I’m convinced that many, if not most Christians, either have never understood, have only partially understood, or have perhaps completely forgotten their Spiritual Identity. Over time, their identity in Christ or who they are in Christ has gotten lost. “Christ in me” (Colossians 1:27) is such a weighty statement that is often used and more often underappreciated. What keeps us chained to our old lives in sin? Mis-Identity. What keeps us from walking out in the full power of Christ alive in our lives? Mis-Identity. What keeps us from laying hold of the promises of power that Jesus gave us written in Acts when the Holy Spirit was given? Mis-Identity. What keeps us paralyzed by fear, anxiety, doubt, and grief? Mis-Identity. Our identity in Christ is the hinge pin on which everything is built. If we fail to understand our new identity in Christ, we are disabled right from the beginning. We will fail to experience and exercise our appointed freedom, power, and inheritance.
I grew up around fasting. I knew it was something that adults did occasionally. Once I grew up, it was something I never even considered, much less wanted to do. Once the Lord ravished my heart, fasting began to be a reality on my radar. As I have had some experience with fasting, I never understood the biblical context for fasting aside from believing it's what you did when you needed something from God. I have heard preachers I admire teach how fasting is not about twisting God’s arm into doing something. I’ve shared that sentiment and even believed that when Jesus when asked by religious leaders, why His disciples do not fast like John’s disciples or the pharisees’ in Luke 5:33-35. So, for some time this verse has been the sole basis for my concept of why we fast. Presence. I still hold to this reality as a piece of the answer, but I wanted to investigate this question further because my understanding was very one-dimensional and I wanted to seek clarity.
In this modern church age, it is likely you have heard the phrase “Host the Presence.” Very likely, this is the reason you picked up this book. As many times as I’ve heard this phrase, I’ve still found myself not fully grasping the heart of what’s being said. Catch phrases can become part of cultural norms rather than the echo of our heart, which leads me to the heartbeat of this book. My desire is to shine light on what it means to host His Presence and will conclude by walking through Scriptural examples. I hope that a personal fire is ignited in your heart to host His Presence. What does it mean to host the Presence of God? This may be something you have some awareness of, or it may be a new concept to you all together. Either way, I believe it’s important to first define what it means to “Host His Presence.” I will simply define it as living with an awareness of what God is doing and walking in obedience to His prompting. At first glance, you may think this is too general.
Why is studying the last days important? How you view the end times will affect how you live in the present. This view is fundamental to understand because the lens by which you see will cast an unrealized filter through how you perceive and interact with the world you currently live in. Our understanding of end times affects how we view the world, other people, and how we engage in society and culture. It is crucial to begin with what Jesus said about this topic. If we start anywhere else, we risk ending wrong by beginning wrong. For this teaching, attempt to detach yourself from what you are convinced you know and approach this book as a blank slate to see what Scripture speaks for itself. What Scriptures have we taken for granted or even misunderstood? This book aims to approach Scripture with fresh eyes and see if what we understand parallels God's Word.