04 - God's Presence Heals

Intro: I first began to experience God’s presence with God’s people at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship (Bay Shore, NY). Jesus touched me and convicted me of my sin. He showed me that I needed him, and I remember trembling in his awesome, magnificent presence. This got me hungry. But I didn’t know God’s presence in my personal prayer times until I became serious about seeking his face. I read books by A.W. Tozer and Leonard Ravenhill that stirred my heart and made me realise there was more of God to be experienced. The Holy Spirit led me to give my evenings, and then my mornings, to God. I’d arise at 4 am and soon at 3 am. And in these times of seeking God’s face, the glory of God would fill my room. I could feel God’s tangible presence, and I knew it was changing me. I wanted nothing else but to know God and his ways. During one of these times, I even remember my mom knocking on my bedroom door (she wasn’t saved yet), and she was crying as God was touching her heart. And this was at about 5 am. More than any theological argument, I learned that God was real and tangible. Today, I want to share with you about God’s presence, and you don’t have to die until you experience it. Well, you’ll have to die to your self-nature.

1) God’s presence gives deep satisfying rest (Exo. 33:14).

Moses and Joshua were hungry for God’s presence (Exo. 33:7-11).

Exodus 33:7–11 NASB95

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Our church is a people of God’s presence.

We have that same hunger and thirst in our hearts for Yahweh God as Moses and Joshua had.

And where does that hunger come from?

It comes from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit longs for us to find our rest in God alone.

“To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart” (AW Tozer).

Quotes like these helped inspire our name: Holy Fire Fellowship.

“Our hearts are restless, until they can find rest in you.” (Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, 354–430AD).

Healing comes from rest and there’s no greater rest than the rest God’s presence gives.

God’s presence gives deep satisfying rest.

The word ‘rest’ used in Exodus comes from nuach and anach, and sounds like a sigh of relief (also a sigh of grief, see Gesenius in Endnotes).

This is also where the name Noah (Noach) finds its origins. Noah brings comfort and rest (Gen. 5:29).

The rest God brings is not just outwardly stopping or falling asleep. Instead, it’s a deep internal rest, which comes from God leading us, making the way for us and settling us.

2) God’s presence gives unspeakable joy (Ps. 21:6; Ps. 16:11).

In Psalm 21:6, David testifies that God made him ‘joyful with gladness’ in his presence.

Psalm 21:6 NASB95

For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

David’s experience of God’s presence inspired his lifelong pursuit and placing the Ark of the Covenant in the centre of Jerusalem.

God’s presence must be the centerpiece.

It’s one of the reasons we are here hosting God’s presence in the centre of Brisbane in this Upper Room (Level 7).

3) God’s presence protects (Ps. 31:20).

Look at Psalm 31:19-21.

Look at the Psalm 31:19-21 Inspiration Translation Infographic.

God’s presence protects us from the enemy’s assaults and the vile poison of people’s tongues.

No evil can penetrate God’s presence.

4) God’s presence heals, restores and makes us whole (Matt. 9:9-13, 35; 10:1).

Jesus was the living embodiment of God’s manifested presence on earth.

He was the walking, talking and living Ark of the Covenant.

And there always had to be blood on the Ark––that’s why Jesus’ shed his blood––to take away our sins.

Matthew 9:9-13, Matthew 9:35 and Matthew 10:1 reveal the ministry of God’s presence.

Matthew 9:9–13 NASB95

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him. Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus came for the sick and sinners.

He didn’t come to leave them sick but to heal them, making them whole.

In Matthew 9:35, we see that Jesus visited every city and village in Israel.

Matthew 9:35 NASB95

Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

First, Jesus taught the people. The Word of God was paramount to Jesus.

Second, he preached the Good News of the Kingdom––again, the Word of God is foundational.

Third, he healed every kind of disease and sickness.

This reveals that Jesus heals.

Today, he’s not physically present, but his presence––His Holy Spirit––is with us in the same way to heal.

Now, we are his body. So in a way, he is physically present with us through his obedient people.

We see this all again in Matthew 10:1, but now Jesus heals through his disciples.

And a big part of that healing was casting out demons.

5) God’s presence first comes to you by grace – seeking you – but then by grace, you must draw near to his presence (Gen. 3:8-11, Matt. 9:9-13, 20-22).

Jesus will touch you, and often people think, ‘Well, that’s it!’

But Jesus’ visitation and touch have a purpose: to move us to seek and follow him.

Jesus’ touch is like a tag in a game of tag. Once he touches you, you are now it. It’s time for you to seek and chase after him.

His presence first comes to you, but then you need to go into his presence.

As James says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

Again, Jesus’ grace first comes to you. That’s the beginning––it’s our invitation into a life of grace. Now, by grace, he calls you to follow him––that means to stay in his presence. Jesus is not going to keep running after you. His call is ‘Follow me’ (Matt. 9:9). That means you have a responsibility to stay with him, to keep in step with him.

In revival, God touches you. But now, you must touch him like the woman with the issue of blood.

Matthew 9:20–22 NASB95

And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.

While I’m not a woman, I’ve often felt like this woman with my battles with Crohn’s disease. It sometimes involves bleeding, leaving me quite weak.

I’ve often had to ‘crawl’ into Jesus’ presence to receive power.

I’ve come in my weakness and God made me strong.

6) The cross has made a way for you to enter into God’s holy presence (Heb. 10:19-22).

The good news is that the cross made a way to forgive you of your sins so that you can enter into God’s holy presence (Heb. 10:19-22).

Hebrews 10:19–22 NASB95

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

7) Here are some secrets to entering God’s presence daily:

See Seven Secret to Spending Daily Time with God Infographic

Conclusion: God’s presence heals. Therefore, make every effort to go into his presence daily and spend time in his presence. It’s as you are in God’s presence that the process of healing happens. Healing is not a quick solution, but a lifetime of seeking him.

END NOTES

נוּחַ fut. יָנוּחַ—(1) to rest, to sit down, to set oneself down any where to take rest.—The original idea lies in respiring, drawing breath, הָשִׁיב רוּחַ; compare cogn. Arab. راح I., II., IV., X., to rest, to be quiet; prop. to draw breath, from which idea comes also Germ. ruhen (ruchen), of the same stock as riechen (lower German ruken, rüken, compare ruahen, to desire). Arab. ناخ specially is, to kneel down as a camel; Conj.IV. causat. مُنَاخُ a place where camels lie down. Syr. and Chald. i.q. Hebr. Æth. ነህየ፡ to respire, to rest; compare under נָוָה.—E.g. used of an army, Isa. 7:2; 2 Sa. 21:10; compare Josh. 3:13 (Arab. ناخ IV. to pitch a camp); used of a host of locusts, or bees, Ex. 10:14; Isa. 7:19; also used of inanimate things, as Noah’s ark, Gen. 8:4; of the ark of the covenant, Nu. 10:36. Constr. absol. Nu. loc. cit.; and followed by בְּ Ex. loc. cit.; and עַל of place, Gen. 8:4; Isa. 7:2, 19. Metaph. of the Spirit of God coming down upon any one; followed by עַל Nu. 11:25, 26; compare Isa. 11:2.

(2) to rest, to be at rest, specially—(a) from labour, i.q. שָׁבַת Ex. 20:11; 23:12; Deut. 5:14.—(b) from troubles and calamities, followed by מִן Job 3:26; Esther 9:22. Impers. Job 3:13, אָז יָנוּחַ לִי “then I should have had rest.” Isa. 23:12; Neh. 9:28.—(c) i.q. to reside, to remain, Ecc. 7:9, “anger remains in the breast of a fool.” Proverbs 14:33; Ps. 125:3, “the rod of the wicked shall not remain on the lot of the righteous;” compare Isa. 30:32.—(d) i.q. to be silent; 1 Sa. 25:9.

Hiphil, double both in form and in signification.

(A) הֵנִיחַ—(1) to set down, to deposit any one in any place, Eze. 37:1; 40:2; to let down one’s hand, Ex. 17:11; to lay a scourge upon any one, Isa. 30:32. Metaph. הֵנִיחַ חֲמָתוֹ בּ׳ to deposit one’s wrath, i.e. to satisfy it, to accomplish it on any one, Ezek. 5:13; 16:42; 21:22; 24:13; Zec. 6:8.

(2) to cause to rest, Ezek. 44:30; Isaiah 30:32; commonly followed by a dat. to give rest to any one, Isa. 28:12; 14:3; often used of Jehovah, who after the conquest of the Canaanites gave to his people quiet possession of the promised land, Exodus 33:14; Josh. 1:13, 15; Deut. 3:20; 12:10 וְהֵנִיחַ לָכֶם מִכָּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶם מִסָּבִיב “and he will give you rest from all your enemies round about.” Deut. 25:19; Josh. 21:44 (compare in the New Test. καταπαύω, κατάπανσις).

Hophal הוּנַח rest to be given, followed by a dat. Lam. 5:5.

Hiphil (B) הִנִּיחַ (like הִסִּית from סוּת, יַלִּין from לִין; and the noun מִשּׁוֹט i.q. מָשׁוֹט from שׁוּט) fut יַנִּיחַ part. מַנִּיחַ—(1) to set down, to lay down (niederfeßen, niederlegen) in any place, followed by אֶל, בְּ of place, 1 Ki. 13:29–31; specially to deposit for safe keeping, Ezek. 42:14; 44:19; before Jehovah, Exodus 16:33, 34; Nu. 17:22; Deut. 26:4, 10; 1 Ki. 8:9; also to place, to set, as a statue, 2 Kings 17:29; a people, or soldiers in any land (verseßen), Isa. 14:1; Eze. 37:14; 2 Ch. 1:14; הִנִּיחַ בְּמִשְׁמָר “to give any one into custody;” Levit. 24:12; Num. 15:34; and more strongly to cast down, Nu. 19:9. Isa. 28:2, הִנִּיחַ לָאָרֶץ בְּיָד “to cast with force down to the ground.” Am. 5:7.

(2) to cause to rest, to quiet. Ecc. 10:4, “meekness יַנִּיחַ חֲטָאִים גְּדֹלִים quiets (i.e, hinders) great offences”. Hence—(a) to give rest to any one, with acc. Esth. 3:8; hence to let any one rest, not to disturb, to let alone (in Ruhe laffen), with acc. הַנִּיחָה אֹתִי let me alone that, allow me, Jud. 16:26; more often with dat. הַנִּיחָה לִּי Exod. 32:10; 2 Kings 23:18; Hosea 4:17; and followed by וְ with a rut. 2 Sa. 16:11, הַנִּחוּ לוֹ וִיקַלֵּל “let him alone that he may curse,” suffer him to curse. Hence—(b) with an acc. of pers. and gerund of the thing, to allow any one to do anything (pr. to let him alone to do it), Ps. 105:14; with a dat. of pers. Eccl. 5:11; אֵינֶנּוּ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן “it will not suffer him to sleep” (prop. does not give him quiet for sleeping), 1 Chr. 16:21. Compare the verbs נָטַשׁ and נָתַן in the signification of allowing and permitting, which are similarly construed.—(c) to leave, i.q. to cause any one to remain (zurücklaffen) any where, Gen. 42:33; Deut. 14:28; e.g. a people in a country, Jud. 3:1; 2 Sam. 16:21; 20:3; Jer. 27:11; to leave remaining (übrig laffen), Ex. 16:23, 24; Lev. 7:15; to desert, Jer. 14:9. With an acc. of thing, and dat. of pers. to leave behind anything to any one, spoken of a person dying, Ps. 17:14; Eccl. 2:18.—(d) הִנִּיחַ יָד מִן to cause the hand to rest from anything, Eccl. 7:18; 11:6.

Hophal הֻנִּיחַ to be set, placed, Zec. 5:11 (compare the Chald. form הֳקִים Dan. 7:4). Part. מֻנָּח what is left empty, a vacant place, Eze. 41:9, 11.

Derived nouns, הֲנָחָה, מָנוֹחַ, מְנוּחָה, נַחַת, נִיחֹחַ, and the pr.n יָנוֹחַ, מָנוֹחַ, מָנַחַת, and—

נוֹחַ, נֹחַ—(1) rest, Est. 9:16, 17, 18, with suff. נוּחֶךָ 2 Ch. 6:41.

(2) pr.n Noah, who was saved from the flood, Gen. 5:10; Ezek. 14:14, 20. מֵי נֹחַ the waters of Noah, used of the flood, Isa. 54:9.

נוֹחָה (“rest”), [Nohah], pr.n of a son of Benjamin, 1 Ch. 8:2.

Gesenius, W., & Tregelles, S. P. (2003). In Gesenius’ Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures (pp. 538–539). Logos Bible Software.

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