GOD IS WITH YOU: ENJOY HIS PRESENCE
When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up-the flames will not consume you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.
I will gather you and your children from east and west.(Isaiah 43:2,5 TLB)
HOW TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S PRESENCE
The presence of God is an integral part of God’s redemptive mission. God’s presence can be experienced in the following ways:
- Consecrating your life: The Christian life is a struggle against sin and temptation. Sin hinders one’s experience of God’s presence. God is holy and He wants us to be holy (Leviticus 11:44,45. TLB). This is God’s basic requirement from His people. The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth looking for those who are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9). God is really pleased with a person who is concreated for Him. One reason we may not be able to sense God’s presence is that sin is blocking the communication between God and us. In other words, your sensitivity to His presence might be affected by unconfessed sin in your life. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
- Spending time with God: Experiencing the divine presence requires time and preparation. We must spend time in God’s presence. When we push all our peripheral issues to the periphery, what remains is what really matters. When you fellowship with Him, it is easy for Him to communicate with you and guide you.
- Meditating on God’s Word: The Word of God is His revelation in the Bible. It is inspired and you can sense God’s presence and power when you read it. God’s Word is “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). When God speaks to us through His Word, we must listen and obey. The Bible says, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do” (Joshua 1:8, NLT).
- Praising and worshiping God: God inhabits the praises of His people. Praise and worship should be a living interaction between God and His worshipers. When you praise and worship God in songs and hymns, as you do in church, you feel closer to God. When you start praising God, regardless of your circumstances, you will sense His presence because you are no longer focusing on yourself, but on Him. When we draw near to God in sincere praise and worship, He draws us near to Himself (James 4:8) and establishes the throne of His presence in our midst. The following hymn by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) is a prayer for God to remain present throughout life, through trials, and through death.
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide.
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
- Being spiritually sensitive: God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:24). The Holy Spirit is the greatest help God has given us. He in every believer to lead, guide, teach, empower, counsel, correct, and comfort. Hearing from God is a spirit-to-spirit communication. A spiritually minded believer can more easily discern God’s will and is more easily controlled by God than a worldly believer. Secular or worldly activities tend to distract us from devotion to God. We must submit to God and cooperate with Him to bring about His intentions for our life. We should avoid getting distracted by things of lesser value. David said, “I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or fall” (Psalm 16:8, TLB).
What’s more, let me hear from You!
God’s Blessings
Matthew
