THE IMMANUEL PRINCIPLE- Development of Life with God: From With To Within, He Makes a Home (John 14:23, Eph. 3)

Adventure in the Ascent

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Immanuel (God with us) is at the core of God’s heart. He desires to be with us, came to live with us so that we could live with Him. We’re invited into life WITH GOD. You’re not meant to do life without Him. Outside of Him, everything is subject to distortion.

↠God maintains three relations to the believer (Hagin)- God is for us (Rom. 8:31), God is with us (John 1:14), and God is in us (John 14)

↠Before Jesus ascended He made a promise

↠"If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (Jn. 14:23)”

↠An abode is a place of residence, habitation, where we live/do life, He promised never to leave us as orphans

↠The progression of closeness through the O. T. to now- habitation

↠From the Old Testament tabernacle to us being a temple

↠O. T. tabernacle where His glory dwelt/place of habitation/presence (last week), tent of meeting, tabernacle, temple- all pointing to Christ

↠John 1:14- Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among us

↠We don’t run to tabernacles now (Stephen), but we run to Jesus, confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus (Heb. 10)

↠Jesus then graciously tabernacles in us by His Spirit (Eph. 3:16-21)

↠When we come in faith/repentance- “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith… (vs. 17)” “Settle down/be at home” (Ez. 37:27 prophecy)

↠His presence in our hearts/lives is a deep, abiding presence, a continual, life-changing reality, influencing every aspect of our lives

↠We are no longer our own (2 Cor. 6:16, 19, 13:5)

↠The beautiful offer, the great privilege of God within us (habitation/dwelling)

↠”Make OUR (Trinity) home with him (Jn. 14:23)”

↠Have you ever made a home? What does it take? Things fixed, righted, made better, improved, some things have to go when He comes in to “make it home”

↠Rev. 3:20- He stands at the door and knocks, open, He will come in… The first step, coming in, saying yes in obedience, then yes to transformation- “making it home.” We want Him to feel at home- room by room (R. Munger):

↠What’s on the walls (our imaginations/mind) (Rom. 12:2, 2 Cor. 10:5)

↠Dining room (appetites, desires)- seek the Father’s will, not own desires

↠It goes on and on, every room, let Him in, nothing off limits when we say YES

↠Allowing His truth (Jn. 16:13) into every room, crevice, attitude, way of thinking, like when visitors come over, there are rooms you shut off so they will not see the mess, if He truly makes it His home, nothing is off limits…

↠”Room” for you in Heaven one day (Jn. 14:2), and room for Him in you now, a foretaste of glory divine (Heaven on earth Kingdom, Christ in you hope of glory)

RESPOND THIS WEEK: Have you said yes to Him (Rev. 3:20), are you in relationship? If so, what rooms have you sealed off? Do some spiritual housekeeping this week with the Father, make your heart and mind truly His abode/dwelling/HOME…