The Day of New Beginnings

Standing in His Presence

 

All of Christianity looks for the big experience to "fall down" in awe of God’s presence, while in reality He seeks to create just the opposite in us. He desires a people who can stand in His presence and know Him. Falling down is the natural response in our soul/flesh natures to the exposure of His superior divine nature. The Lord manifesting Himself in such a way that we fall down in awe of him is not satisfying to the Lord at all. It is no different that Nebuchadnezzar threatening his kingdom with the fiery furnace if they didn't bow down. It was a forced worship. The manifestation of God's glory to us now has the same effect. It produces that involuntary falling down because we can't bear the righteousness of His nature revealed. This is why His presence is veiled to us so much right now. Having "falling down" experiences with the Lord will only protract our immaturity, not remove it. The Lord veils Himself and works His cross in us so that we appropriate His nature and stand in His presence. It's the standing that glorifies Him, not the falling down. The falling down is the continued evidence that the leaven of the soul/flesh realm still resides in us.
 
When the Lord speaks of a new day, that is just what He means. It's a day that exists outside of any "day" we have known. In the natural we have Sunday through Saturday as the days of the week. Well, imagine a new day being created. All of the dealings of God with man have existed inside of a "week" we are familiar with. Now comes a day in which there is no pattern other than by revelation. We can't read the Scriptures with our natural minds and "see" this day. It must be seen by revelation. We must "see" a relationship with the Lord like Hosea prophesied, "On the third day we might be raised up and live in His sight." This New Day is without the leaven of the soul/flesh. We are to know the Lord without the hindrance of the leaven in us. God desires a people who can stand and be freewill offerings to the Lord. The Lord will not protract our infancy by giving us "falling down" experiences when His desire is just the opposite for us.
 
It’ interesting that when Jesus took Peter, James and John up on the mountain and was transfigured before them, that Elijah and Moses also appeared, discussing His departure from Jerusalem.
 
Luke 9:
28 ¶  Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.
29  And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.
30  And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah,
31  who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32  Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
 
Jesus was transfigured and appeared in glory. Let’s also read the account from Mathew.
 
1 ¶  Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
2  And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
3  And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
4  Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
5  While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!"
6  When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.
7  And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, "Get up, and do not be afraid."
8  And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
 
Notice carefully the two different responses in the narratives. Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus in glory, discussing His departure. They were not falling down in awe. When Peter, James and John heard the voice of the Father out of the cloud, it says they fell face down to the ground and were terrified. Peter, James and John still had the leaven of the flesh nature within them. That is why they responded the way they did to Christ’s glory. Moses and Elijah no longer carried the leaven of the Adamic nature, thus they stood on level ground with Jesus in His glory. This is God’s purpose for the new day that is opening to us. The Lord will do a thorough work in a people, cleansing them from the leaven of the Adamic nature and enabling them to stand in His presence.