We Are Presence Driven
I. East Gate exists to elevate and empower, sons and daughters, to become the place Heaven touches Earth.
a. The fruit of the Spirit was foundational, the gifts of the Spirit are expansive
i. Spiritual gifts are how we build God’s kingdom and expand His territory
ii. Spiritual gifts are what we utilize to accomplish His will for our lives
b. But first… We are Presence Driven
i. Holy Spirit is God Himself living in us. He transforms us, guides us, and empowers us to supernaturally impact our surroundings. Holy Spirit still speaks today. We follow wherever and whenever He leads. We are Spirit-led and unashamed.
c. Why start a series on spiritual gifts with this unique characteristic?
i. Being presence driven will ensure you use spiritual gifts to build His kingdom and expand His territories
1. If we are driven by nothing but God’s presence and His pleasure will build His kingdom and expand His territory
2. If we are driven by anything else, we will build kingdoms and expand territories that will end up belonging to the devil and the world
Matthew 7:21-23 New King James Version
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
ii. Being presence driven will ensure our eyes are always Him and that we are not deceived by the giants standing in our way
1. The Israelites and the giants of the land vs David and Goliath
iii. Being presence driven is the model Jesus left for us. He was driven by the presence and pleasure of God – He went where God was, and did ONLY what would please the Father
John 8:29 New King James Version
29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
1. Jesus not only lived and died to conquer the flesh, the world, the devil, and death for us, but also to show us how to do it ourselves.
John 14:12 New King James Version
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
2. Jesus surrendered His divine power and privilege when He came to Earth as a man.
Philippians 2:5-7 New American Standard Bible
5 Have this attitude [a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be [b]grasped, 7 but [c]emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and[d]being born in the likeness of men.
a. Already existed in the form of God… emptied Himself
b. Taking the form of a bond servant and born in the likeness of men
c. Jesus started at ground zero, just like us
3. Jesus was baptized and filled with Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s will for His life
Matthew 3:13-16 New Living Translation
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.[a]” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened[b] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
4. Jesus was driven/led by the Spirit into the wilderness for a time of testing and empowerment
Matthew 4:1 New King James Version
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Mark 1:12-13 New King James Version
12 Immediately the Spirit [a]drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Luke 4:1 New King James Version
4 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit [a]into the wilderness,
a. It was in the wilderness, where Jesus honed His ability to hear from God and be led by His presence (Holy Spirit)
Luke 4:14 New King James Version
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
5. Jesus, after leaving the wilderness in the power of the Spirit, would often return there to pray and check in with Holy Spirit
Luke 5:16 New King James Version
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
a. The wilderness is necessary church, not rushing through the wilderness is the fastest way to learn how to hear and obey Holy Spirit
6. Jesus ONLY did what Holy Spirit led Him to do
John 5:19-20 New King James Version
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
John 12:49 New King James Version
49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.
d. I am speaking to all of us as East Gate, as well as the families and individuals that make up this local body and others.
i. God has given us all corporate and personal prophetic promises and invitations, all intended to build His kingdom and expand His territory.
1. Every prophetic promise and spiritual gift serves HIM not us
ii. Becoming and remaining presence driven is how we steward the spiritual gifts and prophetic promises that God has given us
II. Moses, a Presence Driven Man and Ministry
a. God partners with Moses to build His kingdom (Israel) and expand His territory (the promised land)
i. Moses, like Jesus, first must enter the wilderness and where he hears the voice of God for the first time in the wilderness (Exodus 3:1-4) and is empowered by God (Exodus 4:1-4)
ii. Moses, wielding the divine power of God, is able to lead Israel out of slavery, where they are led by the very Presence of God into the wilderness. (Exodus 13:21-22)
1. It is in the wilderness where they too first hear the voice of God (Exodus 13:21-22)
b. Instead of WAITING on the Presence of God in the wilderness, the nation of Israel decides that they want the PROMISE of God more than they want His PRESENCE
Exodus 32:1-4 New King James Version
32 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us [a]gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.
Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
i. When we want our promise more than the God who gave it we will settle for ANY god, even one of our own creation
1. They even went so far as to credit their created god for the mighty work of Father God
2. When the wilderness seems like its lasting too long, and the promises look delayed, we will settle for PRIDE, MANIPULATION, RELIGION, or MAMMON if they take us out of the wilderness and toward our promises
ii. What I find scary is that God will give people the PROMISE without His PRESENCE
Exodus 33:1-3 New King James Version
33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I [a]consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked[b] people.”
1. He will send His angel (messenger) before them
2. He won’t take spiritual gifts from you
Romans 11:29 New King James Version
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
3. Be CAREFUL what you’re willing to settle for. It may be good, but its not God
c. Moses prioritizes God’s PRESENCE
Exodus 33:12-15 New King James Version
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
i. I don’t care about the way to my promise, I care where YOU’R way
ii. Receives PRESENCE and REST
iii. If Your PRESENCE doesn’t go with me, don’t give me the PROMISE
d. How do we get to this place as sons and daughter of God?
i. Steward His PRESENCE more than His PROMISE
Exodus 33:7 New King James Version
7 Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp.
1. Moses went DEEPER into the wilderness, apart from his tribe, to be with Holy Spirit
2. This is where people who SEEK the Lord go to find Him
e. Moses didn’t get to see the fulfilment of the PROMISE the way he wanted to, but because Moses sought the PRESENCE more than the PROMISE, he was eventually able to see the fulfillment of EVERY PROMISE.
Matthew 17:1-3 New King James Version
17 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
i. Often times, when we prioritize God’s PRESENCE, the PROMISE will seem to die. Just keep trusting God. If you have Him, you have the fulfillment of EVERY PROMISE
III. The House of His Glory
a. Many of you have heard the word and promise of the Lord over East Gate for 2022
i. Church, His Glory is His Goodness, and His Goodness is His PRESENCE
Exodus 33:18-19 New King James Version
18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”
19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Exodus 34:5-6 New King James Version
5 Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
1. We steward this word by stewarding His PRESENCE
Exodus 34:28 New King James Version
28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the [a]Ten Commandments.
a. Fasting and study will be two of the ways we do that
IV. Repentance, the Key to Beginning and Ending Well
a. If we begin and remain, driven by only His PRESENCE and His PLEASURE, we will not only accomplish His will, but we carry His PRESENCE with us wherever we go.
Exodus 34:29 New King James Version
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
