Do You Have To "Press Into" God's Presence?

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by: David Cannon

02/25/2022

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Do You Have To “Press Into God’s Presence”?

 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.” – Psalms 100:4. Psalms 100:4 is a well known Scripture verse and has been included in the lyrics of many praise songs. We can learn many important principles from it. However, if we do not view this verse from a new covenant perspective, we will miss out on one of the greatest upgrades from the old covenant to the new covenant.

 

Under the old covenant, people had to enter into the presence of God. Under the new covenant, the presence of God has entered into His people (see 1 Corinthians 6:16). Under the old covenant, God’s presence dwelt in the house of the Lord. Under the new covenant, we are the house of the Lord and God’s presence remains in us (see Hebrews 3:6).

 

Scripture exhorts us to make every effort to enter into God’s rest (see Hebrews 4:11). However, many seem to think this applies to laboring and striving to enter into God’s presence. Have you ever been in a worship service and the worship leader exhorts everyone to “enter into” God’s presence? We are encouraged to “Press in!”.  Is it possible that many in the church are acting more like the prophets of Baal in their efforts to get their god to respond and manifest his presence? The prophets would shout, jump, work themselves into a frenzy in an effort to get “God” to respond to their “worship” (see 1 Kings 18:21-39) What new religious trick or strategy can impress God enough to manifest His presence?

 

Instead of striving to enter into God’s presence, how about we move in faith that God’s presence has already entered us? Instead of trying to jump through all kinds of religious hoops to convince God to manifest His presence, why not step out in faith and begin to function in the “manifestations of the Holy Spirit which are given to everyone to benefit all” – 1 Corinthians 12:7. Instead of pleading with God to move in our midst, why not move in faith that we are already in His midst. Many keep asking for a “move of God” when God has already told us to move and release His word and His saving power. We plead, “Oh God, speak!” when He told us to prophesy. We earnestly request, “Oh God, heal!” when he told us to heal the sick in His name. Our appeal to heaven is, “Oh God, deliver! when he told us to cast out demons and set the captives free. We passively wait on God to act, while He waits on us to act in confident expressions of His presence.

 

I understand there is more to this than has been covered in this short article. However, I encourage you to acknowledge any truth that was presented and allow it to open you up to a fuller participation in new covenant realities. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

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Do You Have To “Press Into God’s Presence”?

 

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.” – Psalms 100:4. Psalms 100:4 is a well known Scripture verse and has been included in the lyrics of many praise songs. We can learn many important principles from it. However, if we do not view this verse from a new covenant perspective, we will miss out on one of the greatest upgrades from the old covenant to the new covenant.

 

Under the old covenant, people had to enter into the presence of God. Under the new covenant, the presence of God has entered into His people (see 1 Corinthians 6:16). Under the old covenant, God’s presence dwelt in the house of the Lord. Under the new covenant, we are the house of the Lord and God’s presence remains in us (see Hebrews 3:6).

 

Scripture exhorts us to make every effort to enter into God’s rest (see Hebrews 4:11). However, many seem to think this applies to laboring and striving to enter into God’s presence. Have you ever been in a worship service and the worship leader exhorts everyone to “enter into” God’s presence? We are encouraged to “Press in!”.  Is it possible that many in the church are acting more like the prophets of Baal in their efforts to get their god to respond and manifest his presence? The prophets would shout, jump, work themselves into a frenzy in an effort to get “God” to respond to their “worship” (see 1 Kings 18:21-39) What new religious trick or strategy can impress God enough to manifest His presence?

 

Instead of striving to enter into God’s presence, how about we move in faith that God’s presence has already entered us? Instead of trying to jump through all kinds of religious hoops to convince God to manifest His presence, why not step out in faith and begin to function in the “manifestations of the Holy Spirit which are given to everyone to benefit all” – 1 Corinthians 12:7. Instead of pleading with God to move in our midst, why not move in faith that we are already in His midst. Many keep asking for a “move of God” when God has already told us to move and release His word and His saving power. We plead, “Oh God, speak!” when He told us to prophesy. We earnestly request, “Oh God, heal!” when he told us to heal the sick in His name. Our appeal to heaven is, “Oh God, deliver! when he told us to cast out demons and set the captives free. We passively wait on God to act, while He waits on us to act in confident expressions of His presence.

 

I understand there is more to this than has been covered in this short article. However, I encourage you to acknowledge any truth that was presented and allow it to open you up to a fuller participation in new covenant realities. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17

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