In the Presence of the Saviour
How beautiful it is when we are resting in the presence of the Saviour. The sad thing is that few that I speak to really understand what this means. They need healing in their bodies and minds, or are weary in soul and yet when I say something about spending time in the presence of God they don't know what it is never mind how to go there.
When I was a very young child I fell in love with the peace of being in the presence of God. I don't have many clear memories of my early childhood, but I do remember clearly being in the prayer meeting with my parents. I can remember sitting on my father's knee and listening to him praying, I would watch each person and listen to their words as they poured their hearts and worship out to their heavenly Father and I used to think in my young mind - "God you are in this room and you are beautiful".
I didn't understand about the Holy Spirit or I didn't know many scriptures, but I knew His presence, I knew His Peace. It has still taken me years to grow in understanding and learn how to stay in his peace and guard my heart and soul.
For years I had trouble with sore and blocked ears etc, and it had gotten to the stage where it was constantly painful or blocked so that I couldn't hear, I didn't want to talk to people and it was very difficult to lead the worship, It made me dizzy and lose my balance, I couldn't go into shops and it had gotten so bad that one side of my face was numb and I had constant pins and needles feeling over my head. I had all the usual tests etc. I would get my ears syringed and within a few days it would be just as bad as before. Then one day my GP explained to me that it could be a stress problem. She suggested that I was literally holding my tongue. You see I'm a very quiet person, and would rather say nothing just to keep the peace, I am not confrontational. BUT I discovered that I was 'literally' holding my tongue, but I was doing it in my own strength not in the peace of God. So what would happen was I was keeping my mouth closed by tightening my jaw muscles, but inside I was hurt or upset and causing stress to myself. The tension was causing the problems. I sat down with God one day and repented of trying to keep the peace in my own strength I started to command the muscles to relax and commanded all tension to go, it took a few days but as I yielded to the Peace of God and His strength, I felt the tension leave and as it did the feeling came back into my face and my ears opened up completely clear. I was amazed, and since then, I have become very aware, and refuse to let tension back. A few times, I could felt it coming again and I immediately would start to worship and let go and hold fast to His Peace. You see it says in Proverbs 15, that a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that it didn't say that 'saying nothing would turn away wrath BUT a gentle answer. It isn't always about what we speak out loud to others, but it is just if not more important the words we are speaking to ourselves.
Another time I had hurt my knee, It was very painful and I couldn't walk. So I sat down and started worshiping and thanking Jesus for paying for all my healing, then I put my hand on my knee and said knee you were healed when Jesus took my place on the cross, so now I command all pain to leave. I worshiped some more. When I got up it was completely good and no pain. But about 10 mins later my son came into the room and started to complain about something he didn't want to do and it ended up that we shouted at each other and I sent him to his room. But as I turned to walk away the pain just hit my knee again, my first thought was OH, I'm not healed but I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit say Yes you were healed - "KEEP your Peace and you will KEEP your Healing". I repented right away for shouting with my son and the pain left.
You might be saying - That just sounds to easy - and I agree - it does sound to easy as I tell it - but the truth is it is not easy to do - I had to purposefully and wholeheartedly choose the Peace of God over my own emotions - which is not easy to do in our own strength - BUT when we allow ourselves to enter into his strength it changes everything.
Hebrews 4 v 9 - 11 "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief".
Notice it says to 'labour' to enter his rest - that means we have to 'work' at it we have to do something, but the good news is that He enables and strengthens us as we do. As the bible teaches us to be doers of the Word not just hearers of the Word and that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. He has promised in Isaiah 26 v 3 that He will keep us in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on him. We can resist offense by standing on Psalm 119 v 165 "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them".
You may wonder why all the songs I record and share with you are very calm and soft, But that is what God has called me to do, to minister Peace. I love to praise and to dance, and I have written praise songs, but I have found that true powerful praise only comes from a heart of deep worship.
As Psalms 145 says "My heart explodes with praise to you. Now and forever my heart bows in worship to you, my King and my God. Every day I will lift up my praise to your name with praises that will last throughout eternity. Lord, you are great and worthy of the highest praise". The Peace of God doesn't just satisfy our emotions for a little while, but He restores our soul and sets us free from every bondage and lifts us up.
Have you discovered how to be still and know that he is God? Like me you are probably learning and growing more and more. We will never be able to exhaust his Peace and Power. There is no end to his mercy and grace. What a joy it is to be a Child of God. x
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