Following is an outline of a teaching I shared during a special Saturday night service at our church. Many copies of the CD have been distributed and I thought this would be a way to share the information.
Calvary Church
THE PURSUIT – Saturday, May 25, 2013
Pursuing His Presence
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
ANOINTING
-The anointing of God is God’s mark or setting apart of someone or something for His use.
-Anointing can literally mean to besmear. It is to be smeared or covered with God’s Hand and God’s ability.
-A danger within charismatic circles is that we can easily confuse anointing and adrenaline.
-We place a high level of importance on God’s anointing. That is not a problem, but we must be cautious that we properly understand, value and handle God’s anointing.
The anointing comes from God.
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 2 Corinthians 1:21
But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.” Hebrews 1:8-9
God Anoints to set apart and consecrate.
Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to consecrate them. Then he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. Leviticus 8:10-12
God’s Spirit accompanies His anointing.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13
“I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand will be established; My arm also will strengthen him. Psalm 89:20-21
God’s anointing is for the purpose of ministering to those who are hurting or in need.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:1-3
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38
If misused the anointing can be destructive to many.
“You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. Ezekiel 28:14
GIFTING
-To be gifted by God is to have His Spiritual endowment at work in and through your life.
-We need to caution ourselves that we do not become more enamored with the gifts of God than we are with the God of the gifts.
A gifted person need not promote their gifting. God will take care of the process.
A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. Proverb 18:16
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely. Proverb 25:14
God is the giver of the gifts. While man may appoint, it is God who anoints.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17
For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; Romans 1:11
God’s gifts are not something that we can earn or purchase.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Acts 8:18-21
God’s gifts do not come with a time limit, but they must be put to use.
-Many times people allow the gifts of God in their lives to become dormant and unused.
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Romans 12:6-13
For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 2 Timothy 1:6
Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 1 Timothy 4:14
God’s gifts are for the service to and edification of others.
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10
So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12
GOD’S PRESENCE
-Anointing and gifting may go hand in hand, but that does not guarantee God’s presence.
However, in God’s Presence is going to be anointing and gifting.
- Ihave come to the place in my life where I find myself pursuing and hungering for His Presence more than His gifting and anointing.
God’s Presence is the Distinguishing Mark of God's People.
Then Moses said to the Lord, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people." And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" The Lord said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name." Exodus 33:12-17
God’s Presence Overpowers ALL THINGS, and brings joy to His People.
-God’s presence works like a judgment of joy. It is as once a judgement on the enemy and even the earth, while bringing joy to the people of God.
Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, And let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; As wax melts before the fire, So let the wicked perish before God. But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him. A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. O God, when You went forth before Your people, When You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. Psalms 68:1-9
Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Your presence- As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence! When You did awesome things which we did not expect, You came down, the mountains quaked at Your presence. For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, Nor has the eye seen a God besides You, Who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him. Isaiah 64:1-4
The primary response to God’s Presence is to Honor and Worship Him.
-This is accompanied by listening to His voice – hearing and obeying that which He is speaking to your heart and life.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness, "When your fathers tested Me, They tried Me, though they had seen My work. "For forty years I loathed that generation, And said they are a people who err in their heart, And they do not know My ways. "Therefore I swore in My anger, Truly they shall not enter into My rest." Psalms 95:1-11
Repentance and Turning to God keeps His presence and refreshing near.
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19
God’s presence will not share the stage.
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:7-10
In His presence we are changed and set free.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17
In His presence is joy and pleasures from Him. His blessing is found in His presence.
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalms 16:11
In His presence is Protection.
How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues. Psalms 31:19-20
We can Dwell in and Enjoy His Presence at all times.
Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; The upright will dwell in Your presence. Psalms 140:13
Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:19
-God’s Presence represents God Himself being involved in our lives which is the total point and key to our spiritual life.
-Gifting and anointing may come, but if void of God’s Presence we have missed the mark and lost everything of real value.
Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:22-23
In Heaven we will not lay hands on the sick.
In Heaven we will not have tongues and interpretation and prophecy spoken.
In Heaven we will not sense or experience moments of anointing.
All of these things are fine but not the point.
In Heaven we will dwell in Gods presence. I am after a little bit of Heaven here on earth.
