Hosting His Presence Pt 3

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another faith-building message by Pastor David Entry. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.

[0:12] May your knowledge of Jesus Christ increase as you listen. Be blessed. What time is it? Time is the first time. Once upon a time, the Bible talks about how Peter, in Acts chapter 12, God does some strengthens through Peter that his shadow was healing the sick.

[0:37] His shadow. The church cannot exist without the Holy Spirit. The church doesn't, oh, what church do I tell you? I attend that pastor's church. No pastor has go to church.

[0:48] Any pastor who tells you I've go to church, leave that place. The church is for Christ. And the Holy Ghost is the one who must be in church.

[1:00] The Holy Ghost. And you see, it is the presence of God with us that makes the difference in our lives.

[1:13] The scriptures say that in him we live and move. And actually, have our being. Acts chapter 17, verse 28.

[1:25] It said, in him we live and in him we move and have our being. So, Joseph was sold into slavery.

[1:38] And from slavery, he was graduated into prison. Not just a slave. Now he became a prisoner. But after the devil and men have done what they could do against him, God said, now let me also show what I can do for him.

[1:56] Because he's been sold into Egypt as a slave. And he's going to prison. All those things were working together for his good.

[2:07] So, when men finished. But even that, when he was a slave, Bible makes a very interesting statement. And when he was in prison, I think according to Genesis chapter, I suppose it's 39.

[2:21] Yes. Genesis chapter 39, either verse 3 or 21 or so. The Bible says that Joseph was in prison, but God was with him.

[2:31] But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy. And verse 3, look at verse 3. I think verse 3 too has something like that to say.

[2:42] And his master saw that the Lord was with him. The master, the slave master, saw that the Lord was with him. Why? See, I like this one.

[2:53] If the Lord is with you, it will show. People will see. They will show that. They will see that there's something different about you. When you touch it, we are touching the thing that's not working.

[3:04] By you. When you touch it, it's working. They lay everybody off. The director said, don't let this one off because we need this one. This one is making things happen here.

[3:15] Because people, when God is with you, people will see it. Tell someone, God is with us. So, he was put in prison. And in prison, this is a very interesting one.

[3:28] Verse 31, he was a prosperous man. Wow. Ah. So, prosperity has not got just to do with the money you have. No. Prosperity is in stages.

[3:41] Stages. You can have a prosperous child who may not own a car. But in his school, he's the best. Every class he goes to, he's the best.

[3:55] He makes his teachers work very easy. Teachers want to make him head boy, head girl. Prosperous. What I'm trying to say is that from today onwards, God's presence is going to make a difference in your life.

[4:11] Amen. Amen. God's presence is going to make a difference in somebody's life. Now, why am I saying all these things?

[4:22] Because when the Lord is with someone, life comes under your command. Yes. That's why we are hosting his presence. Yes. When you are hosting his presence, so when God's presence is with you, it makes a whole lot of difference.

[4:39] Yes. It makes a major difference in your life. It guarantees you things, and secures you things that others cannot get. It even secures you things that you know you don't qualify for.

[4:55] You keep serving God. Let them wait till they see your children. Hey. These things are not a sign of spirituality. But when you walk with God, things work for you.

[5:09] When you walk with God, things work for you. Did you hear what I said? When you walk with God, things work for you. Because he said it's working for us. And in Romans, it says all things work together for good.

[5:23] When you walk with God, things work for you. When you walk with God, things work for you. So if I were you, what would you do?

[5:34] I will walk with God. Peter was passing through places, and his shadow was healing the sick. Paul was sending handkerchiefs.

[5:46] Just handkerchiefs. People would take handkerchiefs from Saul or Paul, send it to sick people, and the demons and the sicknesses left them. Who is Paul? Who is Paul? Who is Paul? Why must that happen?

[5:57] The presence of God around him. What you need is to secure God's presence. When you secure God's presence, your place in life is secured. When you secure God's presence around your life, your place in life is secured.

[6:14] And I can tell you, even your health is secured. So what does it take to secure the presence of God? Number one, to secure the presence of God, I explained. Number one, what did I say?

[6:25] A genuine desire. How do you secure God's presence? If you want the Holy Spirit on your life regularly and work to enjoy God's presence, there must be a genuine desire.

[6:36] You must desire. You must desire. Desire the company. The presence of God. Desire to be with God. The Bible, in Psalm 27, verse 4, it says, One thing have I desired.

[6:51] Did you see that? It said, one thing. If there is something you should... Psalm 27, verse 4. If there is something you should desire, it should be the presence of God. It said, one thing have I desired.

[7:02] Let's say, one thing have I desired. One thing have I desired. If you desire God's presence, say, one thing have I desired. One thing have I desired. One. If there is anything you should desire in your life, then first and foremost, above everything, is seeking God's presence.

[7:18] Say, one thing have I desired, that I will 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 Him, why are I in His temple?

[7:30] Before He went on to say, for in the time of trouble, He shall hide me. See that next verse. He said, for in the time of... He said, for. For. That's the reason. Because in the... But if you don't do the first one, the second one is not guaranteed.

[7:43] For in the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the seventh place of His tabernacle, shall He hide me. He shall set me high upon a rock. So when the tsunami of life is coming, you are standing on a high rock.

[7:56] Why? Because of God's presence. But it starts with a desire. God will not force Himself on anybody. He will not and will never do it.

[8:09] That's why He doesn't need us to fight for Him. If you insult Jesus, no one will fight for Him. No, no, no. He can sort Himself out. Because He's God. He is God.

[8:20] So, one thing about desire, number one, it must be a desire. Say a desire. A desire. Say a desire. A desire. Bible says in John chapter 7, verse 37, said, on the last day of the feast, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, see, last days are significant.

[8:42] Because Jesus had to shout, because this is the last thing I have to let you know on this last day. It's so important. He said, if anyone thirsts, let him come and drink. What qualifies you to come to him to drink is your thirst.

[8:56] There must be a desire. There must be a hunger in you. That's why I like the song. It says, this is my daily bread. This is my daily bread. I'm desperate for you.

[9:08] I'm hungry for you. Psalm 63 talks about, early in the morning will I rise up and seek Him. I'm thirsty for God. The psalm, Psalm 42, that's the song we normally sing.

[9:21] Psalm 42, I think, from verse 1, it talks about how the dear pants. As the dear pants for the water brooks. I've explained this before, but let me take this opportunity to do it again.

[9:33] Now, the dear, the dear has a peculiar smell. But the only thing that can neutralize the smell for the dear, okay?

[9:46] So the dear had a peculiar smell. The only thing that can neutralize the smell is when it gets into water. So as soon as it gets into water and comes out, you will smell it. It neutralizes the smell.

[9:57] Now, any time a predator and a lion or something comes after the animal, the dear doesn't look for a hiding place. Because even if it looks for a hiding place, its peculiar smell will give it away.

[10:12] So the dear doesn't look for a hiding place. The dear runs, it can run very fast. Right? It's a very fast animal. Run through rocky and smooth, rough places and some run.

[10:22] So they can run a bit faster before the predator gets to them. So they don't look for a hiding place. The dear, the first thing it does is look for water. And God being so good, it has put in the deer the instincts.

[10:38] It has the, it can smell. Between here, a mile away or two miles away, the deer can sense there is water. So it has a special, peculiar sense.

[10:51] It's able to sense where water is. For a very long, how far it is, it can smell. So then when the predator and the animal, like the lion or the hina or the tiger, comes to want to eat the deer, the deer doesn't look for it.

[11:07] When other animals are looking for a hiding place, the deer doesn't look for a hiding place. Guess what? It looks for water. So it begins to run, panting for water. Because it knows if I can get water, I'll be saved.

[11:19] If I can get to where the water is, I'll be saved. Then I can hide. But if I don't get water, I can't hide. And the psalmist says, Psalm 42 verse 1, as the deer pants for waters, so my soul tests for you.

[11:31] My soul is looking for you because I know that if I can get God, I'll be okay. If I can get to the house of God, I'll be saved. If I can locate God, I'll be secure. In the name of Jesus.

[11:45] Right there, it depicts how hungry the psalmist is looking for God. As the deer pants for the waters. Now, the word pants, that means running, looking for, because life is at stake.

[11:59] You having God in your life is a matter of life and death. So anything that will keep you away from God's presence is endangering your life.

[12:12] It can be ideology, philosophy, offense, or pride. Anything keeping you away from God's presence is keeping you away from safety. The Bible says, the name of the Lord is a strong tower.

[12:23] The righteous run into it and they are saved. Hallelujah. So, to secure God's presence, you have to desire so bad.

[12:34] You have to desire his presence so bad. Anyone who tests, he said, let him come and drink. Anyone who tests, come and drink. So, there must be a desire.

[12:46] And then, number two, one of the ways to secure God's presence is what? Say, consecration. Why is it that some of you are not saying it? Say, consecration.

[12:58] I believe you can still say it louder. Say, consecration. What's consecration? Consecration is to separate yourself onto God. See, to keep God in your camp, you have to keep something out of your camp.

[13:16] Something must go for, if you want to give me something, I won't be able to take it because my hands are full. I must empty my hands to be able to take what you are giving me.

[13:28] Consecration is emptying your life of anything that is hostile to God. And what's hostile to God? S-I-N. With I in the middle.

[13:38] You are in the middle. At the center of sin is always me. Me, me. I, I, I. I, self, self, self. Self is always at the center of sin.

[13:49] S-I-N. The I. I am. I. I'm in charge. All right? So, to secure God's presence, we have to do away with the sin.

[14:01] Am I talking to somebody at all? Am I talking to somebody at all? Am I talking to somebody at all? It's not that God can't help you, but your sin is keeping him away from you. So, to secure, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden because of sin.

[14:15] How come you think you will enter with sin? They went out. They said, get out of here because of sin. And now, you have loaded it on yourself and said, oh, I'm going in any way. Grace will take care of me.

[14:27] I'm taking territory. I'm claiming blessings. I'm claiming this. Before you start claiming, disclaim. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. So, sin.

[14:38] And then number three. Prayer. Prayer. Jesus was a prayerful man and that is why he always secured the presence of God around him. Please, listen to this very carefully, brothers and sisters.

[14:51] Prayer meeting is not for offerings or necessarily just to generate miracles for somebody. Prayer meetings is for securing God's presence. Prayer meetings.

[15:01] Prayer. Prayer. See? See? Resolution, eh? It's not good enough of you. If there's a resolution you should make, you should make a resolution that will make you pray.

[15:14] Do you understand what I'm saying? Make a resolution that I determine that I will not miss prayers. I will always pray and I will be in the place of prayer. That should be, that's the resolution. Then other things will be taken care of by the presence of God.

[15:27] Prayer. Jesus was always praying. Bible says there are times, there are a lot of activities going on. In Luke chapter five. There are a lot of activities going on. But every now and then Jesus will draw himself to a solitary place where he prayed.

[15:43] The reason why he was able to endure the cross, the most heinous things that could ever happen to a human being was the cross. The reason why he was able to endure it is God, before he was betrayed, he was praying.

[15:55] So he told Peter, Peter, you have to, Peter said, Jesus, I will never, me, how can I deny you? Never. Never. He said, I will die with you. But he couldn't be arrested with him.

[16:10] No, no. He refused to be arrested with him. Let alone to go and die with him. But before that, he meant it. No, he meant it. He said, Jesus, no, I will die with you. He said, hey, I will die.

[16:21] Jesus, I said, hey, take it easy. When he was standing for praying, he was sleeping. He was sleeping because he was actually tired. So sometimes there may be justification from you absenting yourself from where there's strength for you.

[16:34] That justification may end up disqualifying you. Even though your sleeping is justified. If you oversleep during an exam, when you have an exam, and you oversleep and you couldn't go and rise there.

[16:46] Maybe you actually, you lent all the nights and you overslept. It's true, isn't it? You didn't sleep intentionally. Your alarm failed to go up. Is it not true? So would they say, it doesn't matter. Let's give you pass. No.

[16:58] In the same way, Peter had a justification to sleep because he was tired. Jesus acknowledges. He just said, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew chapter 26, verse 40, 41, 42.

[17:10] The flesh is weak. However, he said, watch and pray so you do not fall into temptation. He didn't watch and pray. He was sleeping. So when temptation came, even though he didn't want to fall, the thing zapped him.

[17:23] There's somebody, wake up! Wake up! So prayer. Prayer. Someone say prayer. Prayer. Listen to this, brothers and sisters.

[17:35] Pay any price to pray. It will secure you your placement in life. Pay any price.

[17:46] This is a friendly, brotherly advice I'm giving you. It's just an advice. Pay any price to pray. What did I say?

[17:59] Pay any price to pray. Pay any price. It's worth it. It's worth the price. Pay any price to pray. Because it will secure you your placement in destiny.

[18:13] Prayer will protect you from entering into temptation. There are traps all over life. Don't you know? Traps. Traps. People don't like you. You can't do anything about it.

[18:23] So prayer. And what's the third one? The fourth one? Fasting. Fasting is not fighting. It's not just a way to fight diet or fight.

[18:40] Fasting has a way of securing God's presence. In Acts chapter 13 verse 1, Bible says that there were some teachers and prophets in the church in Antioch. And he mentioned all of them, their name.

[18:51] And in verse 2, the Bible says that, as they ministered to their Lord and it was fasted. The fasting made the Holy Ghost show up to begin to talk.

[19:03] The Holy Ghost spoke for false destiny to be secured because they were in the midst of fasting. Prayer and fasting. People don't want to pay the price. But they want to gain the price.

[19:15] There is every price to pay for the price. Every price has a price. And fasting, Jesus said, this kind of problem does not go except by prayer and fasting.

[19:32] Hallelujah. I see God changing your story. I see God changing your story. And finally, if you want to secure the presence of God.

[19:44] Finally. This is important. I don't know which of the two to give first. Fellowship. Someone say fellowship. Fellowship.

[19:55] It's not a healthy thing to absent yourself from where Christians have got it. And stay at home and watch it on the internet. It's not a healthy thing. The Bible says in Psalm 133.

[20:12] Psalm 133, verse 1. It said, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell. Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Verse 2. Listen to this.

[20:22] They're dwelling together. When they come together in unity. Verse 2. It said, it is like the precious oil upon the head that runs on the beard. The beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments.

[20:35] Look at verse 3. The Bible says that it is like the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion. For what? For what? For what? For what? Where is the there?

[20:46] Where the brethren have dwell together? There. There. There, what happens? God. God. That's not a declared blessing. It's a commanded blessing.

[20:57] A command blessing to come on you. Commanded blessing comes from people in the midst of fellowship. Read the scriptures very carefully. You could find out the people of God were always together.

[21:08] We have to know your company. Your company will define, will determine your allotment in life. So your company.

[21:19] The Bible says that and when they were let go. Acts chapter 4 verse 23. They went back to their own company. You must have a company you regularly fellowship around and fellowship with.

[21:31] I say, somebody say, I'm an evangelist. Still you must have a base. Hasn't pilots got homes? I'm a pilot.

[21:42] But you still have a home. You must have an address now. What is your spiritual address? Your spiritual address must be traced to a certain church. It is necessary.

[21:53] Because watch this. Commitment to a church. Commitment builds character. You hang around people that sometimes they may offend you. But it's okay. That's how you build character. Commitment.

[22:04] Someone will step on your toe. That's fine. Because if you are far, I can't step on your toe. But the closer we get, the more we get the chance to step on each other toe.

[22:15] You see what I'm saying? So people will offend you because people offend. Your fellowship. The Bible says that Abraham was called, God called Abraham and Lot went with him.

[22:28] Lot went with him. And so Lot also became blessed because of his company. Paul and Silas. We can tell from scriptures. I was telling you the other time. Paul and Silas.

[22:39] When God called them together. Acts chapter 13 from verse 2. God said, separate unto me Paul and Barnabas. And they were to, Barnabas and Paul. They were together doing work until they got to, what chapter was it?

[22:55] I think chapter 16 or 15. Chapter 15. And there was a contention between the two of them. Because Barnabas wanted to go with his relative, John Mark. But John Mark also left them stranded.

[23:07] And they couldn't bear. So Paul said, we won't go with him because this guy is not a faithful guy. And it became, the Bible said, their contention became so sharp between them. So the contention became so sharp between them.

[23:19] Such that Paul, Barnabas took John Mark and went. And Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. And Paul also went with Silas and departed.

[23:30] That was the last time we heard about Barnabas. That was the last time. We were enjoying Barnabas. We were hearing about Barnabas because of Paul. When we heard about Barnabas, he was going in Acts chapter 9.

[23:42] Believers said, we don't want Saul. Saul is a killer. Don't come and join us. So Barnabas, Acts chapter 9, 27. Bible talks about how Barnabas held the hand of Saul. And took them to the apostles and said, guys, look.

[23:54] This guy is a good guy. He introduced them to. So from that time, they were big together throughout. That's when Barnabas' name became from Acts chapter 9. All through to Acts chapter 15.

[24:05] You could hear about Barnabas. So he separated from Paul. That was it. So who you associate with will define how far you can go in the race.

[24:18] The church you attend determines your doctrine. And it determines your liberties in life. The liberty you can enjoy in God. And the kind of presence you can carry around.

[24:30] Someone says that one thing of I desire, to stay in your presence always. And this man, up to now, he's still in Israel. You know, the flag of Israel.

[24:42] He has that star. Do you know what it's called? It's the star of David. This is the man who said, I love the praise of God. Up to now, even secular Israel. You know what I'm saying?

[24:53] Secular Israel. The flag of Israel. His star. Star of David. It's inside. David. And he said, one thing I desire, to be in God's house always.

[25:04] And you. You. You. You're so important. Going to God's house, you are doing people a favor. No. Do you know what I'm saying? I'm reaching it with someone.

[25:16] Sometimes we just have to reason. We have to just use our minds. Fellowship. Someone say fellowship. Fellowship. Fellowship secures God's presence. But because of my time, I will leave the praise and worship.

[25:29] When you praise and worship God, his presence just descend on you like something. Okay. I've said it. So add it. Psalm.

[25:41] Psalm 22 verse 3. I think it would be nice if we all read it together. Because that's. I'm ending on that. Can we read it together? Let's go. Can we have the King James Version, please?

[25:59] Let's read it from the King James Version. Let's read it. But thou art holy. O thou that inhabitest the praise of. O thou that what? I can hear you. O thou that what?

[26:10] Inhabit. All right. Can I hear ladies? Let's all the ladies read it. Let's go. Can I hear the gentleman reading? Let's go.

[26:20] But thou art holy. O thou that inhabitest the praise of. To the moon. But thou art holy. O thou that inhabitest the praise of. O thou that what?

[26:31] Inhabit. Inhabit. Do you know what it means to inhabit? No. Do you know what? When we say something is the natural habitat. It's the dwelling place.

[26:42] All right. So a habitat is a dwelling place. Watch it. This is very important. And Bible said God inhabits. That's his natural habitat. It's in the midst of praise.

[26:54] So you are talking about the presence of God and you can't praise. You are missing him. So when things are down. Do you know what? Begin to praise God. So when we are singing.

[27:07] It's not some songs we are doing. We are actually praising. We are lifting his name. And as we praise him. He descends in his glory. He descends in his majesty. And when God steps in Red Sea.

[27:18] The Jordan begins to run away. I don't know. I can't take this one. The mountains melt like wax. Where? Where? Do you know what it means? When God shows up.

[27:28] Those are your troubles. They melt. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Stop running around looking for someone to be praying for you. Praise him. Command his presence.

[27:39] And the things will begin to melt away. Amen. Mountains. Mountains. It says mountains. They melt like wax at his presence. At the presence of the Lord. So when you praise him.

[27:50] You attract his presence. Things begin to melt away. That shall be your testimony. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[28:04] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[28:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.