Presence Doors....Proximity to His presence

Acts 16:25 NKJV

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

EVERY BODY PREACHES ABOUT WHAT PAUL AND SILAS DID

I THINK IT’S AMAZING WHAT THEY DIDN’T DO

THE PRISONS THEN WERE NOT LIKE THE PRISONS WE HAVE NOW

THE PRISONS NOW WOULD BE LIKE STAYING AT THE HYATT REGENCY

COMPARED TO HOW THEY WERE THEN

OLD ROMAN PRISONS WERE BASICALLY

HOLES IN THE GROUND

WITH GRATES AT THE TOP OF THEM

RATS AND HUMAN WASTE WOULD BE ALL AROUND THEM

BASICALLY A CESSPOOL

THEY WEREN’T COMPLAINING

THEY WEREN’T SAYING HOW BAD IT WAS

THEY WEREN’T SAYING “HOW HAS GOD FORSAKEN ME”

THEY WEREN’T WANTING TO TURN THEIR BACK ON THEIR FAITH

INSTEAD, THEY WERE PRAISING GOD

JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT THEY DID DO

IS WHAT THEY DID NOT DO

Acts 16:26–31 NKJV

26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

WOW....GOD DON’T WANT TO JUST SAVE YOU

HE WANTS TO SAVE EVERY THING CONNECTED TO YOU

Acts 16:32–34 NKJV

32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

......OPEN IN PRAYER......

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DOORS FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS ALMOST

THE BIBLE SAYS...

BEHOLD, I SET BEFORE YOU A DOOR

A DOOR THAT I CAN OPEN AND NO MAN CAN SHUT

AND A DOOR I CAN SHUT AND NO MAN CAN OPEN

I’M NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND TEACH ON THAT AGAIN, I DON’T HAVE TIME THIS MORNING

WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS REGARDING DOORS

I TOOK THE LAST 2 WEEKS AND TALKED TO YOU ABOUT SEASONAL DOORS

WE TALKED ABOUT DOORS THAT ARE BASICALLY ON A TIMER

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT....

EVERY THING IS BEAUTIFUL IN IT’S TIME

SO, EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL AS LONG AS IT’S KEPT IN IT’S TIMING

GOD’S TIMING

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

(EXAMPLE)

watch this.....(PLAYBACK APP “MAKE ROOM”)

DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED?

I MISSED IT THE FIRST TIME AROUND

I MISSED MY DOOR

SO I HAD TO WAIT

AND LET IT GO ALL THE WAY AROUND AGAIN

FOR THAT DOOR TO COME OPEN TO ME

OH MY LORD....

IF I COME IN... OUT OF TIME

ITS GONNA MESS THE BAND UP

AND IT WOULD MESS ME ALL UP

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

SOME DOORS ARE SEASONAL DOORS

AND IF YOU DON’T JUMP IN AT THE RIGHT TIME

THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO CIRCLE AROUND AGAIN

AS A DRUMMER....

MY JOB IS TO KEEP GOOD TIMING FOR THE REST OF THE BAND (EXPOUND)

WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING IN TIME

A NOISE OF HARMONY AND UNITY IS MADE

IF NOT, THEN....

A NOISE OF DISCORD IS MADE

OH COME ON SOMEBODY...

GOD DID NOT CREATE US TO BE IN DISCORD

HE CREATED US FOR PERFECT HARMONY AND UNITY

(TALK ABOUT PRACTICING WITH A METRONOME)

IN PERFECT TIME

THE METRONOME WILL DISAPPEAR

OH MY LORD...

WHEN YOU ARE IN GOD’S TIMING

WHICH IS...PERFECT TIMING

THE DISCORD BEGINS TO DISAPPEAR

BUT WHEN WE DO THINGS ACCORDING TO OUR OWN TIMING

THAT’S WHEN THE ISSUES BEGIN TO ARISE

THAT’S WHEN MISTAKES BEGIN TO BE MADE

GOD’S DESIRE FOR US IS TO HAVE HARMONY IN OUR LIFE

THAT MEANS....WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING

BUT WE ARE ALSO DOING THE RIGHT THING IN THE RIGHT TIME

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

GOD TOLD ISRAEL TO GO AND TAKE JERICHO

BUT THEY DIDN’T...

INSTEAD THEY HESITATED AND WAITED

AND 12 HOURS PAST

THEN THEY SAID “OK LETS GO”

BUT THEY COULDN’T....WHY?

BECAUSE THAT DOOR HAD CLOSED

THEN THE BIBLE TELLS US THEY HAD TO WAIT 40 YEARS

MAN THATS A LONG CYCLE

BUT THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY

TO CYCLE AROUND TO THEM AGAIN

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....

PLEASE UNDERSTAND ME THIS MORNING

WHENEVER YOU FEEL LIKE IT’S YOUR MOMENT

AND YOU SEE THOSE SEASONAL DOORS OPENING

I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT DOORS THAT CAN BE PUSHED OPEN

I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT DOORS THAT ARE UNLOCKED BY SOME TYPE OF CODE

I’M TALKING ABOUT DOORS THAT ONLY GOD CAN OPEN

AND HE SHUTS AND NO MAN CAN OPEN THEM

HE OPEN

AND HE SHUTS,

AND HE OPENS

AND HE SHUTS

AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN THE TIMING OF WHEN TO INSERT YOURSELF

IF NOT

YOU MAY END UP WAITING FOR THAT DOOR TO CYCLE BACK AROUND

OH COME ON SOMEBODY......

(GET EXCITED)

SOME OF YOU IN HERE

ALWAYS SEEM TO SHOW UP A DAY EARLY OR A DAY LATE

I’M STANDING AND BELIEVING THAT GOD WILL BEGIN TO BRING YOU INTO ALIGNMENT

I’M BELIEVING THAT GOD IS ABOUT TO LINE UP THE TIMING OF YOUR STEPS

THE BIBLE SAYS THE STEPS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN ARE ORDERED

OH COME ON SOMEBODY...

YOUR DOING THE RIGHT THING

BUT YOUR TIMING HAS BEEN OFF

LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL THEM...

GOD IS ABOUT TO FIX MY TIMING

OH COME ON....

TELL THEM...

EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL IN IT’S TIME

CAN I GET AN AMEN???

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

PHYSICAL DOORS....

(TALK ABOUT CRASH BARS FOR EMERGENCIES)

THERE ARE DOORS IN THIS BUILDING THAT ARE REQUIRED TO OPEN

WHEN YOU FORCE THEM OR PUSH ON THEM FROM THE INSIDE

EMERGENCY CRASH BARS

THEY ARE MADE IN A WAY THAT REQUIRE YOU TO APPLY FORCE FOR THEM TO OPEN

IS ANYBODY HEARING ME.....

THOSE DOORS ARE NOT ON A TIMER

THEY DON’T EVEN NEED A KEYS

THEY OPEN ONLY BY PHYSICAL FORCE

SOME DOOR IN YOUR LIFE......

ARE GOING TO REQUIRE YOU

TO FORCE

OR APPLY EFFORT FOR THEM TO OPEN

SEASONAL DOORS

DOESN’T MATTER HOW MUCH EFFORT YOU APPLY

THEY WON’T OPEN

YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND PREPARE YOURSELF

PHYSICAL DOORS

YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR GOD TO OPEN THOSE DOORS

YOUR THE ONE THAT HAS TO OPEN THOSE DOORS

IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL...

YOU CAN SPEND YOUR ENTIRE LIFE WAITING ON GOD TO OPEN DOORS

AND HE’S WAITING ON YOU TO APPLY EFFORT FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN

OH MY LORD.....

THERE ARE SOME DOORS

THAT IF I’M GONNA GET THE JOB

THE JOBS NOT COMING TO ME

I’M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THE EFFORT

TO UPDATE MY RESUME

I’M GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND INTERVIEW

I’VE GOTTA MAKE AN EFFORT TO GO AND SEEK

IT’S GONNA REQUIRE ME TO PUSH A LITTLE BIT

THERE ARE EVEN DOORS THAT ARE’NT GONNA OPEN BY NORMAL PRAYER

THE BIBLE SAYS....

THE EFFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH

JESUS SAID.....

THAT SOME DEMONS ONLY COME OUT BY....

PRAYER AND FASTING

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WHEN YOUR FASTING???

YOUR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SOMETHING

YOUR GOING BEYOND JUST PRAYER

YOUR APPLYING PRESSURE AND FORCE

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

THE BIBLE SAID....

THE GATES OF HELL CAN NOT PREVAIL AGAINST YOU

GATES ARE SOMETHING THAT KEEP YOU OUT

THAT MEANS THAT GATES ARE DEFENSIVE

WHICH MEANS THAT THE CHURCH IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A DEFENSIVE POSTURE

BUT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN OFFENSIVE POSTURE

GOD IS LOOKING FOR A CHURCH WHO IS NOT SHRIEKING BACK IN FEAR

BUT A CHURCH THAT IS LEADING PEOPLE INTO VICTORY AND TRIUMPH OVER THE ENEMY

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

IT’S TIME TO STAND UP AND SAY

WE ARE THE MEN OF ISSACHAR

AND WE SEE WHAT THE ENEMY IS TRYING TO DO

AND AS MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD

WE KNOW HOW TO RESPOND AND FIGHT

WE WILL NOT COWER DOWN TO THE WORLD

OR THE AGENDA OF THE ENEMY

BUT WE WILL STAND UP AND BEGIN TO APPLY PRESSURE AND FORCE

TO THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS

OH MY LORD....CAN I GET AN AMEN???

DOORS BEGIN TO OPEN WHEN YOU APPLY SOME FORCE IN YOUR LIFE...

SOME DOORS DON’T AND WON’T OPEN UNTIL YOU...

APPLY FORCE

WHETHER THAT BE BY PHYSICALLY SEEKING

SPIRITUALLY SEEKING

FASTING AND PRAYING

HOWEVER IT MAY BE

THESE ARE DOORS THAT GOD IS WAITING ON YOU

AND YOUR EFFORT TO FORCE IT OPEN

LET’S TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT....

PRESENCE DOORS

RIGHT NOW MY CELL PHONE IS ON WIFI MOST OF THE TIME

WHEN YOU SET UP WIFI IN A STORE OR A COFFEE SHOP

OR EVEN YOUR OWN HOME

WHAT HAPPENS IS...

WHEN YOU GET WITHIN PROXIMITY OF THAT WIFI SIGNAL

YOUR PHONE WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONNECT TO THAT WIFI

I CAN’T DRIVE TO STOCKTON OR A DIFFERENT STATE

AND STILL CONNECT TO THE WIFI AT MY HOME

WHY???

BECAUSE I AM NOT IN PROXIMITY OF IT’S REACH

OH MY LORD HELP US...

I HAVE A GARAGE DOOR OPENER IN MY TRUCK FOR MY HOME

IF I GO OUT AN PRESS THAT BUTTON RIGHT NOW

NOTHING WILL HAPPEN

BECAUSE I AM NOT WITHIN PROXIMITY

I HAVE TO GET WITHIN 25-30 FT FOR IT TO OPEN MY GARAGE

MOST DEPARTMENT STORES

HAVE DOORS THAT

WHEN YOU GET TO ABOUT 5-8 FT FROM THE DOOR

THEY AUTOMATICALLY OPEN

THIS REMINDS ME OF A JOKE I CAME ACROSS.......

(AMISH GOES TO NEW YORK JOKE)

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND....

THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN DOORS THAT ONLY OPEN

WHEN YOU GET INTO A CERTAIN PROXIMITY

THAT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO GET INTO THE PRESENCE OF THAT DEVICE

BEFORE THE DEVICE WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

YOU CAN’T OPEN THE DOOR

IT’S NOT A DOOR THAT HAS TO BE FORCED

IN OTHER WORDS...

THERE IS SOMEONE WAITING FOR YOU TO COME INTO HIS PRESENCE

AND WHEN YOU COME INTO HIS PRESENCE

HE WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ACTS 16?

I’M GLAD YOU ASKED

LET ME GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT TO THE STORY

PAUL HAS JUST CAST THE DEMON OUT OF A GIRL

SHE WAS A FORTUNE TELLER

I DON’T HAVE TO GO INTO ALL OF IT BUT...

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BORN AGAIN TO ACCESS THE SPIRIT WORLD

THIS GIRL WAS DEMONICALLY ACCESSING THE SPIRIT WORLD

AND SHE WAS FORETELLING THE FUTURE

AND THOSE PIMPS OF HERS WHO WOULD PLACE BETS ON FUTURE EVENTS

THEY WERE USING HER WEAKNESS OF DEMON POSSESSION

TO BRING THEMSELVES PROFITS

BECAUSE WHEN YOU NOW WHO IS GONNA WIN

YOU KNOW HOW TO PLACE YOUR BET

SO, IT WAS IN THERE BEST INTEREST THAT THIS GIRL STAY IN THIS WEAKNESS AND DYSFUNCTION

AND SO, THEY ARE IN PHILIPI (WHICH IS WHERE WE GET PHILIPPIANS)

IN THIS CITY PAUL IS AN APOSTLE

APOSTLES ARE TO GO INTO CITIES AND OPEN UP THE CITIES FOR THE GOSPEL

THIS IS NOT A CHRISTIAN PLACE

AND PAUL IS AN APOSTLE GOING INTO THE CITY

AND HE’S SUPPOSED TO OPEN UP THE CITY TO THE HEAVENS

AND BRING A MOVE OF GOD

AND OPEN THAT CITY UP TO THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

FOLLOW ME???

WHILE HE’S PREACHING

THIS GIRL START SCREAMING

“THESE ARE MEN OF THE MOST HIGH GOD”

AND SHE’S DOING IT TO BE ANNOYING

AND TO BE A DISTRACTION

AND THE BIBLE SAYS PAUL BEING GREATLY ANNOYED

FINALLY GOT SICK OF IT AND TURNED AROUND

AND CAST THE DEMON OUT OF HER

WHEN HE DID THIS

THE BIBLE SAYS....

THAT HER MASTERS SAW THAT THEIR MEANS OF PROFIT WAS GONE

THEY TOOK PAUL AND SILAS AND TURNED THEM OVER TO THE AUTHORITIES

AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT BEFORE THEY WERE TAKEN AND THROWN INTO PRISON

THEY WERE BEATEN ACROSS THEIR BACKS

NOW HANG WITH ME BECAUSE I WANT TO GET INTO SOME STUFF REAL QUICK...

WHEN THEY WERE BEATEN…

ISAIAH 53 LETS US KNOW JESUS WAS BEATEN ON HIS BACK

BECAUSE WHEN YOUR BEATEN ON YOUR BACK

YOU ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR HEALING

SO IT’S LETTING US KNOW THAT PAUL AND SILAS ARE BEATEN ON THEIR BACKS.....WHY?

BECAUSE THE PAIN THAT THEY ARE FEELING....

IS FOR PHILIPI’S HEALING

IT WAS PAIN ON THEIR BACK FOR THE HEALING OF A CITY

OH MY LORD....

SO WE SEE PAUL AND SILAS THROWN INTO PRISON

AFTER THEY THROW HIM INTO PRISON

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

THEY GET TO PRISON

AND IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR THEY BEGIN SINGING

WOW....ARE YOU WITH ME????

I’M ABOUT TO PULL SOMETHING OUT OF THIS FOR YOU THIS MORNING....

IT SAYS THEY STARTED SINGING AT MIDNIGHT....

WHY AT MIDNIGHT???

MIDNIGHT IS ACTUALLY

THE CLOSING OUT OF ONE DAY

AND THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY

OH COME ON...

THAT’S WHY WE CALL IT 1 OR 2 IN THE MORNING

WHEN YOU GET PAST MIDNIGHT...

YOU ARE NO LONGER IN THE FORMER DAY

YOU ARE ENTERING INTO A NEW DAY

SO HERE THEY ARE AT MIDNIGHT....

THE PLACE BETWEEN 2 DAYS

OH MY LORD..

IT IS THE PLACE BETWEEN

ONE THING CLOSING

AND ANOTHER THING OPENING UP

BUT.....

THE THING THAT’S ABOUT TO OPEN UP

WILL NOT OPEN UP UNLESS.....

THEY GET INTO THE PROXIMITY OF HIS PRESENCE

OH I WISH YA’LL WERE HEARING ME

THE DOOR THAT’S ABOUT TO OPEN

IS NOT A SEASONAL DOOR

IT IS NOT A PHYSICAL EFFORT OR FORCED DOOR

THE DOOR THAT IS ABOUT TO OPEN IS....

A PRESENCE DOOR

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

THEY HAVE TO COME WITHIN A CERTAIN PROXIMITY OF THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD

IT IS THE ONLY WAY....THIS DOOR OPENS

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT

PRAISE BREAKING YOUR CHAINS

THIS ISN’T WHAT WERE TALKING ABOUT

THIS IS.....ABOUT GOD

IS ANYBODY HEARING ME???

I’M TALKING ABOUT THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE

WHO INHABITS PRAISE

AND WHEN THEY GET TO MIDNIGHT...

GENERALLY IN THE BIBLE

MIDNIGHT OR NIGHT

IT’S USUALLY TALKING ABOUT DIFFICULTY

BEING IN A PLACE OF DARKNESS

IS ANYBODY IN THE MIDDLE OF MIDNIGHT?

OH LORD HELP US...

(GET EXCITED)

LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MIDNIGHT....

GOD TURNS OUR MOURNING INTO DANCING

HE SAID....

WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT

BUT IT SAYS....WHAT???

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING

LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND TELL THEM....

HANG ON

MORNING IS COMING

JOY IS COMING

CAN I GET AN AMEN....

....WORSHIP TEAM COME....

SOME OF YOU ARE STARING IN THE FACE OF DARKNESS

YOU ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF A DOOR

AND I’M TELLING YOU THAT ONLY YOUR PRAISE

IS GOING TO OPEN THAT DOOR

ONLY YOU GETTING INTO PROXIMITY OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD

IS GOING TO OPEN THAT DOOR

IT MAY SEEM DARK

IT MAY SEEM SCARY

BUT GOD SAID WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT

BUT WHAT?????

JOY COMES IN THE MORNING

YOUR PRAISE OPENS DOORS

YOUR PROXIMITY TO HIM OPENS DOORS

PAUL AND SILAS

THEIR PRAISE INVOKED GODS PRESENCE

GOD SHOWED UP....

AND THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD

CAUSED THE PRISON DOORS TO OPEN

OH COME ON SOMEBODY...

GOD INHABITS OUR PRAISE

DO YOU KNOW WHY THOSE DOORS FLEW OPEN

IT WASN’T PRAISE THAT GOT THEM OUT

IT WAS THAT GOD INHABITS THE PRAISE OF HIS PEOPLE

AND WHEN GOD CAME INTO THE JAIL

OH COME ON...

THAT PRISON WAS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR

PAUL, SILAS, AND GOD

SO WHEN THE PRESENCE OF GOD SHOWED UP

THOSE GATES FLEW OPEN

THEY WEREN’T OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

THEY WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OUT

CAN SOMEBODY GIVE HIM A SHOUT OF PRAISE???

......STAND TO YOUR FEET....