Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to *continue teaching* on the *series* I’ve entitled *“Walking with God.”* *Today’s message I’ve entitled* *“Walking in His Presence.”*

*Last week* we *talked about* *how the mercy of God will operate in our lives*; it’s *great to know* that *everything we* have need of *is found in the Mercy of God*, *but we also need to know how to receive his mercy* *and* *how to operate in it*.

*I) *In *(Ephesians 2:4)* *Paul tells us* *why God’s mercy has been poured out upon us*.

*It reads from the NIV* translation, *“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.”*

*A) **God’s mercy was poured out upon us* *because of His great love towards us*.

*B) **We can see* that *God’s love and mercy* *has been poured out upon us*, *but it’s another thing to walk in that mercy*.

*1) **So the big question is*, *“How do I walk in the mercy of God and lay hold of His promises.*”

*2) **The answer is found in* *Hebrews 4:15-16* so let’s turn there.

*a) **This verse is telling us* *that* *if we have a problem with sin* *we need to run to God* *and* *we will receive His mercy and find the Grace to help when we’re in a time of need.*

*b) **If our problem is something other than sin*, *like* *lack of finances*, *sickness*, *oppression*, *guilt*, *or even depression*; *when you go to the throne of Grace* *you can obtain God’s mercy* *and find the Grace of God to help you out of that time of need.*

*II) **Now many times we’ve heard messages* *that* *teach us the KEYS to success*, the *KEYS to prosperity*, the *KEYS to faith*, the *KEY to healing* *and* *many others*.

All of these are good.

*A) **But* *there is ONE KEY that will unlock all of these things*.

You could call it the *MASTER KEY*.

*1) **This* *MASTER KEY* *will unlock* *all of God’s promises* *and* will *provide all that we need*.

*2) **This* *Master key is* *“THE PRESENCE OF GOD.”*

*a) **Many times* *we it caught up in all the formulas* that *we need to do* in order *to receive*.

*These steps, formulas, and principles* that we’ve learned *have all been good* *and* they are *necessary*, *but will have* *very little success* *if we forget to walk in His presence.*

*B) **When you’re walking* *and* *living in the presence of* Almighty *God*, *sickness has to go*.

*Disease can not stand* in the presence of God.

*1) **When you live in God’s presence* *poverty and lack* *has to go*.

There is *no lack* *in the presence of God*.

*2) **Every promise that is found in the Word* of God *is found in the presence of* Almighty *God* *and* *that is the MASTER KEY*.

*C) **One thing* that we *need to realize* *about* the *presence of God* is that *it isn’t just a place for you to come in visit*, *but it is a place for you to dwell in*, *walk in*, *and* *God’s presence will go with you* wherever you go.

*1) *Turn with me to *Exodus 33:14* (and listen to what the Lord told Moses)

*a) **Did you catch that?* *God said* to Him, *“My presence shall go with thee.*”

*b) **The presence of God*, *with* *all* the *power and peace it brings* *can go with you *wherever you go.

*(i) **You can carry it to work* with you, to *school* with you and *home* with you.

*(ii) **The presence of God* *should be* such *a part of you* that *people* will *notice* there is *something powerful about you*.

*2) **In this verse in Exodus* that *we just read* *reveals* to us *something else* *that can be found in the presence of God*, and *that is* *“REST.”*

*a) *So *many times* *people talk about* “*BURNOUT*.”

*They’re “BURNED OUT”* *because* they’re *doing so many* different *things*.

*b) **There are not very many people* *that are doing as much as I am*.

*(i) **Between secular work*, and the *work of the ministry*, and *trying to work out* a few hours a week to stay in shape *totals about 80 hours a week*, but *I don’t know what* *“BURNOUT” is*.

*(ii) **Sure I get tired and need sleep*, but that *doesn’t mean I’m going to pull back* *on all God has given me to do*.

*After a few hours of sleep* *I’m ready to go again*.

*c) **When people talk about* “*BURNOUT*” *they’re* usually *referring to something* that *sleep cannot correct*.

*(i) **They’re talking* about an *overload* *and* they *can’t handle it any longer*.

*(ii) **As long as you’re getting* *the proper amount of sleep*, *you never have to experience burnout*.

*(iii) **The only way you’re going to avoid burnout and get the true rest and strength you need, is to walk in the presence of God.*

*D) **When you live in the presence of God*, *you don’t have to be bombarded with worry* *about* how you are going to pay your *bills*.

*You don’t have to be tormented* *by depression*, *guilt* or *fear*.

*1) *Look at *Matthew 11:28-29*.

*a) **When you get into the presence of the Lord*, *you’ll find rest* *and* *will discover* that *the struggle is over.*

*III) *But *there’s even more* that *you’ll find in the presence of the Lord*.

*A) *Turn with me to *1st Chronicles 16:27*.

*1) **Many times Christians have the idea that the* *“GLORY”* *of God* *is some mysterious cloud* *that represents His presence*.

*a) **But the Glory of God* even *goes further than that*.

*Actually*, *Glory of God appears* *any time something promised in the Word is manifested in the physical realm*.

*b) **For instance*, *when healing* *which is promised from the Word* of God *comes into someone’s life*, *that’s Glory*.

*When supernatural provision is manifested*, *that’s Glory*.

*2) **Where can you go to see the Glory of God* *manifested* *in your life?*

*a) **According to the verse* that *we just read* that *Glory comes when you enter into the presence of God*.

*(i) **The Glory brings the manifestation of the miracle* *and* *it’s found in His presence*.

*B) **This verse also says that* *Glory* *has a partner* and that is *“HONOR.”*

*1) **What kind of honor?* *The honor of God*.

Really *honor and glory* *go hand in hand*.

*2) *Turn with me to *Psalms 8:5*.

(Angels actually Elohim, Elohim is the Hebrew word for God.)

*a) *Now *don’t make the mistake of thinking* that *you have honor and Glory of your own*.

*b) **It’s only when you dwell in the presence of God* *that* *His honor and His Glory* *are imparted to you*.

*(i) **You can’t be around God without His nature rubbing off on you*.

*C) **In* (*Psalms 91:1*) it says, *“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”*

*1) **When you’re in that secret place* of the Most High, *you’re in God’s presence*.

*2) *(*Verse 15 of Psalms 91*) says, *“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with Him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.”*

*a) **According to that verse* *when we’re walking in the presence of God*, *God will honor us* *and* *with that honor* *comes deliverance from trouble*.

*IV) **A Few moment ago we read* (*1st* *Chronicles 16:27*) which says, *“Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.”*

*A) **Strength and gladness* *are found where God is*.

*I think all of us need that strength and gladness* in our lives.

*1) **When you need strength*, *you’ll find it in the presence of the Lord*.

*2) **When the feelings of* *sadness*, *discouragement*, *depression*, *or oppression* *try to move in* on you, *you’ll find gladness in His presence, too*.

*B) **That’s why it’s so important for us to spend* some *time* *everyday in the presence of the Lord* *by* *reading His Word*, *meditating on it*, *spending time in prayer* *and* *by fellowshipping with Him*.

*C) **You probably all know* the verse in (*Nehemiah 8:10*) which says, *“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.”*

*1) **Many know that verse*, *but few know how to receive the joy of the Lord when they needed to*.

*2) **It doesn’t do you any good to know that the joy of the Lord is your strength* *if you don’t also know how to access some of that joy when times are tough*.

*a) **You just can’t work up this joy in your own flesh* *when you don’t have it.*

*3) **The key to tapping into the source of joy is found in Psalms chapter 16.*

*a) *Lets turn there *Psalms 16:11*.

*b) **As you may have guessed*, *in the presence of God* *you will find the kind of joy that will give you supernatural strength*.

*4) **How much joy can you find in the presence of the Lord?*

*a) **All you can possibly hold*.

*That verse says* *you’ll find the fullness of joy*.

*D) **If you need the strength and might to pay your bills* *or* *to come out of depression* *or* *to overcome an attack on your health*, *you will find this strength abundantly provided in God’s presence*.

*1) **So many times we’re looking for all the answers* *in all the wrong places*.

*2) **Everything you need*, *everything you desire*, *and everything God wants to give you can all be found in His presence*.

W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, 2~/1~/98 from Creflo Dollar’s book “Answers Awaiting in the Presence of God” Chapter 8.