 ENTERING
THE REST
OF HIS PRESENCEAs soon as we realize that “without Him we can do nothing”, we have the opportunity to come to the end of stress, anxiety, striving and toiling by simply handing over every care, situation or issue into the hands of the One who cares for us. (Matt.11: 28; 1 Pet.5: 7)
Actually God is waiting for us to come to that point of laying down our own wisdom and self-power so that He can be gracious over us. (Is.30: 18)
“For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” (Heb.4: 10)
Come to think of it, this place of entering His rest is the testing point of faith, for many, through unbelief, couldn’t enter into His rest (Heb.4: 2-3). Man in his own wisdom still wants to prove that his own “works” will bring the desired results. So what is this “rest” other than TO BELIEVE GOD! All things are possible for those who believe that God can do what seems impossible for man’s finite mind to comprehend or to “work out”. It spells the end of the self-life and the beginning of life in the Presence. “If you lose your life, you shall find it.” This paradox results in abundance of His power!
“Be still and know that I am God” holds the secret. It is in the quiet of His Presence that we can HEAR His still small voice to receive the instruction to do do the works which He has beforehand pre-ordained for us to walk in. These “works” are the will of the Father for our lives and are easy, without striving and strain and stress, full of joy!
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph.2:10)
This calls for a renewing in the spirit of our minds, where we see from His perspective with eagle eyes. All the senses of perception are extended into the realm of the Spirit. We see, hear, touch, taste and feel in the naturalness of life in His Presence.
We need to ask the Father of glory to give us enlightened eyes of our understanding through the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in order to know the Christ and our position, identity and inheritance IN HIM. Then we simply do what we see our Father doing (in the secret place of His Presence), saying only what we hear Him saying – just as Jesus set the example for us. It is an easy yoke and a light burden to simply do His will, following His instructions in His Wisdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. And then God will get all the glory, for man’s sweat will not be on it!
These secrets are to be found in the Chambers of His Presence.
“Draw me, we will run after you: the king has brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in you, we will remember your love more than wine: the upright love you.” (Song of Solomon 1:4)
The Holy Spirit has been drawing us with cords of love, so that we couldn’t respond in any other way than to run after Him, like a deer pants after the water (Ps.42: 1). Those, the King has brought into the intimacy of His chambers where we can simply enjoy His Presence, rejoicing in His perfect provision of Love where we can dwell forever to behold the beauty of His holiness. When we behold His glory, we are transformed and He puts His counsel in our hearts to execute in the earthly realm as it is in heaven.
He is looking for those whose eyes are single – dwelling in the light (Matt.6: 29).
In John 17 Jesus prayed to the Father “to make us one” and to bring us where He is.
OUR HIDING PLACE
These “chambers of His Presence” denote a state of intimate relationship and of safety and protection – a hiding place in times of trouble and affliction and those who have come to dwell here, will be sheltered under the shadow of His wings where no evil will befall them or come near them (Ps. 91).
In Ps 27 we find the same promise of being hidden in His “pavilion”, in the secret place of His tabernacle in the time of trouble. On top of that He will set us “high” upon the rock of Christ (above our enemies) and we will forever sing songs of rejoicing as the offering of our lips to Him.
“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.”
In Psalms 31 the Psalmist states that the Presence of the Lord is a shelter, safe from scheming enemies, a hiding place, where we are concealed from the strife of tongues. Someone prayed so beautifully, “ Lord, take us behind the veil where we cannot hear the voice of the enemy, but only Your voice.”
v.20-23: “How great is your goodness, Lord,
stored up for those who fear you.
You display it for those who trust you,
in the sight of the children of Adam.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
safe from scheming enemies.
You conceal them in your tent,
away from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the LORD,
marvelously he showed to me
His mercy in a fortified city.”
In His Presence we find sweet communion-union with the Bridegroom in the chambers of His love. Here we see that is it a place of rest in His Presence, a place of feasting at His banqueting table of love while our enemies can only look on, but not touch us because His Presence is a fortified city where He shows us His mercy (Ps.23), a temple not made with hands.
In His Presence is fullness of joy and by the counsel found there we exercise Kingdom dominion, having the victory in Him in every situation, enjoying the abundant life in the Spirit in a joy exceedingly and full of glory, forever singing new songs of blessing and glory and honor to Him.
This is the ascended lifestyle, seated together with Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of the Father, being made kings and priests unto our God in the chambers of love-worship.
How great is our God, who has made such provision for us! Hallelujah!
Shalom
Elsabe |
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February 2012 has truly been a month of God’s manifest glory – seeing His Kingdom come, His will be done as it is in heaven, so on the earth and we give HIM ALL THE GLORY DUE HIS WONDERFUL NAME!During the 12 day fast we saw so many miracles of physical and emotional healings and many deliverances. Many lives were changed in the glory of His Presence (as His Word promises) and there is an ongoing hunger and thirst for more of the Lord!
HALLELUJAH!Our trip to Puerto Rico was pure joy and a “SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE!”Three of our meetings we in Puerto Rico were held at Comunidad Cristiana en Arecibo, a powerful Church, with Pastor Edwin Duran together with his brother, Pastor Efren Duran.
Our team had the privilege to minister to different segments of the Church.Leaders of five different churches in Arecibo attended the meeting for the Intercessors and Dancers and the Presence of the Lord came so strong that I could hardly stand.
Sara, our dancer, danced a beautiful dance called “Behind the Veil” and some received visions (which they shared afterwards).
The Holy Spirit ministered with Words of Knowledge, healing and deliverance and we were all changed.
Pastors Nicolas and Misty Khoury ministered breakthrough to the Youth and they were greatly impacted.
On Friday night Pastor Nicolas and I “tag-preached” and I saw again how the Prophetic Word brings breakthrough:
The night before we left Florida, I received a vision and a Prophetic Word for Puerto Rico:
I saw a huge drop of water coming down from heaven, splashing on dry ground and immediately after, a soft rain started pouring.
The Lord conveyed to me that as soon as the Prophetic Word that He would give me would be released, the rain would come.
This particular Word was that the Holy Spirit was going to be poured out in a flow of prophetic revelatory knowledge, dreams and visions (much like Joel 2).
Pastor Nicolas saw a dry tunnel and suddenly water came rushing through from the back and broke trhough the tunnel.
As soon as these Visions and Words were released, the breakthrough came!
Many were healed and delivered and received breakthrough of mindset into their true identity in Christ!
Sunday’s meeting was really divinely orchestrated as we ministered in Moravis at the Church of Pastor Doris Ortiz. Prophetically the Lord showed me that this church was like a lampstand, a city on a hill, shining a bright light into the nations. They have recently “seeded” many of their spiritual offspring into different regions of America and this was a Word of Breakthrough for them.
During the message the Holy Spirit took us in a totally different direction than anticipated by a “Word-play” on a Spanish Word “camera” (chamber), and we were all blessed by the revelation through His message. Many were healed and there was especially one very strong deliverance of a young woman who has been kept in bondage of terrifying fear for years.
We are all so privileged to be part of the Lord’s assignments in the nations and we thank each one of you for who have been covering us with your prayers and financial support, preparing the way for the Lord. Together we are His team, His body, doing His works.
ALL GLORY TO OUR WONDERFUL SAVIOR, HEALER, DELIVERER and LOVER OF OUR SOULS!
Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit for Your amazing grace!
We are continuing our Leadership Training Classes, “DEEPER” at Cayac Church in Fort Pierce.
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In a time of corporate worship, I sensed the Spirit saying, “Increase your expectancy for Me to do far above what you can pray or think” – whatever your circumstances may be.
