The Presence of The Lord | Jentezen Franklin
Sunday, March 29
In this powerful Palm Sunday message, Pastor Jentezen Franklin reveals the true meaning of the cross and the unmatched importance of the Presence of the Lord. Discover why nothing — not great preaching, worship, or programs — matters more than hosting the Presence of God.
Key Verses
Mark 15:34-39; John 6:63; Matthew 27:46; Genesis 3:10; Revelation 5:8-9; Genesis 28:12-16; John 1:32; Genesis 8:8-11; Psalm 51:11; Mark 5:25-29; I Timothy 5:21; Exodus 33:2; Exodus 33:15; Judges 7:13
Puntos clave
- The presence of God is powerful. As long as you stay in God’s presence and in His Word, you will never, spiritually, die. Churches and people full of the presence of God will always be full of life. Not all churches are the same; the presence of God makes the difference. Keep the presence of God in your church and life. Don’t ever lose the presence of God.
- The presence of God creates a throne zone. When God’s presence is in a church, conviction comes, and you begin to align with Heaven. There is power in God’s presence. The more worship goes up, the more glory comes down. The veil is torn, and God is inviting you into His presence to talk to you about things you haven’t even thought about.
- Touch Him, and you’ll be able to reach them. God has charged you to reach others. When you’re charged, you hold the power to reach others. So don’t just get shocked in a service; get charged, and reach someone else as Christ’s ambassador.
Introducción
In this powerful message, “The Presence of the Lord,” Jentezen Franklin reveals a profound truth from the cross that many of us may have never considered before. As Jesus hung between heaven and earth, enduring unimaginable suffering, Scripture shows that He did not die simply from the physical pain, the loss of blood, or the cruelty of men. Instead, two critical things had to happen: He stopped speaking the Word, and the presence of God lifted from Him.
As long as Jesus was speaking—declaring truth, extending grace, and communing with the Father—death could not overtake Him. His words carried life because they were Spirit and truth. As long as the presence of God rested upon Him, death had no power.
This message invites us into a life-changing revelation: spiritual life is sustained the same way today—by speaking God’s Word and abiding in His presence. When we stop speaking the Word and start to drift from His presence, we begin to feel spiritually dry, weak, and distant. When we stay anchored in His Word and intentionally host His presence, life flows into our souls again.
As a group, this is an invitation—not just to learn, but to lean in. To become people who don’t just attend church, but who actively pursue and carry the presence of God daily.
What stood out to you from Sunday’s message?
The Word and the Presence
Pastor Jentezen’s message today reminded us that Jesus’s life was sustained by two things: The Word and the Presence – and the same holds true for us. It wasn’t Pilate, the Romans, or the Sanhedrin who killed Jesus. None of them had the authority to take his life. Jesus could not die on the cross until two things happened: He stopped speaking, and He experienced – for the first time – relational separation from His father.
In John 6:63, Jesus said, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” (NIV). Even while Jesus was hanging on the cross, He was speaking words of life.
He spoke these words of life to a dying thief in Luke 23:43 when He said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus also spoke words of life to John about caring for Mary after his death. As long as He spoke life, death had no power – and the same is true for us spiritually. If we are confessing God’s word in our lives, we cannot die spiritually. Let’s daily speak words of life.
Equally important, Jesus could not die until the Father’s presence was lifted from Him. Mark 15:34 says, “And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). These are the last recorded words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus had never in all of eternity been separated from the Father, but as He took the sin of the world upon himself, the Father had to leave him alone to die since He could not be in the presence of sin. So, in the same way that death had no authority over Jesus as long as he spoke life and was in the presence of his Father, neither can we or the church die spiritually if we speak the Word and stay in the Presence. The key to life is speaking the Word and staying in the presence. The Word and God’s presence give life to our soul and spirit.
- Can you honestly say that at work, at home, with friends that your words are “spirit and life”?
- Are you daily spending time in the Word, so that you can activate and confess God’s Word?
- Do you sense God’s presence in and around your life each day? If not, what is one habit or discipline that you can begin to do that will cultivate God’s presence?
The Presence of God Exposes Sin
In the presence of the Lord, there is no place for shadows. When God enters a space, His holiness acts as a divine spotlight, not to shame us, but to reveal the truth of our condition. As Pastor Jentezen Franklin shared, the same "glory" that clothes us can also depart when we choose our own way, leaving us feeling spiritually naked and exposed.
In Genesis 3:8-10, we see the first instance of human nature reacting to the presence of God after sin. Adam and Eve didn't hide because God was distant; they hid because He was near. When the glory of God lifted, they realized their nakedness and felt the sudden, sharp weight of conviction.
The presence of God is a mirror. It reveals the habits, attitudes, and "secret" things we’ve allowed to take root. Pastor Franklin reminds us that this conviction is actually a gift. It is the Holy Spirit calling us to repent and remove anything unclean—much like the radical act of pouring out liquor or walking away from a toxic environment the moment we realize it offends the heart of God. To dwell in His presence, we must be willing to let Him sanitize our souls.
A dangerous place for any believer is a state of spiritual "numbness." The sermon highlights three things we must never lose:
1. Our Fear: A holy reverence for God’s authority.
2. Our Tears: A heart that is still tender enough to weep over sin.
3. Our Ear: A sensitivity to the "still, small voice" of the Holy Spirit.
As David cried out in Psalm 51:11, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me," our greatest concern should not be the loss of material things, but the loss of that vital connection to the Father.
Application
Take a moment to sit in silence today. Ask the Holy Spirit, "Is there anything in my life—an object, a habit, or a grudge—that is blocking Your glory?" Conviction is not condemnation; it is an invitation to come clean. If the Spirit identifies something "unclean," handle it immediately. Whether it'sa digital habit, a physical item, or an unspoken thought, "pour it out" today so that His presence can fill that empty space.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think we often react like Adam and Eve—by hiding—when we feel convicted, rather than running toward God?
- Pastor Franklin mentioned the "pouring out" of things that don't belong. What is a modern-day "bottle of liquor" (a distraction or compromise) that people often struggle to let go of?
- How can we practically keep our "ear" sensitive to the Holy Spirit in a world that is constantly noisy and distracting?
If your presence does not go with us...
In Luke 8:42-48 — The woman with the issue of blood for 12 years was so desperate to be healed that she pushed through the crowds following Jesus. When she touched the hem of His garment, His power touched her. She was instantly healed and set free in His presence. He sensed it, and others noticed the change in her as well. She had carried the sickness for so long, and now she was carrying His presence.
Similar to the woman, we should always have the heart to just get a “touch” of His presence. We challenge you, before starting your day, before going to school or work, get a fresh touch of him through devotion and prayer. People around us will notice the difference, and they willbe impacted.
Without His presence, our lives would be incomplete, empty, and powerless. There is an old gospel song that goes, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold.” Choose Him over wealth, power or pleasure, places or people. Nothing can match His presence. Let’s seek Him and follow Him wholeheartedly without compromising His presence in our lives.
- How can you practice his presence consciously and effectively?
- What desperate area in your life needs you to reach out and touch Jesus like the woman with the issue of blood?
- How would your day change if you spent time in God’s presence first and carried it with you everywhere?
Conclusión
As we reflect on this message, one truth rises above everything else: nothing matters more than the manifest presence of God. Programs, plans, success, and even good intentions can never replace His presence.
Moses understood this deeply when he cried out in Exodus 33, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
And David echoed the same desperation in Psalm 51 when he prayed, “Take not Your Holy Spirit from me.” These were not casual prayers—they were desperate cries from hearts that knew life without God’s presence is no life at all.
Today, we are called to live with that same hunger and awareness. To host the Holy Spirit daily, not occasionally. To speak the Word constantly, not just when it’s convenient. And to make a firm decision: we will not move, build, decide, or go anywhere without His presence leading us.
This week, let this be your posture:
- Welcome the Holy Spirit into your everyday moments
- Stay filled by speaking and declaring God’s Word
- Guard His presence in your life above everything else
And if your heart is stirred—even a little—respond to Him. Lean in. Invite Him closer. He is not distant; He is waiting to be welcomed.
Lord, we don’t just want a moment—we want Your presence.
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