It was never intended that we should stand at even the slightest distance from God.

It was sin and the curse that put a distance between us.  But ever since the beginning of time, it has been the desire of the Father for us to dwell right in His Face.

Just before stepping into His assignment on Calvary, Jesus made this statement - " In the abode of My Father are many Dwelling Places .... And I am going to make ready a place for you ..."  (Jn.14.2)

Due to the separation caused by sin and the curse, we were denied access to intimacy with the Father.  But through the redemptive work for which Jesus paid the price with His own Blood - the separation  has been torn down, and we have been brought back into right-standing, and right relationship with Him.  We no longer have to stand at a distance - but through His grace we can boldly and confidently approach His Throne anytime, anywhere - knowing that THIS IS OUR PLACE, this is where we were created to be.

IN HIS PRESENCE - IN HIS FACE

"In Your Presence is Fullness of Joy and at Your Right Hand are pleasures forevermore...."  - Ps. 16.11

The word translated "presence" in this verse is the Hebrew word paniym  (pronounced: paw-neem).   Paniym is used over 2100 times in the Old Testament.  In various verses in the Old Testament, other Hebrew words are often translated "presence".  (e.g. in Ps. 23.5 - "in the presence of my enemies" - presence is the word "neged" - meaning: before, in the presence of, in the sight of, in front of, ect.)

Yet, in every usage of the word "presence" in reference to God, it is always the word  paniym. It is also the primary word from which the "face" or "countenance" of God is translated.
Paniym means "face".   It refers to the "face" or "countenance" of something and can also be used in reference to the surface or visible side of a thing.
Although it has been translated as "presence" 76 times, presence is actually not a part of the definition of this word  paniym.

So the true concept of dwelling in the Presence of God - is dwelling  IN HIS FACE - being face to face with Him!  
"In Your Face is fullness of Joy...."

In Exodus 33, we are given the account of a meeting between Moses and God.  Verse 11 states that the Lord spoke with Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."                 

 In verse 18, Moses cries out, "Please show me Your Glory." 

The intensity of their conversation together was so awesome that Moses did not want to just hear the voice of this glorious Creator - he wanted to also see Him and experience Him in all His Fullness!

The Lord did grant Moses' request, but He could only do so in part - due to the effect of the curse still in operation in the earth.
The Lord said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you....but you cannot see My Face, for no man shall see Me and live."  He permitted Moses to see His back - and that in itself was glorious.
Yet, it was not the desire of God that anyone would ever have to be held back from absolute intimacy with Him, seeing and knowing Him face to face ...

That is why He sent Jesus! - to abolish everything that had separated us from Him, to break every resistance , and to bring His family home to closeness and unbroken communion with Him forever!
"As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and SET ME BEFORE  YOUR FACE FOREVER!" - Ps. 41.12

He has set us before His Face FOREVER.
Because of the Blood of Jesus, because of His grace, we NEVER HAVE TO WITHDRAW  from His Presence, from His Face.  Even when we fail, even when we fall into sin, we do not have to back away from His Presence.  Actually, in our sin and in our failure we should run to Him even harder, we should draw near to Him even closer - because that is where our forgiveness is,  that is where our cleansing is received - In His Presence, at the Throne of Grace - mercy for every failure and the grace to help us go on and do what is right.

Jesus said that in the House, in the  Presence of the Father were many dwelling places.  Through His Blood, He prepared A PLACE  for each and every one of us in that  Glorious Presence - so that where He is, we also may be.
No longer does the Face of God have to be veiled from us!

The curse of sin and death has been destroyed.  Through Jesus we now see Him and know Him.
"He Who has seen Me has seen the Father." (Jn. 14.9) 

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the Blood of Christ."  -Ephesians 2.13

Dwelling in His Presence, in His Face, is so much more than gazing upon something beautiful or experiencing an emotional high.  

The Blood of Jesus has regained access for us into the very face of God because we have been called and appointed to sit together in Heavenly Places with  Him - we have been destined to know and to walk in the mysteries of God revealed, and it comes as we abide and remain In His Face.

"As for me, I will see YOUR FACE in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness."  - Ps. 17.15
We are changed In His Presence.

When our daily lifestyle is seeking His Face, we cannot remain the same as we were. 

The more time we spend with God, the more we will be like Him.  Awaking in His likeness is shear satisfaction.   Nothing could be more satisfying than becoming what we were always meant to be - the very image of God Himself!

PRESS IN -
"Then Jacob was left alone: and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.    Now when He saw that  He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip: and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.  And He said, ‘Let Me go, for the day breaks.'  But Jacob said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me!'  So He said to him, ‘What is your name?'  He said, ‘Jacob'.  And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but ISRAEL; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.' ....And He blessed him there.  So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved".   -Gen. 32.24-30

Over the years, this account of Jacob and God has become one of my most loved stories.  I believe that it so illustrates the ongoing drama between the life of a believer hungry for God and their Creator.

In Jacob's story, you will notice this encounter occurs one night as he is alone.  How often have we had our most intense hours with God while we are alone in the night seasons?
God can speak to us anytime, anywhere.  But it is when our heart and mind are still and in a place of quietness that we are most open for God to work in us.

The footnote for Gen. 32.24-30 in the Amplified Bible states that the Man  Who wrestled with Jacob was God Himself  in the form of an angel (as Jacob eventually realizes in Gen. 32.30) .
A corresponding footnote reveals that the Man in this text, as well as the Being in the Old Testament referenced as "The Angel of the Lord", "The Angel of God", or "The Angel of His Presence", is readily identified with the Lord God.  Yet, it is obvious that this being is a distinct person in Himself from God the Father.  Nor does "the Angel of the Lord" appear again after Christ came in human form.  He must of necessity be One of the "Three-in-One" Godhead, and is the visible Lord God of the Old Testament, as Jesus Christ is of the New Testament.  Thus His deity is clearly portrayed throughout the Old Testament - a fascinating forecast of the coming Messiah, breaking through the dimness with amazing consistency, at intervals from Genesis to Malachi.

It is important to know that this was not an angelic being, but actually God Himself Who was contending with Jacob.
I  do not believe that this struggle was as much a fight between the two, as it was a challenge to Jacob to strive and contend for a higher place, a higher level in God.
He was being stirred to the greatness God had destined for him, as the patriarch of the greatest nation on earth.

When Jacob was met with this intense struggle, he did not faint or withdraw in weakness, instead he fought with everything that was within him -  he went into that fight with one thing on his mind - The Blessing he had strived for all his life to obtain.
He recognized at that moment that this was a divine opportunity.  He had made up his mind that he would not let go until he received his answer.

When the Man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks", Jacob replied, "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME!"
Obviously, that was what God was looking for because the struggle seemingly ends right there. 

God was looking for someone who would press in, contend for, and refuse to let go until they obtained His Blessing. He was looking for someone who would be desperate enough for Him, desperate enough for His Life, His Presence that they wouldn't take no for an answer.

It is the same for us.

Don't ever settle for less than what God has promised you.  Don't ever accept less than the reality of dwelling in the very Face of God every moment of your life.

Whenever you may be experiencing a struggle in your life, a struggle in your relationship with God, or if it seems like you are just not connecting with Him as you pray - don't draw back, PRESS IN  to Him with all you have.  
Contend for the  higher places in God, higher places IN HIS PRESENCE - and refuse to let go until you break through to that next level of intimacy and communion with Him.

As we intently seek His Face and as our soul follows hard after Him  ( Ps.63.8) we will know and experience His Love and His Power beyond anything imagined.  We will know His Glory as we dwell  IN HIS FACE.

"For it is God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ."  II Cor. 4.6

The distance that once separated us from His Presence has been removed forever.  Now we can experience all the Love and communion with Him that He destined us to know.  All we have to do is take our place. 
You were created to dwell  
                                   IN HIS FACE.                  

FLMI © December 2006   All Rights Reserved.
Sharah LaGail Wyatt / First Love Ministries International
P O Box 163974  Ft Worth, TX 76161   /     www.ps27fr.org