good morning my friends I'm pastor
Steven Brooks and welcome today to our
online Internet church service I'm so
happy that you're here and I believe
today that God's Word will minister
abundantly to your life spirit soul and
body now let's begin today's service by
honoring the Lord putting him first by
bringing in the tithes and offerings
into the storehouse of the Lord I have a
very interesting scripture for you today
that I would like for you to meditate
upon concerning God's blessing for you
for your finances look at this in
Jeremiah 31 verse 37 thus says the Lord
if heaven above can be measured and the
foundations of the earth
searched out beneath I will also cast
off all the seat of Israel for all they
have done says the Lord now you and I
both know that God has made a covenant
with the nation of Israel with Abraham
Isaac and Jacob Jacob's name was changed
to Israel and certain covenants were
made and Israel is going to be here
forever Israel's not going anywhere and
the Lord says if heaven can be measured
that I will cast off all the seed of
Israel well we already know that he's
not going to cast off the seed of Israel
and so that tells us that heaven above
cannot be measured now some of you may
be some of you that enjoy space and
science and things along that line you
hear astronomers say soon we'll be able
to see with our new telescopes to the
very edge to the very end of the
universe well I really believe all the
angels chuckle when they hear stuff like
that and you know I kind of laugh and
smile to myself when I hear statements
like that because the truth is they're
never going to find it if heaven above
can be measured if they ever do get it
measured then God's gonna tell Israel
I'm done with you and I'm done with all
my covenant so I'm done with the planet
and you know it's just not going to
and God has given certain promises that
are eternal that he has sworn by and
he's made a covenant oh and they're
never going to change nothing's ever
going to alter that and I just need to
let you know that scientists it doesn't
matter if they put a telescope in space
that's ten miles long and gigantic in
size they're still never ever going to
be able to find the edges of the
universe they're never going to be able
to measure it
I believe that is actually increasing
and there are many scientists who have
submitted reports with what would appear
to be you know hard data that gives
evidence to the fact that hey the
universe is not collapsing it's not
getting smaller it's actually from our
data what we're seeing it's actually
expanding whoo now that sounds like God
and that's also why it can never be
measured because of the increase that's
still taking place at the outer
extremities is just moving on whoo
moving on out praise God and God wants
you to have that same touch where if
you're a businessman or a businesswoman
and this is what your business brought
in last year well you need to be at a
place where this year you have gone
beyond that you have expanded beyond
that okay so with this ministry reaching
a certain amount of nations certain
amount of Souls being saved hearts being
touched well that that's been great what
we've had before but what's going on we
are expanding we are increasing our
outreaches and we're just going to keep
on going and going and going and we're
not going to put limits we're not going
to try to measure and say this is where
we should stop we're just going to keep
on doing all that we can praise God if
heaven above can be measured
I will also cast off all the seed of
Israel God's never going to cast off the
seed of Israel and so therefore the
heavens can't be measured my friends I
believe that God wants your faith as the
Bible says to be
ever increasing okay not where you stop
and say that's good enough we had a good
year and you know I I prayed and God
actually answered I'm totally satisfied
with my faith now no ever-increasing
faith also going from glory to glory as
another scripture says going from
strength to strength as Paul the Apostle
said going from faith to faith whoa
praise God
okay so you're at this level let's go to
the next level it doesn't mean that
we're not appreciative and thankful for
all that God has done it's just it's
just that there's so much more and we're
ready to move on you know you would
never want to stay stuck in second grade
as wonderful as maybe it was and maybe
you can still remember your teacher in
1st 2nd or 3rd grade and you think those
were just wonderful experiences and they
were for that time and that season in
your life but you know something's gonna
be really weird if you're in your 40s
and you're still in elementary school my
friends it's time to go on it's time to
increase it's the nature of God this
this expansion that never stops that
that it's so it's so increasing it can't
even be measured mmm praise the Lord
hallelujah and if God can cause the
universe to have this type of size and
expansion now just imagine how big he is
imagine how unlimited his power is and
he is your heavenly Father so he's got a
lot more room for you so it's time for
increase so tie in to his covenant okay
tie in to his principles to come commit
your heart to his way his path and I
tell you what there's nothing but
increase increase increase coming to you
and that absolutely includes your
finances so that we can do more to
increase the spread of the gospel in the
earth whoo praise God
don't put limits on God he's way too big
and you're created in His image in his
nature and so you need to be thinking
the same way you must go on God's got
more for you I would dare say God's got
a lot more for you and there's a million
ways you can get it to you so don't
limit the Lord
praise God Heavenly Father I pray for
your people as they're bringing the
tithes and offerings into the storehouse
I pray father God that if there would be
any limits on your people limits in
their thinking limits that are blockages
that were tried to hold them back from
going to the next level financially
Father in the name of Jesus by his
anointing that it be broken in Jesus
name and let your people expand on the
left on the right let them move forward
for your glory hallelujah carrying the
banner of Christ as they go with great
great great prosperity now father we
thank you for covenant prosperity thank
you father God in the name of Jesus amen
I tell you we serve such a big God while
praise the Lord mm-hmm
thank you Jesus mind-boggling stuff all
right those of you that like to mail
your tithes and offerings in please send
them to Steven Brooks international peel
box 7 1 7 Moravian falls North Carolina
2 8 6 5 4 now those of you that would
like to bring it in online it's safe its
secure and you can do so anytime day or
night
please visit the ministry website of
Steven Brooks dot org there's a link on
the home page called tithes offerings so
and reaping you can go there anytime and
bring them in now along with your tithe
which is 10% of all that God has blessed
you with out out of all of your increase
the 10% is the tithe that belongs to the
Lord if you would also like to sow some
seed or give an offering on top of your
tide then on our ministry website we
have a header called projects there's
two projects we have the fence project
and we also have the hanger project if
you would like to sew into either one or
both of them they are available and the
Lord is blessing those projects and the
Lord is blessing his people as they
tithe and so praise the Lord very very
exciting where we have implemented
Stage two on the fence we've called the
fence company and we're just high
earning out the dates because you know
we're busy we're traveling and things
like that so we're scheduling the date
and so the second phase is going to go
up and I tell you what the first phase
is beautiful the second phase will just
make it even better and then we'll make
that turn on that final long stretch and
it will have the entire property fence
just like Jobe Satan just didn't like it
job had a fence around this life that
God had established and he even told the
Lord you put a fence around this guy I
can't touch him if that's something you
want in your life and you want to
somehow tie into that so into that fence
project and just believe that God will
put a hedge of protection offense in the
Hebrew it literally means a fence around
your life that the the devil the dirty
devil can't touch and he can't he can't
get through he can't get through to your
praise god amen and for those of you
that like to travel nationally
internationally just just what you love
the travel and you're wanting to sow
seed so that you can travel there's the
hangar project praise God and that that
hangar project is not for a hangar to go
stand in that hangar project is going to
be for the future ministry jet praise
the Lord so if you you want to travel
and you feel God's called you to travel
and things along that line and you want
to sow seed to travel there's there's
some good soil right there so that you
can be a jet setter and a Globetrotter
woo praise God I'm not joking about that
if you want to travel you want to get
out there hallelujah
get ready sow some seed get your
passports mmm-mmm-mmm thank you Jesus
praise God God's moving God's moving all
right
so father we just thank you blessing
blessing of increase in the name of
Jesus unlimited expansion amen amen I
would say as far as the eye could see
and beyond as far as your eyes telescope
binoculars whatever just God guck can
still see beyond that go with God and
you'll live your dream amen praise God
all right today let's go over to a
beautiful song this would be Psalm 16
and we're gonna talk today about the
presence of the Lord
getting into the presence of the Lord I
I know I get a lot of emails pastor
Steven I know there is this glory realm
there is this presence but teach me how
to get into it not not just also like in
a corporate meeting you know a church
meeting but because if you're at a
meeting with believers you can ride the
coattails of the Prophet or the Apostle
or whoever is ministry in other words if
there's an anointing that's created
that's on a person or on the church you
can get into that atmosphere and maybe
you're flat as a pancake but if that
online teens role hide the glories there
well you can just ride on the coattails
or skate behind that you know and that's
Carl they call it drafting just get
behind the lead car and they'll pull you
and actually creates a vacuum or suction
and the next thing you know you're
you're right in the thick of it yourself
but you know you still you're gonna have
to go back to your house you have to go
back to your job you have to go back and
face personal problems challenges and
things like that and you face them with
the Lord but in a sense you're still
one-on-one against your own David and
Goliath okay so you have your own things
where you know you can't take that you
can't take that whole group home with
you so you need to know how to get into
the Lord's presence now if you are a
person that that is very flexible and
that and your skill than that then of
course you can be one of those sparks
that when there are meetings and there
are public gatherings church services or
you know conventions and big corporate
meetings where we come together as
believers then because you know how to
get into the presence of the Lord you
come as a spark you come as a fire and
you're already just ready to go so
you're one of those people that helped
create that atmosphere of glory and of
the presence of God and so people like
that are very very important and you
know I've I've been in I've been
privileged by the Lord to be in meetings
where me and my wife we have been fire
starters I went into a meeting one time
I had come off along fast
I had really sought the face of the Lord
and I came into this one service where a
prophet was ministering and he was
ministering good but there was nothing
there was no like no no but like
breakthroughs in the service or anything
like that so
after it was finished preaching he
called everybody up to start praying
over everybody and he is praying
sincerely but there's nothing more like
you would say fire broke out but I I got
up in the line and when he touched me
but because I just had spent a whole lot
of time with the Lord when he touched me
boom it's just like fire exploded in the
whole place and it wasn't it wasn't so
much because of me
it's just that anytime anybody is
ministering you're looking for dry wood
and it's hard to get a fire started with
wood that's wet or wood that you know
it's not interested or you know you get
people in the line that are just
curiosity seekers you get people in the
line because maybe their mother wanted
them to get in the line or you know the
pastor's not everybody line up and you
know half the people are falling asleep
or you know didn't even follow the
message and so those are the things that
a minister you know has to work through
so trust me if a man or a woman I've got
is ministering they're looking for dry
wood and that's the kind of a person you
want to be you want to be just like hey
I'm like a bale of dry hay just put a
little match up to me and we're going to
have an explosion and so that's what
happened when he hit me and after he hit
me it's just like everything else it was
just like you know cakewalk people are
you know all being touched now the
glories all there and stuff like that
and I'm just happy to be a blessing like
that and you know really at that point
my ministry was very very young I was
just kind of really even getting started
in the ministry but the Lord honored
that and trust me any even today any
anointed minister you're looking you're
looking for those in that group in that
crowd that that how can I say they're
hungry because you can come anoint it
you can come with the glory you can come
with the power but you you need people
that are pulling on that anointing if
you really want to see the service be
successful and you can't blame it on the
minister if it doesn't always end the
way God wanted it to be and you can't
blame it on Jesus what happened at
Nazareth it wasn't Jesus's fault that he
left that what we would call public
meeting with very little results I mean
it says in the Bible only a few sick
people were healed
but you know in these other towns he's
having just total blowout miracles he's
having meetings in other places where
everybody was healed but he goes there
to Nazareth and it was like you know in
many ways you would call it a flop but
trust me it wasn't the Lord's fault it
wasn't like he wasn't prayed up wasn't
anointing wasn't wasn't prepared oh no
he was walking in that mighty power but
you know they just didn't engage him
they didn't engage you know the the
power of the Spirit that he was walking
in so that's that's something that will
help some of you young ministers that
are out there realize it's not all all
you you have to do the best you can to
get the people to engage and so if
sometimes you just get one or two it'll
begin to spread like fire throughout the
others prayer and even the wet wood can
eventually start you know if you get
enough heat enough fire even that wet
wood would burn praise God but also I'll
be honest as well there is also a point
where you get to where as a minister you
only want to go where there's dry wood
y-you don't have time you don't what
especially when others want it you don't
have time to go do you know try to like
raise the dead who don't want to get
raised in the first place and I'm not
talking about physically dead I'm just
talking about people that church people
that don't care they're not interested
they don't want to move of God they like
things the way they are dead okay well
there's a plenty of other places I can
go to that are on fire why are why in
the world would I go there
and waste my time I'd rather go
somewhere where the wood is dried
there's fire hallelujah glory to God and
that has a lot to do with revival
mmm-hmm has a lot to do with their
moving of the Spirit so you have to be
you have to be that person that's hungry
that just says god I want you I need you
and if you if you do that you'll always
be fresh you'll always be blessed you'll
always be full of the joy of the Lord
and then you can help take others into
it as well praise God Heavenly Father as
we go into Psalm 16 as we go into this
study of your presence we ask that your
anointing would come that your spirit
would come and that your people would
find that path easy to navigate
spiritually we thank you
in Jesus name we pray amen and amen
hallelujah I would say that two of the
biggest requirements are just hunger and
thirst and those of you that know I'm
sure probably most of you you know that
thirst is more extreme than hunger you
can be hungry and it can it can agitate
you disturb you it distract you but you
know what you could hold out a little
bit longer but if you start getting real
thirsty thirst is it's a it's a stronger
craving and it's something that really
you can't avoid it has to be dealt with
when it's really strong
so you want to be hungry but you want to
be thirsty you want to really go after
the Lord and if you do that you are
going to have encounters in the glory
you're going to be showing up in the
presence of the Lord
now Psalm 16 there's so many amazing
things in this chapter verse 7 I will
bless the Lord who has given me counsel
and there is the spirit of counsel the
seven spirits of God are very very
important you need to be familiar with
the Holy Spirit with the lampstand of
course the lampstand was a piece of
furniture that was in the old testament
tabernacle system it was there in the
temple and the day of Jesus you need to
understand the significance of the
meaning of the menorah the lampstand the
Holy Spirit and the grace that he brings
of identifying Christ of flowing through
you and just all the goodness of the
Holy Spirit particularly the spirit of
counsel and he says blessed the Lord who
has given me counsel my heart also
instructs me in the night seasons
seeking the Lord at night can be very
challenging I think one of the main
reasons to do it is because it's quiet
that if you get up in the middle of the
night things are calm things are still
even if you're in New York City you know
they say New York never sleeps well you
know I've been in men hadn't many times
and it does slow down yes
around three o'clock in the morning yet
there's still people out on the street
but not many you know no matter where
you go in the world in the middle of the
night things really begin to kind of
slow down and that is a good time
especially if you're not in the big city
it's just a good time when things are
quieter more comfortable and steel and
you can seek the Lord without having the
normal types of distractions but also
it's very difficult because you know you
may feel that fatigue during the day
sometimes you may be looking for a good
nap because you were praying the night
before and that's why it can also be
seasonal in in season he said my heart
also instructs me in the night seasons
there are times I push real hard with
night prayer maybe getting up at 3:00
and praying or 2:30 and praying and
things like that but sometimes you have
to make it seasonal because it is
demanding in you'll feel it I can
understand why Jesus fell asleep in the
back of the boat because I really
believe he really pushed it a lot at
night with prayer and there's times you
feel it during the day and he got in the
back of the boat just totally fell
asleep you know I'm right in the middle
of a storm and you would think happens
somebody's sleep through that oh it's
very easy when you're very very tired
and so you're looking for sleep almost
anytime you can get it and really
soldiers especially those in Special
Forces I mean you may run all night long
you may have the stuff going all night
long and so anytime you can get sleep
even if it's for 10 minutes you just
drop down you take it and then you get
back up but that's pushing real hard so
that's why here David calls it night
seasons you may not always be able to
sustain that because it's very very
demanding but at the same time it's very
very rewarding praise God verse 8 I have
set the Lord always before me because he
is at my right hand I shall not be moved
now I have taught before on the various
ways in which you can set the Lord
before you and I'm not going to reteach
that today but there are different
things that you can do that that will
help you in that area where you know you
just it helps you even in the natural if
you can do things in the natural that
will help you spiritually by keeping the
Lord before you but that's a different
message for a different time
Dave verse 11 you will show me the path
of life now we know that in John chapter
10 verse 10 Jesus referred to himself as
life abundant life is found in him so he
says here you will show me the path of
life so we know that's the path into
Jesus if you don't know Jesus you don't
know what the newness of life is you're
living in a place that the Bible would
call spiritual death you are separated
from God because of your sins and
although you may not feel like you're
spiritually dead
you are in a place of spiritual death
and you have to understand that this is
something that all humanity faces and
has to deal with now we have these
various problematic things that are out
there that cause trouble all these
diseases and all of these things that
medical science is trying to find a cure
for and many of them over time they're
overcome and new vaccines and new cures
come out and it's a great blessing to
humanity but the sin problem was
something really that was irreparable
because it could only be cured fixed
redeemed through a sinless person well
the only person who did that was Christ
Jesus and Jesus lived the sinless life
in order to provide a way back to God so
that sinless man can cross the bridge of
salvation through Jesus and reach the
other side holy God
through receiving Christ as Lord and
Savior through faith but my friends you
have to know that life is in Jesus you
will show me the path of life in your
presence that would be in the presence
of the Lord in your presence is fullness
of joy mmm I like this in your presence
is fullness of joy if there were
somewhere that if you said Pastor Steven
lead me to the most valuable thing that
you know I could lead you to some cool
places in the natural I mean I could
I mean places that would bring joy or
you know that that would be wonderful
experiences I could take you to to some
pretty cool sites even some secret
places even around Moravian falls that a
lot of people even the locals don't know
about that that are really cool mainly
because I've gotten out in areas in
walked and hiked and I've also had the
privilege of having permission to go on
certain things or on private property
that a lot of others they would not have
that that privilege or even knowledge of
knowing about certain things along that
line and I don't put that out there for
everybody because a lot of people show
up to Moravian Falls having heard about
angels and stuff like that so I don't
let all of my secrets out but sometimes
I do take some people to certain areas
and it is it is special but you know I
could take you to a good restaurant and
that that's fun that's that's good but
it's still there's there's deep leur
experiences i remember reading one time
a person interviewing bill gates now
he's no longer the world's wealthiest
man I believe Jeff Bezos is from Amazon
but still Bill Gates has a lot of money
and you know there's a lot of wealthy
people in the world we had we have over
400 billionaires in the earth today but
Bill Gates was interviewed a little
while back a couple of years ago and a
person asked him you know what's it like
really to have the type of money that
you have where you could really buy
anything that you want that would be for
sale any type of experience in the world
what's that like he said it's just
another hamburger now a lot of people
would blow a statement like that off and
say hi he's just being humble but can I
present to you that he's actually being
honest he's he's really telling the
truth on the natural plateau it doesn't
matter what it is that you're doing it's
still just a natural experience and it
doesn't matter what you're eating if you
have a billion dollars and you eat the
best hamburger and you have all this
money where it's just you just go out
buy another hamburger but still just a
hamburger and you know there was a time
when he was real popular with you know
he's no longer the CEO at Microsoft you
know somebody else is leading today the
company
though he still has a big part in the
big role of you know of influence from
Microsoft Bill Gates does but you know
some years back people were more curious
about his lifestyle and they would you
know follow him and try to find out what
are you what does he eat lunch and stuff
like that well he would usually eat
lunch at a certain restaurant and then
when they found that where he was eating
is what restaurant it was then they
found out you know what did he actually
eat then they found out that it you know
what he ate was um well let me see if I
can explain it to you they kind of
tracked him down and followed him where
he had lunch at which is at a you know
of every special classy restaurant and
it you know they found that what he had
his his just his lunch ticket I believe
for his meal was you know just him and
another person four hundred and fifty
dollars and all he had was a half
sandwich and a cup of soup hello but
pastor Stephen it costs $450 it must
have been out of this world
no all it was was a half sandwich and a
cup of soup and you could probably make
the same thing at home in your kitchen
for $5.00 well why does it cost $450 you
know I'm the aunts and atmosphere and in
privacy and you know you know all of
that that goes along with it but still
still it's still I have sandwich and a
cup of soup and the billionaire
experience while sure you know it offers
you a lot of freedom and a lot of
ability to do many many experiences but
still no matter what that experience is
in many ways you break it down it's just
another cheeseburger just another
hamburger so you have to realize that
life in the eyes of God was really the
original design was that man would live
forever so that if you think somehow
like many even unfortunately in the
church do that you can somehow squeeze
out of this short experience this short
journey that you have even if you live
to be a hundred
okay still there is shorts in the in the
overall space of time and history if you
somehow think that you can squeeze out
of this short journey everything that
will just cause you to just like I did
it all
you know what the
you don't have enough time and you need
more time and not only do you need more
time you you need something different
you need I tell you what you need you
need the spirit realm and you need a new
spiritual body because right now you're
living in a physical body and that can
only take you so far with experiences of
of pleasures that you can enjoy in the
world and it is true there are a lot of
pleasures in the world I enjoy life I
enjoy a nice meal with my wife a good
latte I enjoy traveling I enjoy going
the new countries and I enjoy
ministering I really do love life and
the world has a lot to offer but I'm
just saying if you limit it to a natural
experience you never got into the deep
waters and you can't get into the deep
waters without first being in Christ and
then will you're in Christ either you'll
realize that hey I'm I'm going to live
forever so I'm going to enjoy life the
way God wants me to enjoy it if there's
some things in this lifetime I can't do
it's okay I've got all eternity I'll
eventually get to it and you know it's
all going to be good so whew
you know I don't play golf I love golf I
really like golf courses and actually my
wife and I we we had a lot that we had
bought right on a beautiful golf course
here in town and it was probably the
prettiest lot on I would say maybe on
the entire golf course but we sold it a
few years ago
and you know I've never played golf and
I think it's a beautiful sport a
beautiful game and now I do enjoy
walking on a golf course just to walk
and get exercise but I've never played
but when I get to heaven when I get to
heaven and when I have time that's why I
don't play right now because I don't
have time and I'm I think if I might
start doing that it might distract me
because it looks it looks like a lot of
fun so I just I don't do it because it
might be a distraction my I might get
involved in it and think hey you know I
I'm really into this now well I don't
want to even go down that path but when
I get to heaven don't
be surprised if you find Pastor Steven
out on the golf course
well glory to God goes din I'll have
time then I'll have time maybe you'll
find me on the beach somewhere in heaven
because then I'll have time praise God
but for now but for now if you want to
get into things that will really satisfy
you on the earth let's talk about that
because it all revolves around meeting
the persons of the Lord you will show me
the path of life okay we know that's in
Jesus all of these things the deep
things are all in Jesus in your presence
and in other words in the presence of
God in the persons of the Lord is
fullness of joy
pastor Steven why should I be in the
presence of God well if you like joy and
I don't know who doesn't if you like joy
that's where you need to be because
that's that's the source that's the
origin if you want to find out where joy
is bubbling up out of the ground that
then you'll find it in the presence of
the Lord and I was with the friend one
time a local friend and we saw this
stream and it was a beautiful stream
very clear water and we we said one day
we're going to go and we're going to
hike and we're going to find out where
the were the source of this spring is
that and we wouldn't look for it a few
days later and we couldn't find it but I
went back and another time
and I thought you know it's got it's got
to be up there mountain somewhere and I
went back at another time and I kept
looking and looking and I you know kept
climbing and climbing and finally when I
went around a little corner and there
was a lot of boulders and rocks and
things like that I came upon an area
where there's a small hill with boulders
on it and there was a spring that which
was the source of all the headwaters
there was a spring gushing out of the
side of this heel which is way up in the
mountains and I mean water was just I'm
not talking like a garden hose at your
house it was it was way beyond that I'm
not saying it was a fire hydrant but I'm
saying this was a lot of water just
pouring out so you have to understand
that if you want to get into joy where
where is the source if you really
find out what will make you happier then
even a day at Disney World and Disney
World I'm sure it's a lot of fun but if
you want to find out what will make you
happier and more satisfied than a roller
coaster then bungee jumping
then skydiving then and all-you-can-eat
hot dog contest then I would suggest
that you get into the presence of the
Lord and you're going to come into a
place of joy that that really goes off
the chart because God's joy is
supernatural it is actually one of the
fruit of the Holy Spirit and God wants
you to be joy God doesn't want you to
you know you know go around looking like
you've been eating barbecued lizards God
wants you to look like you're happy like
you're blessed he wants you to he wants
you to be joyful oh praise God
hallelujah the joy of the Lord now that
joy is very important because if you're
into the joy you're gonna have strength
and that is the strength of God and I
believe that strength even affects you
physically I believe it affects your
body I believe that it keeps your body
healthy but the joy is very very
important if you're going through a
trial
oh you're going through a testing you
may think oh pastor Stephen I'm just
this thing's wart has worn me out and I
and it's really getting to me it's
really wearing on me
and I know what that's like I've had
things hit me who hasn't right well what
you need is you need a big drink just
like I found that that source for all
that water was coming from and it was a
gusher look you need to find the source
of that joy and you know it's really on
it's only going to be found in one place
it's in the presence of the Lord well I
don't really want to I don't really want
to get into that Pastor Steven well
you're going to be really depleted of
that divine uplifting so come on raise
yourself up and make another push to get
into the presence of the Lord let me say
this this is very important particularly
for those that maybe you feel weary and
exhausted
maybe you're battling the sickness maybe
you struggle with an addiction
maybe you've been taking prescription
Edison and has just thrown your body
completely out of whack and maybe even
you've become your body now has gotten
used to it and it's even addicted to it
and not only are you struggling with you
know all the funny things that makes
your body does but you know now you're
addicted to it and so you know life
could have many different challenges
maybe you're you're facing a challenge
of a child who's walked away from God
and it's doing things that's you know it
just it hurts your heart to see those
types of things but my friends whatever
it is whatever type of thing would try
to weigh you down and take that your joy
away you need to understand that
sometimes when you're trying to get into
the presence of the Lord you feel and
since that weariness yes pastor Steven
what should I do
well I'll just be honest sometimes it
helps a lot just to take a break even
maybe from all your praying pastor
Steven I'm Warren I'm pressing in and
that's all good there's a place for that
but a lot of times I've just slipped
into the presence of the Lord not so
much by warring my way in or just
blasting my way in with dynamite and
shouting and hollering nothing wrong
with that because I do that too at times
but I would say more often than not the
main way I come into the presence of the
Lord is I just kind of slip in by just
kind of hanging out hanging out until I
get in there and you know sometimes if I
feel things maybe try to weigh me down
I'll just say Lord you know what
physically right now I'm very tired it's
even hard to focus Lord I'm just going
to lay down for 20 minutes and take a
nap well pastor Steven I'm not really on
that person well maybe maybe you should
try it if you're because if you're
physically wore out it's hard to
concentrate and God cares about your
health and the Bible has a lot to say
about rest a lot to say about rest and
you know I think this is something I
picked up from Oral Roberts many years
ago when he was holding an evangelistic
tent crusade and you know whenever
you're doing a work for the Lord and
you're on the frontlines the devil he
doesn't take it lightly he's gonna
really aim the big cannons at you
and all Roberts that day that that
morning after he administered that
morning he had received death threats
that were you know not not play stuff it
was real there was a death threat on his
life and it was said that there was
going to be carried out that day and he
was he was aware of it so you know after
the morning service he's informed of
this and he goes back and he's
endeavoring to pray because at night
he's going to minister and there has
been the word put out you're gonna be
you know shot dead on the spot or
whatever the whatever the method was he
was going to be killed that night and it
was it was very valid threat so you know
he's praying about it and you know you
feel the pressure you feel these spirits
that were tried to intimidate and you
know even when you have faith and you
know hey I'm gonna go forward with this
you know live or die or whatever I'm
going forward with it you still you know
whatever it is you're gonna do you still
want to be in peace you still want to
execute in a place not out of fear or
nervousness but out of peace and so he's
really fighting to get into that peace
and you know but he did he just laid
down on the bed and took a nap
and you know sometimes that's just a
really good thing to do just take a
little nap and he took a nap and when he
woke up there was an angel of the Lord
there and the angel is the is the one
that shared that statement with Oral
Roberts that became a classic all over
the world which was expect America and
the angel told him about expect a
miracle America a miracle is either
coming to you or passed you every day
and shared some things with him about
you know God's miracle power God's
miracle in the nineteen but that's where
he got that phrase expect a miracle mmm
thank you Jesus and having had an
encounter with that angel who brought
the word of the Lord to him that just
infused him with the faith of God so he
went into that meeting that evening with
the boldness of a lion but it also
taught at all so at the same time with
just total peace total peace and the end
he was not able to touch him he was
untouchable in the anointing praise God
but those things are very very real so
sometimes if you're trying to get into
the presence of the Lord and there are
these disturbing frequencies and you're
trying to work your way through that to
get on the frequency of God and your
mind is tired and your body is tired
just lay down for 10 or 15 minutes send
an alarm on your watch or on a little
clock somewhere maybe for 20 minutes and
then just get back up and you know
sometimes it's just that little
refreshing that little rest can help you
get your mind focused and then okay back
into worship back in the prayer and then
you know as you just stay with the Lord
it just you start coming into that place
of the presence of the Lord and when
you're there now this is what's so
important when you're there do like
David was instructed to do in Psalm 23
when the Lord said you know I'm gonna
lay you out on the nice green grass just
like a shepherd feeding the Sheep you
know I'm gonna lay you out on this green
carpet we'll just hang out lay out with
the Lord doesn't mean you have to lay
down maybe you want to kneel down sit
down or whatever you know you're
comfortable doing so now you could focus
and just stay there now this this is
where the bread and butter of it is at
this is where the gold is that young
believers when they sense that presence
get into that presence delight in that
presence are thrilled in the presence
and then they exit out of that presence
and that that's good it's great that
just to be able to get in there but the
real blessing is getting into the
presence and just staying there just
staying in the presence and what happens
is in the spirit you're actually being
saturated with the actually it's
actually changing you it changes your
your mind your way of thinking you're
being infused with joy you may not so
much feel the joy right then but the
moment you leave that place you realize
everything's going to be okay it's
amazing it is absolutely amazing many
times
there are God's people that are there
the Warriors and they go into that place
of the presence of the Lord
interceding wanting to intercede and the
Lord even allows them to lay down there
he will instruct them by the Holy Spirit
will instruct lay down your weapons you
need to be ministered to first and so
oftentimes is not even to a place of
intercession but it's just a place where
you go lay down your weapons relax you
feed and feast at the table of the Lord
and you get refreshed you get a break
and God shares things with you and I
tell you what it's incredible but just
stay there as long as you can that's
where the gold is at that's where the
blessing is that and if you can now
watch this I let me take a drink just
for a moment before a share of this one
I I want you to get ready to receive
this okay if you can and the presence is
there I'm not talking about if the
president's is not there
I'm not talking about if you're supposed
to be at work I'm not talking about if
you're if your are forsaking
responsibilities that you're supposed to
be doing but if you can and you have the
freedom stay there for an hour stay
there for two hours stay there for three
hours if you can't say they're half
today if you are free and it's not being
detrimental to maybe something else that
you're supposed to be taking care of in
other words you know you know it's not
like you know you turn on the stove and
you're cooking beans and you know now
the beans are going up in smoke but
you're like oh Lord that's okay I'm over
in prayer no you don't need to burn the
house down
but if everything is in order and you're
able to go over into that place knowing
that okay I'm free everything's cool
everything's covered then if you if you
have that ability then just go for it
and just stay and hang out in the Lord's
presence as long as you can and as long
as it's there who praise the Lord it's
beautiful now we all have different
schedules
I don't always have those times when I
can take a whole day that's that's kind
of rare but I do have times where I can
still go for it for good links of time
but here's something I've always noticed
when I've been in the presence of the
Lord for quite some time what will
happen as that special time God knows I
need to close that out and get back into
my world of also taking care of
administration taking care of studying
taking care of you know making sure
things are running in the ministry the
way that they should and doing all how
can we say the natural stuff after
having been in the presence of the Lord
maybe for an extended period of time I'm
gonna throw something out there just for
your spirit okay let's say four or five
hours okay I'm not trying to be
legalistic for anybody I'm not trying to
say that if you don't do that you're not
spiritual because some of you you may
never have that time but if you do have
that time and you really fight for it
and you create it and you've made it now
you can utilize it okay well then go for
it and when the Lord is there and you're
just in it and you're enjoying it we'll
just stay there and you'll notice that
even if you have a time because
eventually you'll have to close it out
what will happen is that towards the end
of that closeout time that presence can
begin to pull back a little bit and
oftentimes the Holy Spirit will even
whisper and show me you need to you need
to begin to close this out now because
the phone calls are going to start
coming in or closed this out now because
people are car they're driving they're
coming over right now or close this out
now because you need to merge over here
begin to do these other things it's
amazing it's amazing what God will do
and there's been other times where I've
been in that and maybe it and the in the
persons of the Lord and have been taken
up into heaven Lee visions but I've been
there for hours and what will happen
when the Lord begins to close that out
it's like I begin to come back down the
vision softly begins to close out but
the Lord allows me to just experience
his goodbye
knowing that we'll be back again soon
I'll say Lord I'll see you next time as
it's as if he's saying goodbye and that
that spirit realm world begins to close
out
begins to close out and when that
happens that's when I leave that's when
I'm like okay this has been fantastic
and then I walk out you will never now
listen to this you will never ever walk
out of time like that in the presence of
the Lord without being charged hmm
without the power of God in you on you
the joy in you on you it's impossible
why because in the presence of the Lord
is what fullness not a little bit I'm
talking off-the-charts fullness of joy
whew it's just it's just crazy good
it's incredible good and you wonder why
how come I come that so many believers
don't go after it when you realize this
that's good but see here's what's
amazing and here's where that here's
what I've seen throughout the body of
Christ around the world the global
Church that even among those who maybe
would be what we wouldn't call
Pentecostal or tongue talking you know
you know Karris Mattox I've seen many
that that are believers who out of their
love for the Lord and their deep hunger
for God they still know that place the
and they still know the presence very
very well
and they're very very well acquainted
with it and they also have that joy and
that you may not find them in a
Pentecostal church but they're out there
they're all over the place why because
they're hungry and they're thirsty too
and they have found they have found that
Lord's presence and they're there as
well so it's a big it's a big world and
God's people are all over this world and
just because they may not be in the same
stream of Christianity that that you're
in doesn't mean that they're still not
drinking from the same source and it's a
lot of fun to meet them bump into them
run into them and airports or all over
all kinds of different places around the
world and this you know praise God
together and rejoice in the Lord
together woo thank you Lord Jesus
mm-hmm hallelujah praise God thank you
Jesus thank you Lord Jesus joy
and strength the joy of the Lord is your
strength in your presence is fullness of
joy and at your right hand are pleasures
forever more that's why you need
eternity if you try to squeeze it all in
into this life you're going to end up
being selfish if you try to squeeze it
all in into this very short existence
that we have you're going to get
frustrated why you don't have time and
it you're out trying to do this and that
and this and that instead of spending
time and the persons of the Lord then
you would be so satisfied that whatever
you do whether it's eating a pickle but
salt and pepper on it you're like wow
this is one of the most pleasant
experiences I've ever had
well faster David it's just a pickle
yeah but I'm eating it with God and I'm
so happy I'm so happy
praise God now I'm not saying I can't
enjoy a good meal I know what a good
meal is but I'm just saying that life
without God you're just missing you're
missing the secret sauce you're missing
what is all about and no matter how much
money you pour on it no how no matter
how wild or extravagant you might you
try it and you might try to make it be
without God you just can't you can't
touch it you can't touch it you can only
really live life in the Lord and you can
only really live the life he wants you
to live when you spend time in his
presence who praise God and he's waiting
to meet you there as well sometimes most
of the time if not all of the time the
Lord extracts honesty out of me I say
sometimes role really it's if I examine
it I would probably have to say yeah
it's all of the time when I'm pulling
messages together to share with you
there are there are those times because
I've already been in prayer fasting that
message just Falls and I can just I can
deliver take a pin write the scriptures
down write a few highlight notes and I
can preach it I can go for it sometimes
I can just get one or two scriptures and
just sit there and talk but don't even
need any notes because the Lord just
gives it to me but other times the Lord
holds it back and most of the time he
holds back Revelation he holds
sermons why he wants to be there and he
wants me seeking and he wants me pulling
and he wants me inquiry yes he wants to
be the study and I study study to show
yourself approved a workman that that
can rightly divide the truth a workman
that can teach something reveal some
something share something explained
something proclaim something and I
understand that but still he doesn't
want me to be an intellectual you know
did head alone we're all I'm doing is
saying this is what this means in Hebrew
this is what this means in Greek and
then you're just thinking well it's
still Hebrew Greek to me I'm not really
getting any juice out of that Pastor
Steven well that's why you want to
really seek and oftentimes so often he
holds me there and he won't give me the
rainbow he won't give me the raiment to
give to you until I'm there and I just
hang out hang out sometimes my my wife
she says um hey Steven you're getting
home really late tonight you know you're
recording late and I'm like well I
haven't heard from headquarters yes I've
been here all day long and I haven't
heard anything for headquarters yet why
does it work like that because I'm
waiting on him and if he doesn't give me
something to say it would in a sense be
just me giving a can message now I can
always say something because I you know
I I know content
I know material but we're supposed to
live by the Rhema word men does not live
by bread alone but by every word in that
word in the Greek is Rhema that means a
Living Word we live by every living word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God so
yeah I shed blood to get it I shed sweat
to get it I give skin to get it I'll
stay here sometimes all day long so that
I can get the message that feeds my
spirit which I know feeds your spirit
which is what God would have me share
and he keeps me there too and doesn't
give it to me in you know two minutes
because there's also this thing of Telus
ship fellowship with the Lord we all
love fellowship with each other and you
know it's fun to get together truth be
told we could talk for hours couldn't we
and sometimes
talk all night long oh that's fine
that's fine as long as you still
remember that what it even makes that
sweet is your fellowship with him and
you have fellowship with him then your
fellowship with others oh you can have
some conversations then now get to
people together that in their own
personal life are having time in the
presence of the Lord
Rich time in the presence of the Lord
get those kind of people together get
them start talking and fellowship very
quickly just dives off the deep end into
the glory mmm-hmm that's when you have
fun that's really what God means a
fellowship not just you know talking and
you know talking about the web they're
talking about sport now that's all cool
talk about all that that's all cool I'm
for that I like talking about natural
things too okay but really if you're in
the presence and then you start talking
it's gonna start going towards the Lord
it's gonna start going towards the glory
it's gonna start moving towards the
kingdom and it's fun crazy good fun
hallelujah thank you Jesus well that's
where it's at my friends it's in the
presence of the Lord that's where the
fullness of joy can be found at your
right hand are pleasures that are not
temporary there are pleasures that are
forever more so if you really want to
live for the Lord understand this that
without the Lord in it no matter how
good it is no matter how in the eyes of
the world great it may look without the
Lord in it it's gonna be empty it's
going to be empty you want the Lord in
everything you want your Lord in your
life all pastor Stephen the Lord hears
the air I breathe not if you're not in
this presence you're gonna be breathing
some really stale air if you really want
to have the oxygen of heaven you're
gonna have to be in the Lord's presence
and get in the presence of the Lord and
just hang out there whoo that often
times yep lay your armor down lay your
armor down there's a place for heavy
intercession and and that's very
biblical that's scriptural but there's
other times just like Lord I'm here to
just
being your presence I'm here to drink
from the stream of the the river of life
of the water of heaven I'm here to get
filled up with your joy Lord I'm here
just to hang out with you talk with you
about anything you want to talk about
whoa glory to God mm-hmm
thank you Jesus hallelujah and I think
for many of you that's what you need
right now you need that joy you need
that joy don't ever criticize joy well
pastors taking adventures acting like
they're happy no don't ever don't ever
criticize don't it could could be
totally valid and even if it's not you
can't you can't you don't know just let
them have fun praise God laughter is
good even if they're just trying well I
don't laugh hallelujah praise God thank
you Lord Jesus the joy of the Lord
flowing into you it's very very
important the Holy Spirit moving in your
life praise God so just go out hang out
with the Lord and didn't begin to move
into the presence don't try to force it
just hang out don't try to rush it just
hang out keep on praying keep on praying
that's good now I don't really know what
to pray well if you don't know what to
pray in English and you just kind of run
out of things to praying just to start
praying in tongues start praying in the
spirit and just hang out hang out keep
moving keep moving in moving in before
you know what you're there and then stay
there as long as you can as long as time
will allow you praise God praise the
Lord thank you Father God hallelujah
some of you you're moving into that
place right now thank you Father God
glory go over a place of wisdom a place
of strength a place for confusion and
chaos can exist now it may it may be
around you because that stuff's in the
world but it's not in you it's like your
fish you're in the water and you're
swimming all through the water but the
water is not in you you're in the salt
water but it's it's not in you it can't
penetrate you may be around you but it's
not it's not affecting you why because
you live in the presence of the Lord
praise God thank you Father
this is one of those messages that's a
little easier to
as they say the old-timers would say
it's it's better felt than tilt but I'm
trying to tell it to you the best way I
can from my personal experience of going
into that place enjoying that place and
not theatre theorizing about it but
trying to get it over to you in the
simplest language that I can of this is
how I go into that place this is how I
get there if I were to give you
instructions of how to get from Moravian
Falls to Rome I I can tell you how to
get there yeah get on a flight from
Charlotte to JFK tour and then go from
there and then you you know get your
connecting flight into Rome and this and
that and the other okay but I'm trying
to tell you today directions I'm trying
to lead you and show you this is how you
get into the presence of the Lord and
this is where you find the source of joy
at who praise God you know this is this
is the best place for people to be that
if you have a sickness or disease in
your body this is the best place for you
to be if you are a Christian and you
have some type of an addiction that you
struggle with you love God but this is
something that your flesh this you know
this addiction is not in your spirit but
it's in your flesh and your flesh really
this is like a trigger this thing tries
to rise up and get you to pull the
trigger to get in the flesh this that's
your deliverance right there that's your
deliverance Psalm chapter 16 verse 11
the presence of the Lord is how you
overcome that that's where you overcome
that Pastor Steven I feel like my flesh
I feel like I'm being so pushed to do
this I felt like I'm about to lose my
mind okay just sit down sit down
just start hanging out with the Lord
tell the Lord what you're feeling as if
he doesn't know right okay tell me what
you're feeling
say god help me help me and just start
hanging out with the Lord he'll start
taking that off of you
and start taking it off of you and
before you know it it's off of you oh
don't leave yet okay hang out with theme
now stay in the presence now he'll start
to strengthen you and start to
strengthen you you start to strengthen
you by the time it's all said and done
you'll walk out of that time with the
Lord you'll walk out of the president
Lord and you'll thank god I can't even
believe that thing used to tempt me now
we know we know yet that yes should it
come back again we know that you know
there could Yukos the devil still out
there you're still in the world we know
these things could try the flare up but
we know the solution we know the
fortress of solitude
that's where Superman would go when he
wanted to get a loan and get rejuvenated
okay it was called the fortress of
solitude we know where to go in the
presence of the Lord anytime you feel it
okay just say hey I need a little break
I'm I'm not quite feeling like Superman
right now so I'm gonna fly to my
fortress of solitude I'm going to go
into the presence of the Lord
mmm whoo praise God you come out of that
you're Superman again praise the Lord in
Christ that is hallelujah hallelujah
thank you Lord Jesus praise God stay in
the presence of the Lord and that way
also life is fun life is enjoyable whoo
everything's fun in the Lord without aim
it is just it's all grayscale no matter
what it is it just doesn't tickle you
you can try it it's all haven't tried it
he had he had more money than Bill Gates
Jeff Bezos Warren Buffett take all of
them he had more money than all of them
put together and he plunged into every
experience of the flesh he could and the
wild thing about it he said he still
retained this wisdom when he did it so
he could be extremely creative in
finding ways to sin and after it was all
done and he totally messed his life up
and did things that caused the nation of
Israel to splinter and tear apart after
it was all done he said it was all
vanity all total foolishness no life in
it at all nothing but emptiness mmm well
I'd like to verify that I'd like to
prove that Pastor Steven know you don't
need to try to go out and reinvent the
wheel you've already had enough who've
already already said it please take
their word for it take God's word for it
and run away from that emptiness and run
to the Lord and you'll be living your
dream life praise God
the greatest thing you can do after any
major victory or any major blessing
where God blesses you is to get away
after that moment go find a quiet place
and get on your knees and worship Him
and get into his presence and say God
you did it and say Lord I'm going to
enjoy it you gave it to me but Lord you
and I both know that without you it
doesn't mean anything
Lord without you it would never satisfy
I'll have no idols in my life lord I
thank you for what you've done but lord
i worship you only and just stay with
him and then all these things that he
asked to you you can really enjoy them
the way that they're supposed to be
enjoyed
mmm you can have some heaven on earth
praise God lift up your hands Heavenly
Father I pray for those that are
watching today fresh strength fresh joy
that they be pulled into that place of
your presence that angels would just go
before them and clear away any obstacles
of confusion or fatigue or weariness and
that they would just be drawn in oh God
by the angel's wings that they would be
carried by the colourful spirit the holy
spirit and the seven beautiful colors
the seven spirits of the Lord that
they'd be taken into the presence of the
Lord father I thank you that you're
bringing them there right now that they
will drink deeply and they will drink
and drink and drink thank you Father
thank you Father they're just like a
camel can drink more then all then a
horse and just like an elephant can
drink more then a then a puppy father
God I thank you that there are your
people that they have a tremendous
thirst for you and they need to be
filled up
o God filled them up filled them up fill
them up to overflowing as they spend
time with you we thank you also for
revelations and visions and trenches
then the vine experience is taking place
we thank your father for peace and for
impartation of knowing how to behave and
knowing how to act and knowing what to
say and what not to say all of that
being put upon your people in that place
of your presence we thank you Father God
in Jesus name Amen
and amen as you walk in this watch how
God will add into your life others
others who also know that place now let
me speak this to those that are single
and you're believing God for a godly
spouse as you spend time in the presence
of the Lord God will give you a spouse
who's also a person who has the same
heart okay if you will honor the Lord
and you will make sure that you're in
that place of his presence God will see
to it that you will have a spouse that
also knows that place of the presence of
the Lord as well hallelujah thank you
Lord Jesus mm-hmm I like it me and my
wife get together she's a woman of
Prayer I'm a man of prayer we get
together boom we can just move right
into the spirit we can get into the
spirit we can navigate in the spirit
together in times of ministry and time
of Prayer and that's just a blessing of
the Lord my friends those of you that
are single stay in the play well pastor
Steve but I feel so lonely I I can't
control my emotions I just no no that's
just all that's all that stuff down on
that lower realm of living okay get into
the presence of the Lord get filled up
get filled up and watch God will add to
you God will add to you somebody that's
strong in him that also knows that place
into the presence and then you can both
enjoy that see now now you're equally
yoked praise God so father I just thank
you for that I thank you for that that
you're grinning that bring that person
that godly spouse into their life thank
you father God in the name of Jesus amen
and amen
praise God let's get ready to take
communion today if you're watching
today's program and you don't know Jesus
but in your heart and you know that you
need Christ right now please pray this
prayer after me this is a prayer of
salvation pray this prayer after me from
your heart God will hear you and He will
save you right now say Lord Jesus come
into my heart I want to know your
presence I want to know your joy
Lord wash my sins away write my name in
your book of life Jesus saved me mail I
give my heart to you right now thank you
Jesus amen and amen
it was just that easy God has heard your
prayer he has saved you amen he is now
your Lord and Savior let us all take
holy communion together please grab the
unleavened bread and some juice praise
God
if you don't have these little wafers
you can use a cracker that would be fine
and I'm using grape juice and let's pray
Heavenly Father we thank you for the
bread the juice we bless it and
consecrate in this holy this is the
flesh and blood of our Savior Father we
love Jesus so much your son we love him
so much father we thank you for his body
we thank you for his flesh as we receive
it now we thank you that we were
determined by grace to spend time with
you in your presence thank you Father
thank you
amen let's protect
whoo praise the Lord
there will be those of you that you will
you will have visions of the Lord Jesus
it's rare but not as rare as you think
praise God
yes I've seen the Lord face to face and
vision he's he has appeared to me and
that is something that the Lord will do
usually for those that really really
seek Him and go after him praise God
not saying it's guaranteed I'm not
saying you can make it happen
I'm just saying go after the Lord you'd
be amazed at what he does with how can
we say supernatural experiences don't
don't seek the experience seek the Lord
and you'll have you'll have a lot of
experiences praise God Heavenly Father
thank you for the blood of Jesus Lord we
thank you for spiritual hunger spiritual
thirst now father we ask you for Gracie
even as David said draw me O Lord and
I'll run after you so Lord do the
pulling through the pulling and we're
coming and we pursue but let there be
grace to pursue and we thank you we
thank you Father God for encounters with
you we thank you for the deep joy of
your spirit in Jesus name Amen let's
receive the blood of Jesus
praise the Lord hallelujah
for all of you superheroes who need to
be recharged you need to go fly now to
your fortress of solitude needed to go
spend time with the Lord so you can
receive the strength that he wants to
impart also the strength so much
revelation so much wisdom flowing go
spend time in that place and you'll come
out of that like you were in a spa a
heavenly spa whoo glory to God father I
bless your people I thank you for them I
thank you for strengthening them
wherever they may be in the world for
strength whatever their condition may be
whatever challenge your trouble they may
face for strength in the name of Jesus
it works the same for all regardless of
where we live regardless of our trouble
father you have promised the strength to
joy it is our portion for evermore
in Jesus name receive amen thanks for
watching I'll see you back next time