THE PAROUSIA
THE PAROUSIA of the LORD
Parousia literally means “being Present” – implying the walking, talking, being in “oneness” with Him – IN HIS TANGIBLE PRESENCE – INTERTWINED WITH HIM – Hidden in Him!
The Holy Spirit is highlighting the importance and power of the Presence of the Lord. Without His Presence, there is no power and as we grow hunger and thirst after Him, He will reveal Himself to us in ever-increasing “Presencing”.
The time has come where the Lord is calling us to the “Parousia”, the practicing of His Presence – without ceasing.
The Holy Spirit wants us to prepare an atmosphere for His Person to come.
KEYS TO INVITE HIS MANIFEST PRESENCE
1. He takes note of those who fear Him and reverence His Name
In the Book of Malachi we read that when people fear the Lord and think upon His name, conversing often about Him, He takes so much pleasure in it that it is written in a Book of Remembrance.
“Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another:
and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance
was written before Him for them that feared the LORD,
and that thought upon His name.” (Mal.3:16)
For those who fear His Name, He arises as the Sun of Righteousness in His manifest healing power.
“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth,
and grow up like calves of the stall.” (Mal.4:2)
When our conversations are conducted in the fear of the Lord, honoring Him and who He is, it invites His Presence, just like when the two men were conversing about the Lord on their way to Emmaus and He came. Afterwards they were remembering how their hearts were burning within them when He expounded the Scriptures to them.
2. He wants to be wanted and pursued in revelation of Himself as the Living Word
When the resurrected Jesus wanted to go further on His way (even though they didn’t know it was Him, they insisted that He should stay and sup with them, because their hearts were burning with desire to understand the Word and that is what He desires, namely that we would insist that He would linger because of our hungering after the revelation knowledge of the Word.
The eyes of our understanding will likewise be opened to “know” Him in His resurrection when He breaks the bread of revelation to us and serves us the new wine of the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding.
The “Parousia” prepares a way for the Manifest Presence of the Lord.
3. He responds to our OBEDIENCE, which is a token of our love for Him
As we simply practice His Presence, by worshiping Him, fixing our heart’s eyes on Him, hungering and thirsting for more understanding of Him in the Word, while praying in tongues – then doing what He tells us to do in absolute obedience, He will manifest Himself to us.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, is he who loves Me.
He who loves Me, shall be loved by My Father and
I will love him and will manifest Myself to him” – John 14:21
Websters define “manifest” as follows: readily perceived by the senses and especially by the sense of sight; easily understood or recognized by the mind : obvious.
Let us pursue Him more then ever in the Word, in worship and prayer, seeking His face to know Him and to come to the full revelation of what He has done for us on Calvary, what is the hope of our calling, what is our inheritance in Him and what is the exceeding great resurrection power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us.
4. He comes when we are in ONE ACCORD in UNITY
After He was raised from the dead He came and showed Himself to those who loved Him, who had a holy reverence for Him, who were gathered in His Name, who were having conversations about Him and the Word and who “waited” on Him in one accord.
When the disciples were together in the upper room in prayer (after He ascended), “waiting on Him” (I’m sure they were talking about His person and the mighty things He did), He suddenly poured out the Holy Spirit upon them in power to do the greater works and be witnesses of Him.
The pattern that was set in the Church of Acts is returning and as we come together in one accord in His Name, around His Word, in reverence before Him in prayer, enjoying communion together, He manifests Himself in His resurrection power, with miracles, signs and wonders! (Acts 2:42-44)
He wants His body to give Him the pre-eminence in worship; and then to function as a living organism, caring for one another, loving one another, serving one another.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common…” – Acts 2:42-44
5. The Lord desires to have COMMUNION with us in INTIMACY
To us who truly seek His face and His glory in loving obedience, He promises that he will manifest Himself to them and that He and the Father will come and make their abode with us. (John 14:23) This implies not only tangible, but VISIBLE!
When we seek Him as our Beloved Bridegroom to behold His beauty, He will reveal Himself to us in intimate kisses of revelation, feeding us with the fruit of the tree of life and tabernacle among us in the aloe tent of His love in intimate union-communion. Then we can go into the vineyards with Him, bringing the Kingdom of His Glory. Hallelujah!
I bless each reader with an intense hunger to seek His face until He manifests Himself in glory!
Elsabe