“The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27.
Lord (Adonai), You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Psalm 90:1.
For thus the LORD has told me, “I will look from My dwelling place quietly. Like dazzling heat in the sunshine. Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” Isaiah 18:4.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
I am your home. That is why you are so happy HERE. Wherever you are is here. And the time is always NOW. Now faith is and you are here. And I am in you and you are in Me and you are My dwelling place and I am your dwelling place. Welcome home! I am with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9. And in My presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11.
I told the children of Israel that they were to seek Me at the place which I would choose from all their tribes, to establish My name there for My dwelling, and there they would come to bring burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the contribution of their hands, votive offerings, freewill offerings, and the firstborn of their herds and flocks. There also they and their households were to eat before Me and rejoice in all their undertakings in which I had blessed them. Deuteronomy 12:5-7.
The Place where I put My Name. Ha Maqom (הַמָּק֖וֹם). The Place. And now you are in Christ, and He is the place I have put My Name, the only name given to men by which you are saved. My Name is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10. When the Jews asked Jesus for a sign of His authority when He cleansed the Temple of the money changers and merchants, He simply replied, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19. This confused the Jews, but Jesus was not speaking of the Temple building but the temple of His Body. John 2:21.
And now Christ is in you, your hope of glory, and you are in Him, and I am in Him and He is in Me and we are united as one in Him and one with all His Body, the church upon earth. You are My house and a temple of the Holy Spirit and collectively you are being built together into a place where the Spirit dwells. The Kingdom of Heaven is in your midst.
Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Philippians 4:11. And he really meant it, whether he was chained in a prison, preaching in a public square, going through a storm on the sea, enjoying fellowship among fellow believers, or being stoned by his adversaries, Paul was not only content, but overflowing with joy! 2 Corinthians 7:4.
What was Paul’s secret? Quite simply: I was and am and always will be his home. So wherever he was, he was at home with Me. And at home you feel secure, protected, and loved. At home you belong. David understood in all his wanderings and hiding from Saul—during it all he sang: “Only goodness and lovingkindness follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for length of days (that is, now and forever).” Psalm 23:6. And he boldly declared that even when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he feared no evil, for I was with him with My rod and staff that comforted him. Psalm 23:4. He was always home with Me and with Me at his right hand he was never disturbed. Psalm 16:8.
Disturbed. David declared that I had redeemed him from ALL distress. 2 Samuel 4:9. And I redeem you from all care and distress and fear, for I have reconciled you to Myself in Christ Jesus, not counting your sins against you, and now you know that if you abide in My Words and My Words abide in you, you may ask what you will and it shall be done for you. John 15:7.
You may be interested in that promise that Jesus gave you, for all My promises are “yes” to you in Him. What does it mean? You are assured of answered pray so I think you would be listening here. “If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you.” Abiding. This is living there continually. If you abide (continue, dwell upon, remain in) My Word, you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Free from what? Fear. Addiction. Worry. Anxiety. Hate. Offense. Depression. Sorrow. Lack. In other words, free from the curse of the law of sin and death. So if you abide in Me. This means that whenever you have a need, a problem, a care, a fear, a distress, or a desire, do not give in to the fear and worry. Instead, take authority by giving it over to My authority. Find a Scripture that supports the result you desire that would take away the care, problem, need or distress and declare it, put Me in remembrance of it—that is what abiding in Me is about for I am My Word, John 1:1, and I watch over My Word to perform it. Jesus is the High Priest of your confession (homologia is the word in Greek and it means “to speak the same as”) and if you pry anything according to My Will, which you find in My Word, I hear you and you know the request is yours. 1 John 5:14-15. And this is the first part of the direction for answered prayer that Jesus gave you—you abide in Me. So I am your home and you think like I do for the household is like the Master.
Let Me give you an example of this before moving on to the second part of the formula. Let us say through some fault of your own or some error, you fear a lawsuit or repercussions that you had not intended. First look for a Scripture. There are many about you being in trouble and Me delivering you, but one you could use is “That no weapon formed against me will prosper,” and “Every tongue raised against me shall be proved false” “for this is my heritage as a servant of the Lord, my vindication is from Him.” Isaiah 54:17. And then cast the care of the situation on Me, because I care for you, and rest in the knowledge that I am taking care of the situation to make it work out for your good, whether it was caused by a fault of yours or not. And then ask Me for direction. I will let you know what you are to do to solve the situation. And follow what I tell you. I may tell you to call the person who you fear will harm you for what has taken place when they find out and share the truth with them of what happened, and I will open their heart to respond in forgiveness and work out a good solution for you both. After all, I do tell you that if your brother has anything against you to go and be reconciled to your brother first. So you knew it all the time. But I am with you to direct you and protect you and give you favor. Trust that. You will indeed find there are many Scriptures you can put to work on situations where you need deliverance from destruction, whether you caused the problem or were innocent. Psalm 107:19-20. It works for you either way once you repent, are honest with Me about it, and give the care to Me. When you repent and are open in confession to Me, Jesus cleanses you of all unrighteousness and presents you to Me holy, blameless and beyond reproach. Abide in Me and you will walk in the Light continually. 1 John 1:5-10.
Now, let us look at the second part of the formula for answered prayer: “If My Words abide in you.” So the first part is you abide in Me, and that means you keep My Words ever before you and use them in petition and prayer, that you keep yourself mindful of My presence with you and in you, and rely on Me to take care of you no matter what. And the second part is My Words (or I, for I am My Word, John 1:1) abide in you. So really the formula is that you abide in Me and I abide in you. You draw close to Me and I draw close to you. You come home to Me and I give you a party and keep you always in My house. Jesus explained this to you: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word (and He only spoke My Words and He is My Word and the way I speak to you, Hebrews 1:1-2); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” John 14:24. Do you see? First, you make your home in Me by continually keeping My Word before your eyes, meditating upon it, and using it in petition and prayer, trusting Me to perform it and care for all your needs, and, second, I abide in you when you not only meditate on and speak My Words but when you do them—not just a hearer but a doer. James 1:21-22 (“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”). For example, I tell you to forgive anyone against whom you have an offense when you come to pray to Me. Mark 11:25. Unforgiveness is a hindrance to answered prayer. It blocks My abiding in you. For light and darkness cannot be yoked together in fellowship. 2 Corinthians 6:14. This does not mean you never sin or slip back into the flesh in a moment of weakness, it means you are quick to repent and confess your sin to your High Priest Jesus so He can cleanse you of all unrighteousness. If you walk in the Light of My Word, the blood of My Son continually cleanses you. Stay with Me and keep on going, forgetting what lies behind. I am faithful and true to forgive you and cleanse you for Jesus has borne all your sins and the punishment due them for you.
Lean not on your own understanding but on My Word and I will direct your path. For My Word is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet. Jesus, My Word made flesh and active among you, is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He will always lead you in right paths for My Name’s sake. My Name is a strong tower. Whoever calls on My Name, which I have given to My Son, will be saved. John 17:11; Romans 10:13. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which you must be saved. Acts 4:12. Jesus. His Name shall be called wonderful.
I love you. If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. For if you delight in Me—and remember that to delight in Me means that your delight is in My Word (the perfect law of liberty) and in that law you meditate day and night, Psalm 1:2, Psalm 112:1—then I give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4. Your heart will become one with My heart. Your heart will abide in Mine and I will take away your stony heart and give you My living heart and you will keep My Words and they will be your delight, your counselors, your wisdom, and your salvation. Commit your way to Me, trust Me, and I will do it. Abide, I am your home. You can know that secret and be content wherever you are. For with Me you will walk in the miraculous at all times. There is fullness of joy in My presence and I give you to drink your fill in the abundance of My house and to drink of My river of delights, for with Me is the fountain of life and in My light, you see light. Psalm 36:7-9. I am your refuge and your fortress.