daughter from the dead anyway! Think of the woman in Luke Chapter 7, who recklessly abandoned herself at our Master’s feet and anointed His feet with her own tears---- wiped them with her hair---- kissed His feet and then anointed His feet with precious ointment that probably cost her a years wages---- all this– in the presence of the gagging Pharisees who’s disgust at the “sight” made it no easier for her. Remember the leper in Luke 5, who fell on his face before the Lord pleading and cried out “Lord if you are willing, You can make me clean” (Luke 5:12) Think of the lesson found in Mary and Martha’s house. Martha was too busy preparing the house to even spend time with Jesus, while Mary was completely abandoned at her Master’s feet! (Many of us are also too busy for Jesus or so busy “working” for Him, that we have lost sight of Him) Recall the desperation and abandonment of the Prodigal Son when he returned to His father--- desperately penitent and broken? Hear the voices of the ten lepers who cried out to Jesus in desperation to be healed---- and so they were! Most of all--- think of the joyous abandonment of the children when they came to be with Jesus! That is how we must come to Him! It is that kind of basic trust in Jesus that precedes any kind of relationship with Him. There are basically two kinds of people: those who know that they are desperate for Jesus and those who don’t know that they are desperate for Jesus. We cannot be fulfilled in Jesus until we know that we are desperate for Him and we won’t long to dwell in His presence until we are abandoned to Him! Too many that name His name are still going it on their own and prefer to be in charge (control) of their own lives.
It is through a trusting FAITH IN JESUS that we may enter into His Presence and faith comes (only) by hearing the word of God. I will elaborate on that verse to say that God will instill faith within us as we consume and obey His word, wait on the Lord in worship and allow His Holy Spirit to reveal Himself to us and in us. We will then be compelled to act on our faith--- and will see Him bear fruit in our lives! We need to have the kind of faith that totally abandons us to Jesus–– the same faith that was shown by the woman who anointed His feet with her tears in the presence of the onlooking Pharisees! We need to have the kind of abandonment faith, that causes us to press in to Him, no matter what crisis we are facing! Trusting Jesus completely and His promises and then abiding in His word, are both the key and the gate to entering and remaining in His presence! It is only when His Holy Spirit reveals His word to us that we can enter His presence and begin to be transformed into His image. We must be willing to surrender and abide in His truth or He can do nothing within us and nothing with us. “God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) Realize that we are all called as priests, to enter in before God--- to serve Him and minister to Him! Jesus is our destiny and our Dwelling Place! “And you are complete IN HIM...” (Colossians 2:10)
It is possible however, to know the bible from cover to cover and still not know Jesus, unless the word is quickened (revealed) inwardly by the Spirit through a trusting faith in Jesus! (Some call it the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge!) That is when the Word who became flesh comes to manifest Himself in us! The Lord wants us ALL to know the deepest meaning of His word... to have intimate union with Him. This begins when we enter through the gate or threshold of His word and are born again. His word is the point of entry. His word is His written invitation to us to enter His presence. This is also where the mystery of faith begins because Jesus says that He is the Gate (or door) and He is also the WORD of God revealed to man. We cannot fathom the entire meaning of this with our rational minds–– it requires the revelation of the Holy Spirit to know that Jesus is the personal revelation (message) of God to man and also the complete embodiment of the triune God. “For IN HIM dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus is also the revelation of the very nature and glory of God! Jesus is the Glory of God! Hallelujah!
The major roadblock in finding completeness and intimacy with Jesus, are the sins that have entangled us. Fortified strongholds of sinful thoughts and habits have so polluted the hearts and minds of some believers that they are precluded from intimacy with Jesus because they have not truly repented (turned away from those “hidden” sins and idolatries). Confession and prayer for deliverance is necessary when sin has become entrenched within us. I don’t believe that a Christian can be possessed, but we can be enslaved to sin and even be demonically oppressed, if we continue to practice sin of any kind. We all sin but it is when we are still a slave (controls us) to any given sin (ie: lust, anger, love of money) that we prevent the Lord from being able to have full reign in our lives. So many believers suffer from depression and other illnesses because they are still compromised by certain obsessive sins. God cannot work in your life when you refuse the conviction of the Holy Spirit and continue to be a slave to sin. Unforgiveness towards others, will also preclude us from intimacy with God. We cannot have habitual sin in our lives and still abide in Christ (1John 3:7-10).
There are deeper levels of knowledge and spiritual revelation in the Lord, that many Christians never go on to experience. There are those that know about Jesus and then there are those that know Jesus and He is manifested in their lives. The treasure and manna that is hidden in God’s word is not instantly revealed to everyone. Only those who seek Him will find Him. Even the demons know the entire word (letter) of God backward and forward and have a certain level of understanding. Why demons even believe (“even the demons believe and tremble” James. 2:19 often called “devil’s faith”) to a degree. If the demons didn’t know the word, they couldn’t twist it and break it as horribly as they do! We must have more than just belief, we must have complete trusting reliance on Christ and display the holy fruit within us of being born again, His precious Comforter.
The Word of God is an amazing revelation of the person and heart of Jesus. With His word as a road map and His Holy Spirit as our comforting guide, we can experience a portion of the very glory of God who is “Christ in us, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). “...And the glory which You have given Me, I have given them” (John 17:22). We are unique containers (earthen vessels) of His salvation and His glory, becoming more and more like Him, if we are truly abiding in Him and His word abides in us. Christians are sacred containers. “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1Corinthians 3:16)
A major prophetic revelation of how God longs to dwell in us, is found in 2 Chron. 5:13,14, where the glory of God filled Solomon’s temple as the priests were praising and thanking the Lord. In Chapter 7, Solomon offers the first sacrifice in the temple and “fire came down from heaven...and the glory of the Lord filled the house!” In a later chapter, I will share the parallel between the sanctification and filling of Solomon’s temple and the day of Pentecost, when 120 new temples were also sanctified and filled with God’s presence. (At Pentecost, the 120 disciples became new temples of God and also priests of God!) The fire that fell on the praise sacrifice in Solomon’s temple and the tongues of fire that appeared upon the heads of the 120 disciples at Pentecost, were fulfillments of the prophecy that originated in the burning bush at Sinai. God had always intended for us to be filled with the fire of His glory and yet not consumed, just like the burning bush!
There are other important types (precursors) of sacred dwelling places, vessels and ‘Arks’, recorded in God’s Word that reveal major portions of His glory (His nature) and His plan of salvation. There are a series of 5 major ‘Arks’ (sacred dwelling places) found in the bible that reveal His glory and plan for mankind, some that foreshadow Christ’s advent and one type that is the fruit of His coming. It was only after completing the body of this work and its individual parts, not knowing at the time that they were inter-related, that it became clear what God was revealing to me: how meticulously He has revealed the glory of His presence through His chosen dwelling places (since Genesis) and how He came to show us how we might dwell in Him for eternity. For Jesus is the Tabernacle of God!
His word shows us the pattern or road map, of how we may enter His presence, know Him and dwell IN HIM. Of all the great Old Testament prophets, Moses was given the deepest revelation of how it is that God IS our Dwelling Place! “LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations...” (Psalm 90:1). Moses refused to break camp and go forth unless God went before them---- which also must be our greatest desire and predicate and predominate everything we do! Psalms 90-100, in particular show us an important revelation of a pattern for worship and entering into His presence that is powerful when applied. There is great, life changing power in praising and worshipping God, who opens the door for us to enter into His more intimate, inner chamber; His Holy of Holies. (“Yea, in the secret places of His dwelling shall He hide me” Psalm 27:5) It is God’s desire that everything we do be done as worship unto God. When we pour out our love and adoration to Jesus, He is able to dwell in us and transform us more and more into His image (sanctification). When we are able to trust God in every situation and rejoice in every trial and tribulation, He is enthroned in our hearts. “He is enthroned upon the praises of His people,” another version says that “He INHABITS (lives in) the praises of His people!” The Body of Christ (Christians) is the earthly Temple in whom Christ is now enthroned!
“...For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." (2 Corinth. 6:16)
“And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory!” (Romans 9:23.) “
"We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us!” (2Cor 4:7).
When we come before Him in praise and adoration, He reigns within us and His kingdom is made manifest through us! It is then that our attitudes change and bondages are broken by His anointing (1Jn 2:20,27), more importantly, He reveals Himself to us in an increasingly deeper way. (“That I might KNOW YOU and the power of Your resurrection”) The glory of God, (Jesus) comes to shine from within us! “Christ IN us, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
Jesus is always drawing His Bride to a deeper and richer revelation of Himself and His word. He is sanctifying each and every one of us that long for Him, pouring out even more grace, mercy and love as we are ready to receive. Every believer must allow God to break up the fallow ground within us, so that Jesus can take us higher and deeper in Himself. We are all being perfected and can receive a greater filling, for we never “arrive” here on earth. There is always fallow ground that needs to be broken up in every believer’s life so that He can be more greatly manifested in us. God longs to turn fallow ground, into holy ground! There are always unclean and unyeilded rooms in the mansion of our lives that need to be opened, cleansed and filled with His presence. Christians are in process... He manifests Himself in us in ever greater measure as we surrender and are abandoned to Him. This truth alone should keep every believer humble because none of us ever “arrive” here on earth. Many don’t know or desire the deepest possible abandonment to Jesus. It is only by being continuously sanctified and filled with His Spirit that we can plumb His depths and receive the deeper treasures in Christ that He longs to give us. To do otherwise is to wither on the vine and we all know what happens to withered vines! Personally, I feel as though I’ve been pruned to the stump at times!
The greatest tragedy that I have seen, are Christians who never come to a deeper, mature knowledge of Jesus and have never come to taste and see that the Lord is good but instead work out a tedious religion of their own making. (been there, done that got the T-shirt!) This is why we are commanded to enter into His rest, because a tedious religion of “works”is meaningless to God. Faith in Christ alone, is the key to dwelling in Him. (What is truly shocking is how many Christians are still trying to “earn” their salvation by doing good works and by “being good”!) Then there are others who only want to prove just how “spiritual” they are and soon get their eyes off of Jesus.
Knowing Jesus, is the greatest hidden treasure discovery of all time! The greatest joy of all, is entering His presence and giving Him the love and adoration that He so richly deserves! I have learned that although He does satisfy us, we are not going to be completely satisfied until we “see Him as He is.” (1John 3:2) It is only then, that we are going to be completely like Him, and changed into His image. The supernatural preoccupation of the believer is to always be wanting more of Jesus, to always be hungering and thirsting for a deeper revelation of Jesus and His word. Constantly more of Him and less of ourselves! It is when we seek, that we find, it is when we desire more of Him that He reveals Himself to us. He will not pour Himself out upon the complacent and satisfied that don’t want or need anymore of Him. Nor will He fill the complainers or those that harbor bitterness, anger or unforgiveness as I painfully discovered in my past walk. He is to increase and we are to decrease! He longs to take us to new places in Himself and to have our minds renewed daily! Most Christians don’t press into Him enough to discover that Jesus is the place of rest of whom the bible speaks!
Jesus is the ultimate Ark into whom we can enter! He is not only our Heavenly Tabernacle, He is our present Dwelling Place where we can now find Refuge! He is the one whom we can run to, the One who should be our constant focus. He has promised that He will pour Himself out upon us but we must want Him to! Jesus commands us to “abide IN HIM” (Jn. 15:7) He says of Himself that “IN HIM you may have peace” (Jn.16:33). Jesus has promised to “make HIS home with us” (Jn. 14:23). Unless we are abiding (dwelling, living) IN HIM and HIM IN us, we can do nothing (Jn 15:5) for Him or IN HIM. The Lord’s desire for us is that we “may all be one, as You, Father are in Me, and I in You; that they also MAY BE ONE IN US!” (Jn. 17:21) If this kind of intimacy with Jesus is what you truly desire, TELL HIM THAT RIGHT NOW! DON’T WASTE ANY MORE TIME! HE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO (REPENTANCE) AND HOW TO ENTER IN. WAIT ON HIM, HE WILL NOT DISAPPOINT YOU! Remember...Jesus wants us to enter into intimate spiritual union with Him. We are the ones who prevent that from happening. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM who is true; and WE ARE IN HIM who is true, IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. This is the true God and eternal life!” (1 John 5:20)
It is time for His Bride to arise and be watching for Him, to be filled with Him and completely abandoned to the Bridegroom! The temple (us) is being cleansed and His bride is being empowered and beautified. Many are running in the streets, searching for the Bridegroom but it is within us that He must be enthroned! The Bridegroom is calling us (spiritually, and soon physically!) and desiring for us to enter into His chamber:
The voice of my Beloved! (Jesus)
Behold, He comes
Leaping upon the mountains,
skipping upon the hills...
My Beloved spoke, and said to me:
The fig tree puts forth her green figs, (modern remnant of Israel)
And the vines with the tender grapes (Christians ready for Rapture)
Give a good smell
“Rise up, My love, My fair one, (Rapture of the church)
And come away...
O my Dove, in the clefts of the Rock, (The Bride’s response)
In the Secret Places of the cliff,
Let Me see Your face,
Song of Solomon 2:8,10,13
(interpretive caps. are author’s)
His children are listening attentively for His voice. Are you ready? Are you waiting patiently and joyously for Him? Is your lamp full of the oil of the Holy Ghost and love for Jesus? If you cannot answer “yes”with your whole heart, press into Him, repent of any cold love and ask Jesus to pour Himself out upon you! He will not disappoint you, but you must press into Him everyday! He has never abandoned you, although you may have gotten far away from Him. He is graciously and lovingly, calling His church to His SECRET DWELLING PLACE. His word is the key that shows us the way and as we place our trust in His word and open the door, Jesus comes into us to dwell and ushers us into His presence.
Here is just a taste of the overwhelming amount of scripture that has even deeper meaning with the revelation that Jesus is our Dwelling Place:
One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Ps. 27:4-6.
... In His temple everyone says, "Glory!" Ps 29: 9
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Jn 15:4,5
... Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me. Ps 31:2,3
You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues. Ps 31:20
You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance Ps. 32: 7
Jerusalem...The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge.
Ps 48:2,3
...Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. Ps 57:1
...Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.
I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Ps 61:2-4
Hide me... Ps. 64:2
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Col 3:3
Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple. Ps 65:4
Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually... For You are my rock and my fortress Ps. 71:3
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. Ps 73:23
...How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Ps 84:1 ,2
Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Ps 84:4
...Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Ps 90:1
At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you... If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Jn. 14:20, 23
Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool.
Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy. Ps 132:7,8,9
...The upright shall dwell in Your presence. Ps 140:13
...In You I take refuge... Ps 141:8
...You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. Ps 142:5
... In You I take shelter. Ps 143:9
“My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge” Ps. 144: 2
“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word” Ps. 119:114
“In You I take shelter.” Ps. 143:9
“The upright shall dwell in Your presence” Ps. 140:13
“The Angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them” Ps. 34:7
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most
High, your dwelling place, Ps. 91: 1,2,4,9
... Christ,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving...
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Col. 2:3,6,7,9,10
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Ps 18:2
... And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Ps 23:6
Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells. Ps 26:8"
that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are One:
I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; Jn 17:21-24
The Lord is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Ps 28:8
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.
They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart Ps. 36:7-10
But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil. Pr. 1:33
His children will have a place of refuge. Pr. 14:26
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. Pr. 18:10
For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat... Is. 25:4
A Man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. Is. 32:2
So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Ex. 33:22
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
1Cor. 1:30,31
The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms... De. 33:27
David sought to dwell in the presence of the Lord and passionately worshiped God like no other King of Israel: “Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.” 2K.23:25 The Lord implores us through His servant David to seek the Lord’s face and countenance and worship Him with complete abandon: “Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets”. 1Chr.13:8
And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel.” 1Chr.16:4.
“Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!” (2Chr.9:7). We have the privilege to “taste and see that the Lord is Good” and to “enter His courts with thanksgiving in our hearts.” We must daily come before Jesus to praise and bless Him and receive His anointing– His touch. We are encouraged by the scriptures to seek His face and His presence, and to dwell before Him forever.
In Numbers 6:24-27, we find the most powerful revelation of how God longs to bless us by imparting His very countenance and presence on us:
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
"Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '
"So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:24-27
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. Ps.17:15
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah Ps.24:6
When You said, "Seek My face,” My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek. Ps.27:8
Do not hide Your face from me ,Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. Ps.27:9
Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies' sake. Ps.31:16
As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, And set me before Your face forever. Ps.41:12
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. Ps.42:5
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Ps.51:11
He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him! Ps.61:7
Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Ps.62:8
To the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song. God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah Ps.67:1
But let the righteous be glad; Let them rejoice before God; Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Ps.68:3
Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Extol Him who rides on the clouds, By His name YAH, And rejoice before Him. Ps.68:4
O God, when You went out before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah Ps.68:7
And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. Ps.69:17
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. Ps.89:15
Glory in His Holy Name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face forevermore!
Ps. 105:3,4
New believers or those that have not gone beyond the “milk” of the word, may be asking, “where is this secret dwelling place? Where must I go to find it?” The answer is found in God’s word and in the awesome presence of Jesus who lives in every true believer! The Lord promises us that He would come and make His home IN us! This was what Jesus came to make possible:
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- the Spirit of truth, Whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I WILL COME TO YOU!” (Jn 16-18).
There is a throne room inside the heart of every believer where Jesus must reign:
“Behold, I stand at the door (of your hearts) and knock, if any man open the door, I will come into him and sup with Him and He with Me.” Rev. 3:20. This is not meant only for those who have never before received Jesus but the invitation is for all of us to enthrone Him in our hearts and fellowship with Him EVERYDAY! You can rule---- or Jesus can rule–– it is a decision of your will.
There is a spiritual altar within us where we can offer up our sinful ‘flesh’ as a sacrifice (“... I die daily” ) and then pour out a continual sacrifice of praise and adoration to God. The Holy of Holies that Jesus inhabits within us, enables us to dwell in His awesome presence! The Psalms thoroughly admonish us to come before the Lord... to continually seek His face and His countenance. His presence is available to every believer if we will but seek Him, repent of all of our sin and worship Him in accordance with His word (in Spirit and in truth). We are in a time when it is critical that every believer know that we are to seek to dwell in His presence, which is synonymous with the command in Hebrews 4 to “labor to enter into His rest.” We have the privilege to “come boldly before His throne” and we must not take Him for granted!
In Exodus 33, Moses continuously experienced the mighty presence and glory of God in the Tabernacle and prays that he would find grace in God’s sight–– grace for the “stiffnecked” and rebellious nation of Israel. God immediately promises Moses: “...My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Despite that mighty promise, Moses boldly warns God that “...If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how will it be known that your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?” Exodus 33:14-16. Moses refused to move one inch from that place without having God’s promise that His presence would go with Israel! This also applies to us! Yes! God has not intended for us to do anything without His power and Presence... His anointing! Moses was able, by faith in God’s grace, to obtain not only God’s mercy for Israel, but also His constant and abiding Presence. Moses refused to move without knowing that God would go before them and dwell with them always–– so abandoned was Moses to God’s presence! When Moses entered the Tabernacle to seek God, God was eager to appear and fellowship with Moses! The pillar of cloud (God’s presence) would descend whenever Moses came near the Tabernacle and when Moses entered in, all of the people saw and knew that Moses was speaking and fellowshipping with God Almighty!
Moses’ deepest desire was to dwell in God’s glorious presence! Remember the key scripture for this book, which was expressed through Moses; “Lord, thou hast been our Dwelling Place in all generations” (Psalm 90:1). (This reminds me of something I tell my family: “our house is not our home–– home is wherever our family is.” In the same sense, when we are truly in Christ and His presence is in us, we have entered His rest–– we are at home in His presence. “Home” is wherever God is and so that is wherever we are because God is always with us!) God would not reveal His face to Moses (God the Father is Spirit) but instead sheltered Moses in the “cleft of the rock,” while He passed by. This was a revelation of how that without God’s covering and provision (Jesus the Rock) we cannot stand in God’s presence.
We are in a time when it is imperative for us to be hidden in God’s intimate, abiding shelter; Jesus. We are facing an increasingly pagan world that is hostile to the things of God, let alone the name of our precious Lord. It is becoming a time much like that of Paul in Corinth, a time of rampant idolatry and paganism wherever we turn. But we are not to despise others who revel in it nor are we to be defeated by it. We are to look up and rejoice in all of our increasing trials and persecutions because our redemption is drawing closer. I praise God that He allowed the trials of this world to overwhelm me for a season–– to show me that only by fixing my eyes on Jesus and entering into deep and abiding fellowship with Him, can I even survive this world (let alone be of any service to Him).
We are in a time of quickening, where the weeks are speeding by. Countries, economies, governments and the church are being brought to an ultimate moment of decision. The world is waxing worse, at break-neck speed and many Christians are falling prey to last hour deceptions which were prophesied in the word. We are in preparation for His coming kingdom and He is calling His Bride to His purity and power. Jesus is pouring out His Spirit on His eager bride. The chaff will be separated from the wheat and many shall be exposed for what they are, both the holy and the unholy–– many will be tried, purified and suffer for Jesus sake. God is simultaneously preparing Israel for the building of the third temple. I have been inspired to write this to exhort His Bride to purity and passion and for all Christians to ENTER INTO JESUS, our ULTIMATE ARK! He is coming for us and we must exhort all believers to seek and love the Lord with all passion and abandonment and to repent of any cold love; all false idols; pride and of all vestiges of dead “religion.”
I encourage you to read and meditate on the scripture in this book, the context of the scriptures applied toward every subject is vitally important (so you may want to look some of them up). It is my desire that Jesus and His Word be the focus of this book. There is no true prophetic revelation (revealing the deep meaning of His word) unless the Lord is the source and He is glorified in it, and His attributes are exalted. Jesus must be the ultimate focus of all interpretation.
When I go to church or read a great spiritual book, I am grateful and blessed when God reveals a new treasure to me in His word. Although it can be painful at the time, I appreciate it when God convicts me of sin, through His word or through the writings and teachings of men and women of God. This book is steeped in the word of God and is very much a study in His word. I pray that the Lord will quicken and anoint this message to your heart! He is coming soon! Praise God for our Blessed Hope! Maranatha!
Copyright 2001 Jesusrapture.com
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