"Thus says the Lord God, 'On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuild. The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited. The nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuild the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, has spoken it, and I will do it.'" (Ezekiel 36:33-36).






A Scriptural Basis for the Glory of God that is among His people
 
(This article was written by Mike Bickle from The International House of Prayer in Kansas City and is used by permission)
 
I. David: God’s pattern (witness, prophetic sign) for the redeemed
 
a. David is a picture of what God will release by the Spirit on the End-Time Church that operates in power through worship that comes from walking out lifestyles of radical loving obedience.
The sure mercies of David. 4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people. (Isa. 55:3-4)
 
Show me a sign for good...because You, LORD, have helped me...(Ps. 86:17)
b. David was a wise builder in establishing his sphere of authority to receive God’s blessing.
As a wise master builder I (Paul) laid the foundation...let each take heed how he builds...(1 Cor. 3:10)
 
David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him. (1 Sam. 18:14)
 
David behaved more wisely than all...his name became highly esteemed. (1 Sam. 18:30)  
II. God’s desire is to manifest himself in His people as His Resting place
Heaven is My Throne, and earth is My footstool... where is the place of My rest? (Isaiah 66:1)
 
Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and...Your strength. (Ps. 132:8)
a. God made humans that He might find His home in them. God will not rest until He finds His home in people who voluntarily live in deep unity with His heart. At present, God is usually striving with His people in their compromise. God describes Himself as resting when His enemies are subdued. The redeemed do this voluntarily in various degrees in this age. When God has a people who corporately live in voluntary love and obedience, then God is partially able to “rest in them” even now, though He will not fully rest in His people until the Kingdom Age. In contrast to this truth, Augustine taught that man cannot rest until he finds his rest in God.
Since the time that I...caused you (David) to rest from all your enemies.  (2 Sam. 7:11)
 
The Gentiles shall seek Him (Jesus), and His resting place shall be glorious." (Isa. 11:10)
 
This (Zion) is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. (Ps. 132:14)
b. God striving with sinful humanity
The LORD said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever...5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth... 6 and He was grieved in His heart. (Gen. 6:3-6)
 
They rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; so He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them. (Isa. 63:10)
 
Thus they provoked Him to anger...and the plague broke out among them. (Ps. 106:29)
III. Dilemma: God’s presence manifest in the midst of sinful humanity
Go up from here….to the land of which I swore to Abraham...2 I will send My Angel before you...3 for I will NOT go up in your midst, lest I consume you…for you are a stiff-necked people. (Ex. 33:1-3)
 
David arose...to bring up...the ark of God...3 They set the ark of God on a new cart...6 Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God...for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. (2 Sam. 6:2-7)
 
Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab..., "Go, number Israel...that I may know it." 7 God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. David said to God, "I have sinned greatly...” 14 So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel fell. 15 God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it. 16 David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. (1 Chr. 21:1-16)
 
Ananias...sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds...3 Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land...4...you have not lied to men but to God." 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. (Acts 5:1-4)
IV. Resting place for the Holy Spirit: open heaven (portal of glory)
These all continued with one accord in prayer 15…altogether the number was about 120...(Acts 1:14-15)
 
They were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
a. Jesus’ earthly ministry resulted in an unprecedented miracle of 120 people living in deep unity with God and thus with one another. The result is that God found a measure of rest in their midst as seen in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room (Acts 2). In other words, the Holy Spirit opened a portal (large gate) of glory in the midst of people in this age without destroying those He dwelt among.
b. They were a corporate group who sought to walk out Sermon on the Mount Christianity in pursing to walk in full maturity of 100-fold obedience (covenant with eyes, bridled speech, holy use of time and money). Unity (community) is a fanciful ideal without pursuing maturity as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:48). Unity with one another occurs easily when the people are striving to be in unity with God in thought, word and deed. The spirit of compromise cannot unify nor bond easily with people. Unity in the Book of Acts was focused more on pursuit of meekness than on theological ideas.
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mt. 5:48)
c. The open heaven or portal of glory in Acts 2 was in the same category of blessing promised in Jn. 1:51.
He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (Jn. 1:51)
V. David’s revelation of God’s desire to rest in His people (Ps. 132)
a. David understood that God desired to manifest Himself to His people who lived faithful before Him.
LORD, remember David...2 How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: 3 "Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house...4 I will not give sleep to my eyes...5 until I find...a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob"...8 Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. 9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness...13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place: 14 "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” (Ps. 132:1-14)
b. David bore reproach in his zeal to establish God’s house or dwelling place to rest among His people.
Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children; 9 Because zeal for Your House has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. 10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. 11…I became a byword to them. 12 Those who sit in the gate speak against me, and I am the song of the drunkards. (Ps. 69:7-12)
VI. God searches for hearts loyal to Him (individual and corporate)
True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
(Jn. 4:23)
 
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. (2 Chr. 16:9)
 
Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things (Mt. 25:21)
 
You shall be perfect (faithful to pursue God fully), just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mt. 5:48)
 
Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. (Ps. 12:1)
a. The great “seeker” that we need to focus on attracting is the Divine seeker whose eyes go to and fro across the earth looking for faithful ones.
b. Compromise repels the Holy Spirit who seeks those in whom He may dwell with in a more full way.
I sought for a man among them who would….stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. (Ezek. 22:30)
c. David was sensitive to the God who seeks to rest in His people. David offers us a different approach to “seeker-sensitive Church life” where the focus is on the Divine seeker and not the human ones.
The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart... (1 Sam. 13:14)
 
I have found My servant David; With My holy oil I have anointed him (Ps. 89:20)
VII. David’s leadership: seeking a corporate resting place for the Holy Spirit
I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O LORD, I will sing praises. 2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. 8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD. (Ps. 101:1-8)
A. The Holy Spirit rests in context to governmental ministries in unity with God, thus with each other. Psalm 101 is the clearest statement of David’s practical pursuit of a corporate resting place for God.
1. David set his heart in his personal life to live in pursuit of full obedience (Ps. 101:1-4).
2. David set his heart in his corporate life (team ministry) to build within his sphere with the core value of seeking God with full obedience and faithfulness (Ps. 101:5-8).
3. David embraces his part of the cooperation with grace focusing especially on seeking so God would come (v. 2) and so the people would be faithful (v. 6).  David’s heart cry for God to come –intimacy with God and a manifest dwelling place (God’s rest)
Oh, when will You come to me? (Ps. 101:2)
 
My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. (Ps. 101:6)
B.  Faithfulness is required by God and people. God requires it to visit in power without having to destroy His people for compromise in the midst of His manifest holiness. Also, people require it to remain together since to neglect faithfulness divides and defiles people seeking to work together. 
It is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Cor. 4:2)
VII. David’s personal life: in pursuit of full maturity (Ps. 101:1-4)
I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. 3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. (Ps. 101:2-4)
A. David’s private life of worship and prayer
I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O LORD, I will sing praises. (Ps. 101:1)
1. Singing to directly God – Eph. 5:19
2. Praises – gratitude based life of worship
3. Exalting both mercy and justice or righteousness 
B. I will behave wisely in a perfect way (v. 2) – pursuit of 100-fold obedience
C. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart (v. 2) – even in my most familiar comfortable setting
D. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes (v. 3) – sustaining a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1)
I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman? (Job 31:1)
 
Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin...(2 Pet. 2:14)
E. I hate the work of those who fall away (v. 3) – declaring war on sin with hatred of it
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride...the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. (Prov. 8:13)
F. It shall not cling to me (v. 3) – David warred against his failures instead of camping out in sin
G. A perverse heart shall depart from me (v. 4) – confidence in eventual victory
Confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it (Phil. 1:6)
H. I will not know (walk in) wickedness (v. 4) – persistent resolve to not walk in sin and compromise
 
IX. David’s corporate life within the sphere of his “team life” (Ps. 101:5-8)
A. David set his heart in his corporate life within the sphere of his “team life” (Ps. 101:5-8) to build only with people who had the core value of seeking full maturity (Mt. 5:48; 1 Cor. 4:2). This is what David was resolved to establish within his sphere of responsibility for two reasons. First, to attract the Holy Spirit’s presence (God’s resting place) knowing that compromise repels the Holy Spirit’s presence. Second, to unify the people within his sphere knowing that compromise divides, defiles and drains the team of strength and life.
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. 6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me. 7 He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence. 8 Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD. (Ps. 101:5-8)
B.  My eyes shall be on the faithful that they may dwell with me (v. 6) – choosing a team to serve in the royal court. Jesus, the “greater David,” has these same values
Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. (Mt. 25:21)
 
It is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Cor. 4:2)
C. He who walks in a perfect way shall serve me (v. 6) – wholeheartedness (as a value in the team)
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mt. 5:48)
D. Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor (v. 5) – subtle divisive speech is not rewarded
E. Him I will destroy (v. 5) – resolved to confront compromise in his team with consequences
F. The one who has a proud heart, I will not endure (v. 5) – resolved to confront pride
G. He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house (v. 7) – lovers of truth
Because they did not receive the love of the truth... (2 Thes. 2:10)
H. He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence (v. 7) – removed from the royal court
I.  Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land (v. 8) – revelation that leads to courage that leads to decisive proactive leadership without the procrastination and delay of inexperienced and insecure leadership
J. That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the LORD (v. 8) – zealous and confident in the necessity of Sermon on the Mount Christianity.