The Power of
God’s Presence
There is no
better place to measure the impulses of God’s presence than the beginning.
In the beginning, the Bible revealed to us that the earth was without form,
void, and its surface was engulfed with darkness. Yet, the presence of God
was revealed in the condition of the earth at this moment. “. . . And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) And
because of God’s presence on the surface of the earth, the most wonderful
work of creation was first created. God spoke the first creation into
existence. It was not molded, no, it was not shaped. It did not evolve. It
was not a result of chemical reactions. The presence of God perceived the
need of the planet. The need of the planet Earth was conceived in the
thoughtfulness of God and was birthed into existence through His spoken Word
– “Let there be light: and there was light.” The first creation
revealed the nature of God. Holiness is the nature of God. God does not work
in darkness hence the first thing He created was light in order that the
light may reveal the work of darkness. Every other creature was created
under the light of His presence. Wherever the light can reach, the presence
of God is there.
The presence
of God was revealed in the creation of man in that God created man in His
own image. God breathed into the nostrils of man and he became a living
being. The dwelling place of man at the beginning revealed the presence of
God. Man was placed in the garden planted by God called Eden. All means of
sustenance of man was made available in the garden. Man was living on what
God had planted in the garden. Adam continued in his responsibility of
dominionship while Eve continued in her responsibility of helpmeet. At the
cool of the day, God come to the garden to fellowship with man. The enemy of
mankind, Satan, sneaked into the garden. The devil deceived Adam and Eve and
caused them to fall away from the presence of God. The judgment of God
descended heavily upon man. Outside the presence of God, there is pain and
anguish. There is also failure and dreams unfulfilled.
It is the
intention of God that all men may dwell in His presence. In the presence of
God, wisdom, knowledge and understanding take a back seat so that the
anointing of God may produce divine power and supernatural might that the
glory of God may manifest. In the presence of God, there is orderliness and
peace. In His presence, there are possibilities and prosperities; there are
rules and obedience. There maybe problems but in the presence of God there
are solutions. There may be storms but the presence of God will bring forth
peace. The deepest depth of the sea confirms the awesomeness of His
presence. The highest of the heavens and the starry host of the heavenly
confirms the unfathomable understanding of His presence. In the presence of
God, divinity blends and superimposes humanity to reveal the glory of God.
Nature reveals the presence of God; modern day discoveries and technological
breakthroughs declare the ingenuity of the presence of God, as there is no
breakthrough unless God Himself leads the way. In the presence of God in
your life, there may be trials and tribulations but certainly, in the midst
of all these, there is victory.
“. . .In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
THE PRESENCE OF GOD AMONG THE ANGELS
The Angel
Gabriel is not ordinarily a great communicator; it is because he stands in
the presence of God. He declared this important identity in his message to
Zechariah, “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God, . . .” Luke
1:19 The Archangel Michael did not become a captain of the battle of God
by his might, but because he stands in the presence of God. He was able to
prevail against the dragon, Satan because he championed the course of
righteousness against evil. (Revelation 12:7-9Revelation 12:7-9
7. And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9. The great dragon was hurled down - that ancient serpent called the devil,
or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the
earth, and his angels with him) Also Archangel Michael
contended with devil, disputing about the body of Moses. “Yet Michael the
archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses
. . .” (Jude 9) In two places that the name of this angel appears in the
Bible, he contended for righteous sake and also against most powerful evil
angel, Satan. He stood for what the nature of God stood for and he
represented the value of the divine presence of God.
Lucifer, the
anointed cherub that covereth with precious stones, was in the presence of
God, upon the mountain of God, walking up and down in the midst of the stone
of fire. He was exceptionally made to function perfectly for the glory of
God in the way he was created until iniquity was found in him. (Ezekiel
28:13-15Ezekiel
28:13-15
13. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious
stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper,
sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of
gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14. You were anointed as a guardian chrub, for so I ordained you. You
were on the holy mount of God; you walked amon the fiery stones.
15. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till
wickedness was found in you.) A Cherub is the highest
class of angelic being. That this angel was further described as anointed
among angels is noteworthy. The presence of God in which he operated boosts
the beauty of his song, his angelic power and all his functionalities as the
angel of God. All these added up to the pride that overcame him and
triggered off rebellious act that led to his destruction.
THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH THE PATRIACHS
The presence
of God was with Enoch. He walked righteously with God for three hundred
years until God took him. His body did not see corruption. “And Enoch
walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, . . .”
(Genesis 5:22) The presence of God was with Noah. Noah followed the
instructions and precepts of God to the last letter. He was able to build
the boat of salvation. He was given the grace to see the end of the wicked
generation and he became the nucleus of the new world that God preserved
through His mercy and remain until our time.
The presence
of God was with Abraham. (Genesis
12:1-3Genesis
12:1-3
1. The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your
people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
2. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your
name great and you will be a blessing.
3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and
all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.") He
followed the direction of God to the land of Canaan. He lived by faith
before God. He was identified in the Hall of Faithful children of God in
Hebrew chapter 11 as the father of faith, because faithful is He that called
Abraham. God established His covenant with Abram at the age of ninety-nine
and changed his name to Abraham – meaning ‘father of many nations’ and the
name of his wife, Sarai to Sarah. (Genesis
17:5,15Genesis 17:5, 15
5. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be
Abraham, for I have made you f father of many nations.
15. God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to
call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.) Abraham was one
hundred years old and Serah was well stricken in age when the child of
Promise, Isaac, was born. The presence of God was with Isaac. “And the
Lord appeared to him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy
father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy
seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. (Genesis 26:24) Isaac sowed and
received in the same year a hundredfold because the Lord blessed him.
(Please note, one fold is a hundred percent.) He was greatly blessed and the
Philistines became envious of him. (Genesis 26:12-14) The presence of God
was with Ishmael, the son of Hagar the bond woman, and also the first son of
Abraham. “And God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called
to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear
not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the
lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make a great nation.” (Genesis
21:17-18)
And these
are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their
generations, the first born of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and
Mibsam, And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Hetur, Naphish,
and Kedemah. Ishmael was blessed and twelve princes, the Arabians, came out
of his generation. (Genesis 25:13-15)
Although
Jacob, one of the children of Isaac, was noted for his deceit and his shrewd
way of doing business – the way he made Esau relinquish his birthright for
pottage of lentice – yet the presence of God was with him. He was known as
the Supplanter because he took the blessing of his brother, Esau, by
deception and thereby created enmity between himself and Esau. He ran to
Padanaram, and on his way God appeared to him in a dream. (Genesis
28:12-15Genesis 28:12-15
12. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the
earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending
and descending on it.
13. There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of
your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your
descendants the land on which you are lying.14. Your descendants will be
like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the
east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth eill be blessed
through you and your offspring.
15. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you
back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have
promised you.") In the course of his life, Jacob was
deceived. Ten times Laban changed his wages. He worked seven years for
Rachel’s hand but Laban deceived him and gave him Leah, Rachel’s sister. He
had to work another seven years for Rachel. Rachel and Leah gave their maids
to Jacob in order that they may bear children for them, when jealousy ensued
between the two sisters. Through these four women of the same childhood
orientation, from the household of Laban, the twelve children of Jacob that
represent the twelve tribes of Israel came to existence. Jacob was a pivot
of blessing. The covenant of God with Abraham was fulfilled in the life of
Jacob. A dramatic change took place along the pathway of the life of Jacob.
He made peace with Laban. He made peace with his brother Esau. He returned
to Canaan as God bade him. He wrestled with the heavenly host till the day
break. “Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he (Jacob) said, I will not
let you go, except you bless me. And he said, “What is thy name? And he said
Jacob. And he said, “Thy name shall be called Jacob no more, but Israel; for
as a prince hast thou power with God and with men and has prevailed.
(Genesis 32:26-28)
It was not a
smooth and rosy story of success for Joseph. He went from the bosom of love
of his father to the bottom of dry pit where his brothers threw him; from
the pit to the house of slavery of Pontiphar, and yet the presence of the
Lord was with him.“ And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous
man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw
that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord make all that he did prosper
in his hands.” (Genesis 39:2-3) Though Joseph went from his lofty
responsibilities in the house of Pontiphar to his incarceration in the
dungeon because of righteousness, he still kept his head high and overcame,
and the covenant of God concerning the purpose of his creation was
manifested.
God called
Moses to His own presence on Mount Horeb. It was not by dream nor by vision,
but by the words of His mouth. Four hundred and thirty years after God’s
covenant with Abraham, God saw the affliction of His people in Egypt and He
heard their cry. He started by personal introduction of Himself, saying,
“I am the
God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob . . . I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and
have heard their cry by reason of their taskmaster; and I know their sorrow;
and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to
bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land
flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the
Jebusites.” Exodus 3:7-10
God gave a
message of hope to the oppressed. He revealed His name, ‘I AM THAT I AM,’ to
the Israelites, and also a message of ‘Let my people go,’ to king Pharaoh
through Moses. Moses came up with many excuses of his unworthiness but God
empowered him to move on. The presence of God was with Moses and the staff
in his hands. The staff became a devastating weapon of judgment against the
Egyptians. God, through Moses, led the Israelites out of Egypt. The presence
of God manifested as a pillar of cloud to lead the way. “And the Lord
went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way, and by
night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.”
(Exodus 13:21) When the Egyptian’s chariots tried to pursue the
Israelites by the Red Sea, fear and pandemonium engulfed them. The angel of
God that was leading the Israelites moved behind their camp, so also the
pillar of cloud. The pillar of cloud gave light to the children of God and
darkness to the Egyptians so that the two camps might be kept apart until
the Israelites ran to safety. (Exodus 14:19-20Exodus 14:19-20
19. Then the angel of God, who had been travelling in front
of Israelis army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also
moved from in front and stood behind them.
20. coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the
cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so
niether went near the other all the night long.) The
presence of God provided a highway in the Red Sea for the Israelites to pass
to safety.
The presence
of God was with the Israelites during the course of their forty year journey
in the wilderness. There are many instances of God’s manifestation among the
Israelites, His people, which we will not be able to cover in this study.
God made manna available for the Israelites on a daily basis. When they were
in need of meat, God made quails to besiege their camp. When they were
thirsty, God provided water for His people from the rock.
The Lord’s
presence was with Joshua the son of Nun. God appointed him to lead the
Israelites to the Promise Land after the death of Moses. (Joshua 1:1-9Joshua 1:1-9
1. After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the
Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide:
2. "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to
cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the
Israelites.
3. I will give you every place where you set your foof, as I promised Moses.
4. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from
the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country - to the Great Sea
on the west.
5. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I
was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake
you.
6. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the
land I swore to the their forefathers to give them.
7. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my
servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
that you may be successful whereever you go.
8. Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day
and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful.
9. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you
whereever you go.") He was a faithful servant of Moses.
Like his predecessor, through the divine presence of God, the River Jordan
was divided into two for the Israelites to cross on a dry land. Joshua
encountered the captain of the Lord’s host. (Joshua
5:13-15Joshua
5:13-15
13. Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a
man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up
to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
14. "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the Lord I have
now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked
him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"
15 The Commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the
place where you are standing is holy." "And Joshua did so.)
He led the Israelites in a seven-day praise worship around the city of
Jericho and on the seventh day, the divine presence of the Lord caused the
wall of Jericho to fall and the children of God captured the city. The sin
of Achan rattled his leadership and caused a tiny city of Ai to defeat
Israelites in battle. He sought the face of God and afterward summoned the
Israelites to bring the culprit to judgment. Afterward few Israelites were
chosen to go after Ai and defeated them. The presence of God manifested in
the leadership of Joshua when, at his word, the sun stood still upon Gibeon
and the moon in the valley of Ajalon until the children of God defeated
their enemies in battle. Joshua conquered thirty-one kingdoms.
There is
something common about all the people mentioned in this study. When the
presence of God manifested among them; something happened. The presence of
God is not a stagnant experience. His presence is always filled with
activities. God instructs and the people obey. The people were sensitive to
the impulses of Holy Spirit. They were swift to hear and follow the
instructions of God. In their activities, they trusted and depended upon
God. They all experienced the supernatural power of God and His miracles.
God is still talking in our own time but the question is, “How many of us
are listening?”
THE
PRESENCE OF GOD WITH THE PROPHETS
Samuel was a
covenant request from God at the most difficult moment in the life of
Hannah, his mother. Samuel was an answer to her prayer and a covenant gift
from Hannah unto God. The children in our time would go to school or learn
one trade or the other, but Samuel went to the school of the Holy Spirit
under the tutorship of Eli, an Israelite priest. At his tender age, Samuel
was wearing a linen ephod: the robe designated for priests. The prophetic
ministry of Samuel began when Eli failed in his priesthood and when the
Israelites needed a spiritual leader that was sensitive to God. Samuel was
the spiritual king of Israel when the Israelites had no king. He was the
voice and wisdom of God unto the Israelites. (I Samuel 3:19-20) Samuel
anointed Saul, the son of Kish, as the first king in Israel when the
Israelites desired a king. When Saul disobeyed God in his kingship, God
asked Samuel to anoint David the son of Jesse as the king of Israel.
The presence
of God was with Elijah the Tishbite. He came to the spiritual limelight when
most prophets in Israel had either been killed by Jezebel or ran away.
Prophet Elijah is better know as the Prophet of Fire. He was raised to be a
voice of judgment against the detestable abomination of idol worshipping in
the kingdom of Israel. The word of Elijah brought forth a judgment against
Ahab and also became a padlock of nature that locked off rain in the kingdom
of Ahab.At the fullness of time, after a period of three years, God directed
Elijah to appear before Ahab to unlock the padlock of nature so that rain
may fall in Israel. The re-appearance of Elijah in the presence of Ahab did
not only bring forth rain, it also brought a dramatic and devastating
judgment upon the four hundred and fifty idolatrous prophets of Baal. His
appearance brought glory to God and established in the hearts of the people
of Israel that God of Elijah answered his prayer with a consuming fire from
Heaven.
The power of
light challenged the power of darkness. A sacrifice of bullock upon wood
without lighting the burnt-offering with fire was agreed upon, one for the
King of Glory, Almighty God, and the other for the lord of darkness, the
idol god of Baal. The four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal were asked to
call on the name of their idol god and Elijah would call upon the name of
his God. The God that consumed the sacrifice with fire should be exalted and
revered. (I Kings 18:23-24) The prophets of Baal called on their god from
morning till evening; their lifeless idol god did not respond, but at the
very moment that Elijah called on his God, fire came from Heaven and consume
the offering of Elijah. You can read the details of the miraculous event. (I
Kings 18:31-41)
As a result,
all the prophets of Baal were killed. This event kindled the anger of
Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, and sent a message to Elijah that within the next
twenty-four hours he would be killed. He started running for his life. He
became so dejected. He said, “I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I am
not better than my ancestors.”
He was so tired, he just slept off under a juniper tree. He did not know what
was going on around him when he slept off. An angel of God woke him up two
times to eat his meal. (I King 19:9-18)
And the word
of the Lord came to him after Elijah had traveled about 200 miles away from
Jezreel to Mount Horeb (Sinai): “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah
complained bitterly. God told him, “Go out and stand on the mountain in
the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” God was
about to do a new thing that Elijah knew not. He was about to prove a point
to his servant. God used three devastating power of nature – wind,
earthquake and fire – to prove His point. God knew that a fierce wind would
tear apart the mountain and shatter the rocks. He had foreseen the
earthquake and the fire, yet He asked Elijah to stand on the mountain in His
presence. This must have been a desolate moment of his life. But God did not
reveal His presence yet. At these devastating events, can you imagine where
God was? He was not in wind, not in the earthquake, and not in the fire.
(Isaiah 43:1-3) At these terrible moments, the presence of Almighty God was
with Elijah. That was why the wind that tore the mountain and shattered the
rock could not tear Elijah. That was why the earthquake could not swallow
him. That was why the fire could not kindle upon him. In the presence of
God, the fierce wind, the earthquake and the fire all bowed down before Him.
The presence of God was so close to Elijah, no wonder he could decipher the
gentle whisper of God. Or does God need to shout when He is close by to us?
What a beautiful way of revealing the simple fact that He was with Elijah
and reassured him that He would stand by him until his work on earth is
done.
The presence
of God was with Elisha the son of Shapat of Abelmehola. Prophet Elisha was
an anointed of God and he was a faithful servant of Elijah. He was a
powerful prophet in Israel. He healed the leprosy of Naaman. (II Kings
5:1-14) When his master, Elijah, was about to be taken up, Elisha was asked
to make a request. “Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken away from
thee.” Elisha was an individual that would not settle for less. In the midst
of no time to think, in a split second, Elisha made a tall order and it was
an excellent choice. He asked for a double portion of the anointing of his
master. “Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” He met the
criteria. He saw Elijah being taken up by chariot of fire and the double
portion of his master’s anointing fall upon him.
The presence
of God was with the Prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. He was made a light to the
household of Israel, to be the mouthpiece of God revealing the wickedness
and rebellious of Zion. And to comfort the oppressed with hope that their
righteousness will not go without adequate reward. Prophet Isaiah was
walking with God on a level that, I presume, no man has ever walked with
God. I say this because if you take into consideration the plan of salvation
which was only known to God but was clearly revealed to him about the
conception, birth, the divine work of salvation and the death of Jesus
Christ. Seven centuries before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, he had
the revelation that a virgin will bear the pregnancy of Jesus Christ.
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
He knew the names that Jesus Christ will be known by throughout the entire
universe. (Isaiah 9:6-7) The revolution of peace of Jesus Christ was
revealed to the world through Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 42:1-4) so also the
nature of His death. (Isaiah 53:4-12)
The presence
of God was with the Prophet Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, the priest in the
land of Benjamin. Jeremiah was called for specific divine purposes – he was
set over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, to pull down, to
destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant. (Jeremiah 1:4-10) He
looked at himself as somebody incapable to honor the calling, he said:
“‘Ah Sovereign Lord’, I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a
child’” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must
go to every one I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be
afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to Judah. He faithfully confronted the
leaders and many people with their sins: kings, false prophets, those at the
temples and those at the gates. He prophesied about their 70-year captivity
in Babylon and their eventual return from exile. He stood firm through the
difficult times of his life because of the assurance of the presence of God
with him.
The presence
of God was with Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi. He was called to be a
prophet unto the Israelites while in the captivity of Babylon. God also
commissioned him as a “watchman for the house of Israel” to reveal the anger
of God hanging over Israelites because of the wickedness. He revealed unto
them the invasion of enemy nations into Jerusalem. He also revealed the
judgment of God against the nations that invaded Israel. God used the
judgment and restoration of Israel to point them back to Him alone that
could deliver them.
God gave
Ezekiel clarity of Heavenly vision. In the spirit, Ezekiel saw God in His
Holiness in order that the detail of the vision may set a standard of
holiness expected of the Israelites, the people of God. As a watchman for
the house of Israel, God did not leave Ezekiel in the darkness concerning
the sin of Israel and the inevitable consequential judgment.
“Son of
man, I have made you a watch man for the house of Israel; so hear the word I
speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will
surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak our to dissuade him from his
evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin,
and I will hold you accountable for his blood.” (Ezekiel 3:16-18)
Through the
revelation, the merciful God created room for the repentance of Israel, but
the people of God would not repent like the people of Nineveh. In the spirit
and in the prophecy of Ezekiel, the hand of judgment of God came upon
Israelites heavily. However, the mercy of God endures forever. The spirit of
God took Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones and made him prophesy to the dry
bones. In the vision, the dry bones joined, bone-to-bone, sinew covered
them. He prophesied again and the dry bones became living beings – a vast
army of Israel – as a clear assurance of the restoration of Israelites.
“For I
will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries
and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you,
and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from
all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I
will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:24-26
The presence
of God was with Daniel, an Hebrew in the captivity of Babylon. There are
many instances that God manifested His presence in the life of Daniel. God,
did not specifically call Daniel like other prophets, and he was not
commissioned to represent anybody in prophecy. Nevertheless, he recognized
that he was called into the vineyard of God. Ability to foretell future is
one of the characteristics of God. It is only the people that dwell in the
presence of God that can possess this rare ability. In no doubt, God
glorified Himself among some of the Israelites that were in the captivity of
Babylon.
The life of
Prophet Daniel revealed the life styles of some the prophets that were not
mentioned in the Bible. The Bible did not reveal the prayer life of Ezekiel
and Jeremiah, no, the scripture did not mention how they waited upon God by
fasting. These were the activities of these faithful men that kept them in
tune with God. Daniel believed in his calling and stood by it. He believed
in his convictions and stuck by it. Even when in the service of the king, he
demonstrated a powerful control of his appetites. He ate carefully and lived
prayerfully. He gave up the rich food of the heathen king and settled for
vegetables and milk.
Whenever he
was in trouble, he took his trouble to God in prayer. Daniel sought wisdom
from the wise God who revealed king Nebuchadenezzar’s dream to him. Daniel
was able to reveal the forgotten dream of the king and at the same time able
to interpret the dream. God elevated him. He found favor in the sight of the
king, and he became an adviser of king Nebuchadenezzar during his captivity
in Babylon. Daniel was a quiet and righteous revolutionist – he never
allowed any situation to stand between him and his prayer life. He was
thrown into the lion’s den because of his prayer life but God shut up the
mouth of the lions and delivered him. God glorified Himself in the life of
Daniel. The law of Persia and Medes that had never been changed in history
was amended and the king commanded that all people in his kingdom must
worship the God of Daniel.
Daniel was a
great champion to his friends in the captivity. They looked unto him as
their hero and they draw a lot of inspiration from his life style. When
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced the greatest trials of their lives,
they handled the situation with the same conviction they found in the life
testimony of Daniel. They stood firm and told the king, “O
Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before your in this
matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able
to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even
if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your
gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18) The
king became so furious and ordered them to be thrown into the fiery furnace.
God honored his word, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with
you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will no
kindle upon you.” (Isaiah 43:2), God manifested His presence with the
three Hebrew in the furnace. The king, in amazement, said, “Weren’t there
three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” Look! I see four men
walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like
a son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:24-25)
In the lives of the three Hebrews God glorified Himself.
In this study,
we are not able to cover all the prophets in the Bible. There are certain
things common to all prophets that we can learn. They were all ordinary
people like us but were elevated by God for specific purposes. They were all
called by God to be servants unto Almighty God and to serve humanity. They
did not represent their own interests and they were not out to profit in
their services to humanity. They could be described as people that God had
given special power to develop their spiritual senses. They all had a
measure of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. That was why they saw
situations from the point of view of God. They were the voice of God to His
people. According to the plan and principle of creation of man – to be in
dominion over the creation of the world, God ruled in the affairs of men
through these chosen servants. They listened to God and God harkened to them
in the day of their needs. This was not in reciprocity but in the integrity
of His holiness in honoring His words. They were either a voice of blessing
or a voice of judgment upon the people or nations that deserved it. They
were very bold and very outspoken. They went through trials and
tribulations; some were arrested and some were imprisoned but the presence
of God with them always made a difference in their lives. They all came out
triumphantly to the glory of God. When God called us to His vineyard, He did
not promise us a smooth tenure in tending the sheep. He did not promise us a
rosy avenue to success. Nevertheless, He promised us His continuous presence
and a resounding victory.
THE
PROMISES OF HIS PRESENCE
In this bible
study, we will be looking at some of the passages in the Bible where God
expressly spoke of His divine presence. We will be abundantly blessed if we
can pay a close attention to every detail of the passages and adequately
meditate on them. A close study of these passages will reveal to us the
clear intentions of God concerning humanity and bestow upon us an assurance
that God has keen interest in the affairs of mankind.
God promised
His Divine presence unto his children in their pilgrimages of life as He had
promised Jacob in his pilgrimage of life.
I am with
you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to
this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
Genesis 28:15
God promised
Moses his presence when he sought to see the face of God.
Moses
said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you
have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you
by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach
me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember
that this nation is your people. The Lord replied, “My presence will go with
you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:12-14
The presence
of God revealed in great potentials of blessing to His obedient children who
are walking in His law and keeping His commandments
If you
follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain
in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the
field their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the
grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food
you want and live in safety in your land. “I will grant peace in the land,
and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage
beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You
will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five
of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand
and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. “I will look on you with
favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my
covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you
will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling
place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your
God and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out
of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the
bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high. Leviticus
26:3-12
The presence
of God gives courage in the life's battle. Is there anything else we need to
know about victory when we learn that God is the Captain of our battle?
When you
go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army
greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who
brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into
battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say:
“Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do
not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic
before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for
you against your enemies to give you victory. Deutronomy 20:1-4
His presence
provides the ever-desired divine assurance in the time of trials
But now,
this is what the Lord says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you,
O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name;
you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when
you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk
through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you
ablaze. Isaiah 43:1-2
God’s presence
is the unseen active third party giving a great assurance even to the
smallest assembly of believers
Again, I
tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it
will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come
together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:19-20
The presence
of God is always with believers even to the close of age
Then
Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am will
you always to the very end of age. Matthew 28:18-20
THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE CHRISTIAN AGE
The presence
of God came to man in the establishment of His kingdom on earth. The book of
John put it beautifully, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God . . . All thing were made by him; and without
him was not any thing made that was made . . . And the Word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory . . .” (John 1:1, 3, 14) God
sent the forerunner to earth to prepare the way. John the Baptist, the
forerunner, was preaching: “Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand.” The
theme of the preaching of Jesus was, “The kingdom of God is near.” Still
curious of the news of the miracles and good news preached in the ministry
of Jesus Christ, John sent two of his disciples to Jesus Christ to inquire
from Him. "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone
else?" A coded message required a coded response. Jesus and John
understood the depth of the message of the Spirit because both of them were
in tune with the Spirit of God. Jesus Christ replied to the messengers,
"Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive
sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the
dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor . . . ,"
leaving John to decode the message that only the Messaiah from God, the
presence of God with man, can do all these miracles and wonders.
One of the
names of Jesus Christ is Emmanuel and it means God with us. (Matthew 1:23)
God came to man with the power of His presence. He came to us with salvation
in His hands and healing in His wings. In Him alone, we have redemption for
our sins. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts
4:11) For by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) Jesus Christ, a
living sacrifice, is the atonement of our sins. His presence brought to man
that elusive understanding and the glory of the kingdom of Heaven. His
presence revealed the way we can walk with God. He came to restore the
relationship and fellowship that man lost in Eden. In Him alone we are
complete, body, soul and spirit.
Nothing that
is contrary to the will of God, which manifests in the life of man, can
stand the presence of God. That is why the demons that possessed people
trembled in the presence of Jesus Christ and cried out in a loud voice,
“What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Art thou come hither
to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29) They trembled because
Jesus Christ has power to cast them out and set the oppressed free. In the
presence of God, mercy blends with faith to produce healing of the incurable
diseases and other physical disabilities. The ten lepers stood afar off,
lifted their voices, and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when
he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And
it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:12-14)
Two blind men sitting by the way side heard that Jesus was passing by, cried
out saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.” Jesus had
compassion on them, and touched their eyes; and immediately they received
their sight and they followed him. (Matthew 20:30-34) Impossibilities become
possible in the presence of God. The presence of the merciful God
transformed the hope of the hopeless. The lame walked, the deaf heard, even
the sting of death could not limit the miraculous power of His presence.
A Minister of
God once said, “I will never pray for anything that I cannot support with
the word of God.” This decision has a powerful spiritual connotation and
it is worth emulating. It will help you not to pray amiss and will also
ensure that you pray according to the will of God. Where Jesus Christ could
not be physically, His presence manifested in His words and effected the
healing of the servant of the centurion.
“. . . Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” (Matthew 8:5-8,
13) In the spiritual realm, distance is not a problem, besides, God is
ruling in the realm. Through the word of God, the elects of God can invite
the presence of God in the spiritual realm to bring forth healings and
miracles that will manifest in their situations in the physical realm.
In chaotic
situations, the presence of God makes the difference. It rules in the
natural forces to glorify Almighty God. A great tempest arose in the sea.
The storm was so violent that the disciples of Jesus Christ became panicked.
They woke Jesus Christ up and said to him, “Master, carest thou not that
we perish?” He arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,
“Peace be still.” And the wind stopped. (Mark 4:37-39) The presence of
God manifested as a pillar of cloud to lead the way for the children of God.
“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them
the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day
and night.” (Exodus 13:21) It gave light to the Israelites so that they
could continue moving in their journey in the night and darkness to the
Egyptians to demobilize them as no one could operate in the darkness. The
presence of God manifested in the prison where Peter was kept. While the
children of God were praying, the angel of God came to set Peter free amidst
sixteen soldiers. (Acts 12:4-7) The presence of God manifested in the
earthquake that shook the prison foundation and broke the iron bar and the
steel gates in order to set Paul and Silas free. The prison keeper thought
Paul and Silas had run away he wanted to kill himself. Paul shouted, “Do
yourself no harm because we are here.” The supernatural deliverance and
the righteousness of Paul and Silas led the jailor to the Lord after he
asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:25-30)
The divine
presence of God is present where two or three are gathered together in the
name of God. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) He is not a passive
and dormant observer witnessing their agreements. He is the divine active
party breathing life to the agreements created by the two. The supernatural
presence of God empowers their agreements to become a spiritual force that
will manifest according to the intended purposes for the glory of God. The
presence of God manifests in His name. In the case of Peter, it becomes a
possession. Peter, at the gate called Beautiful, exercised the power of
binding and loosing that is in the name of Jesus Christ. “. . . I will
give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will
be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven.” (Matthew 16:17-19) He said to the man that was crippled from
his mother’s womb, “Silver and gold have none; but such as I have give I
thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
(Acts 3:2-8) Immediately, the lame man got up on his two feet. He was
walking, leaping and praising God. At the name of Jesus all knees must bow
Above all, the
remarkable presence of God in the Christian Age is the visitation of Holy
Spirit. In the past, the Holy Spirit visited men of God for specific divine
assignments and departed from them after the completion of the assignment.
The presence of Holy Spirit in the life of man is not accidental; it is
according to the plan of God. The word of God through Prophet Joel says,
“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will
prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women I will pour out my Spirit in those
days.” (Joel 2:28-29)Jesus Christ comforted the disciples and promised
the Comforter in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, "I will ask
the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever -
the Spirit of Truth." (John 14:16) (John 16:7-14)
And when
the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one
place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of al rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4
The Holy
Spirit has made His dwelling place with man and has been abiding with us
since the day of Pentecost. He manifests in the anointing that works
miracles in the life of man. He is the active being that works behind the
curtain in the life of powerful preachers and evangelists of our time. He
manifests in the lives of Christians in a measure of spiritual gifts for
different duties in the body of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 11:4-10) He is
the oracle of God that speaks through the mouthpiece of man that we describe
as prophesy. He manifests in divine wisdom and understanding. He manifests
in divine revelations and visions. He also manifests in godly attributes and
His fruit reflect the nature of God. “But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatian 5:22-23
HOW TO GET TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD
Repentance is
one of the sure foundations of getting to the presence of God and being able
to partake in His divine blessing. The Psalmist asked, “Who may ascend
the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean
hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by
what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from
God his Savior.” (Psalm 24:3-5) “The eyes of the Lord are upon the
righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” (Psalm 34:15)
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his
ear heavy that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear.” (Isaiah 59-2) In the environment of sinfulness, the only door
available to sinners is the door of mercy and repentance is the key to that
door. Repentance means measuring ones shortcomings in the scale of the
righteousness of God. It also means seeing the nakedness of ones sinfulness
in the mirror of God and to determine under the law and love of God to
change and measure up to the expectation of God in holiness and
righteousness. Repentance is not a one time decision at the point of
accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior; it is an ongoing Christian life
activity whenever we discover those besetting sins. It is true that the
mercy of God endures forever, but it is not a license for man to be
wallowing in sin with an understanding that he can always repent of his sins
anytime.
When Jesus
Christ admonished us to abide in him he was emphasizing the importance of
operating in His divine presence. He is our Creator. He did not leave us in
the darkness about this important truth, because without abiding in Him, we
cannot bear fruit. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear
fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine, no more can ye, except ye
abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and
I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me you can do
nothing.” (John 15:4-5) We wonder, how can we abide in the Lord? Abiding
in the Lord also means walking in the divine light of His presence. “Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
If we walk in the light of His word, we shall understand His will concerning
our lives and we will be able to do His will. Joshua was admonished to
meditate in the word day and night, and in it he would prosper. Joshua 1:9
We abide in His free gift of salvation through grace. We abide in the Lord
in truth and obedience. Disobedience cost Saul, the first king in Israel,
his kingdom. We abide in the Lord trusting Him as a Good Shepherd of our
lives.
Faith is the
point of contact of the presence of God. Faith connects humanity to
divinity. Now faith is the substance of things hope for, evidence of
things not seen. Hebrew 1:1 Without faith it is impossible to please God . .
.” Hebrew 11:6
Without expectation there can be no manifestation. When your faith connects
you to the presence of God, miracles manifest. Better still, in the presence
of God, our faith transforms all the heart desires we hoped for into
miracles. The woman with the issue of blood set a point of the presence of
God with faith, where her miracle would manifest. “And behold, a woman
which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and
touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, if I may but
touch his garment, I shall be whole.” (Matthew 9:20-21) Immediately she
was made whole. So also, the sick people in the land of Gennesaret, they
touched the edge of his cloak and they were made whole. “When they had
crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place
recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People
brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the
edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.” (Matthew 14:34-36)
Let us follow the principle of faith here. The woman with the issue of blood
believed God could heal her and she came to touch the garment of Jesus
Christ. The sick people of Gennesaret recognized Jesus Christ as a healer;
they touched His presence with faith and they received their miracles. The
same way, if your faith touches his presence, miracles will manifest in your
situation.
Activeness is
one of the attributes of our Lord Jesus Christ. He left His glory in heaven
to bring salvation to man. He was going about places doing good – preaching,
healing the sick and setting the captives free. An effort is required in
getting to the presence of an active God. A spiritually passive individual
cannot thrive in the presence of a spiritually active God. Zacchaeus knew
his shortcoming as a man of little stature, but he made up for it. He did
something unusual. He climbed the sycamore tree so that he could see Jesus
Christ while He was passing. That was his own effort to behold the presence
of God. He got the reward for his effort. Our Lord Jesus Christ stayed in
his home. “. . . Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must
abide at thy house.” (Luke 19:5) The presence of God brought salvation
to him and his household. The woman with the issue of blood transformed her
faithfulness into action. She followed Jesus until she was able to catch up
with Him and touched the hem of His garment. The people of Gennesaret
brought the sick people, and the sick made an effort to touch the garment of
Jesus Christ. Then they received their healings. The blind man shouted even
more, when people rebuked him to keep quiet. “Jesus, Son of David have
mercy upon me!”(Luke 18:35-42) His efforts paid off when Jesus ordered
the man to be brought to Him. The ten lepers shouted afar off, “Jesus,
Master, have pity on us!”
Jesus told them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” On their way,
they were healed.
Prayer brings
us to the presence of God. Prayer establishes our fellowship with our
Creator. The invaluable power of prayer transports us to the Throne of Grace
where our Advocate, our Lord Jesus Christ, is incessantly pleading our cases
before God. Prayer is the only medium through which we can express our
heartfelt thanksgiving. When we come to the realization of our sinfulness,
prayer is the only way we can communicate our tears of sorrow in the
language our Father in Heaven will understand when we repent. Prayer is the
only medium through which we make our needs known to our Creator, who alone
can meet those needs. The Bible says, “Where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
God is in the midst of His praying children, to listen to their pleas, to
forgive their sins and to minister His grace upon them. When we gather in
His name in our prayer, we invoke the power of His presence to bless our
gathering. When we “ask” in prayer, we are asking the Living God, when we
“seek” in prayer, we are seeking the face of God Almighty concerning our
lives and according to His will. When we “knock” in our prayer, we are
knocking at the door of His mercy concerning our needs because He is the
only able God that can meet our needs abundantly.
The book of
Jeremiah says, “This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and
look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your soul . . .” Jeremiah 6:16. There is
nothing like knowing what to do at a certain point in time in the life of
man. God does not leave us in the darkness; He has shown us exactly what to
do to get to his presence from the scripture. Some of the steps to follow
had been enumerated in this study. We are now left in our wisdom to fight
the battle of our “will and decision” and with God on our side, prevail over
the spiritual constrains of life in order to get to His presence.
TAKE A GIANT STEP OF FAITH TO HIS PRESENCE
The book of
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to
every purpose under the heaven.” There is also a time of reflection upon
what life presents. The worst scenario in the life of mankind is depicted in
the parable of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-24) This son was living in the
opulence and the abundance of his father’s blessing. He woke up one day and
asked his father to give him his own portion of his father’s inheritance. He
got his wish. He went to a far country and squandered all his inheritance
after which he became very poor. He was poor to the extent that he was
eating husks with swine for his daily bread. It dawned upon him one day as
he reflected upon his life. He came to himself and he said, “How many
hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare? I will arise
and go to my father, and will say unto him, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee, am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as
one of thy hired servants.” When the prodigal son reflected upon his
life, he realized that the reason for his fall was the fact that he drifted
off from the presence of his father. Courageously he decided to correct his
ways. He did not tarry in executing this decision but little did he know
what was waiting for him. While he was thinking and taking decision, he did
not know what was in store for him until he presented himself before his
father. He was bargaining in his heart to be a servant in his father house,
but what he got in the presence of his father beat his imagination. In our
father’s presence, there is a pleasant surprise packet waiting for us that
will definitely beat our imagination.
Whenever we
keep a distance from God, we are at the lowest ebb of our spiritual ladder
and also at the highest level of our suffering and sorrow. The distance we
keep from God determines the level of pain and sorrow we bear. The farther
we are from God the heavier our burden. Outside there, beyond the vicinity
of the presence of God, there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Demas
crossed the boundary of God’s presence; he drifted completely from Him, and
he was lost in his imagination. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved
this present world . . .” (II Timothy 4:10) Nobody ever hears of him
again in the Bible. Close to the breast of Almighty God is supernal bliss
and joy unspeakable. Close to Him is the divine peace that passeth all
understanding. His presence is the ultimate solution to the perennial
problems of our lives. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they
ate what God had sown in the garden. When they messed themselves up with sin
and were sent packing from the presence of God, they had to toil and till
the ground, sow and wait for it to bear fruit amidst many thorns and tares
before they could eat.
The invitation
is expressly clear: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for
I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) The invitation
came with assurance:
“ . . . I am the way, the truth, and life; no man cometh unto the Father, but
by me.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the only righteous way that can lead us to
the Father. The way may be rough, but if you want the mansion above, you
must pass through our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the eluding truth that
confounds the wise that we must know. The truth may be bitter, but if you
are Heavenly bound, you must know the truth and dwell in it. He is the only
authorized life that children of God must live. The life in His Kingdom may
be enviable, but if you desire it, you must do the will of His Father. The
Psalmist challenged, “O taste the Lord and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the Lord ye his saints; for
there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer
hunger; but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.” (Psalm
34:8-10)
Reflect on this:
It is the
intention of God that all men dwell in His presence. That is why God gave us
the best of heaven, His only begotten son. Jesus Christ became the bridge of
salvation that covered the gulf of sin between man and the presence of God.
The first end of this bridge anchored on the Throne of Grace in Heaven, and
the other end on our hearts. In the presence of God, wisdom, knowledge and
understanding take a back seat so that the anointing of God may produce
divine power and supernatural might, that the glory of God may manifest. In
the presence of God, there is orderliness and peace. In His presence, there
are possibilities and prosperities, rules and obedience. Nature reveals the
presence of God. In the presence of God, divinity blends and superimposes
upon humanity to reveal the glory of God.
You have to
reflect upon your life now. Like the prodigal son, imagine the comfort and
blessing of the presence of God and compare it with the burdens of life and
the accompanying suffering and sorrow that the life you are now living
presents to you. Do you know that you have will power? You have to apply it
to your own advantage. You have to exercise your will to take control of
your life. You have to do something unusual. Take a giant step of faith
towards the presence of God. Moses turned aside to listen to God. (Exodus
3:3-4) That was the beginning of his calling. Paul turned aside to listen to
Jesus Christ on his way to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-6) That was the beginning of
his transformation and calling. For the first time in your life, turn the
listening hear to God, and make available an open heart to His word. Allow
the Holy Spirit to do the conviction. Allow the third person in the Trinity
to complete the work of transformation in your life. Then the salvation that
has been made available, free of charge through grace, for those who
believe, will be yours. Your name will be written in the Book of Life. Your
portion will be counted among the elect of God and you will have a direct
access to the Throne of Grace. Act today because tomorrow may be too late!
May God bless you.
PRAYER POINTS
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PRAYER HINT
If a child is crying in the arms of his mother, only the mother can
understand why the little one is crying. The same is our situation with our
Father in Heaven. He is the only one that can understand and interpret the
language of our tears and minister to our needs accordingly. Come to the
presence of God right now, lean and rest on His breast, “casting all your
cares unto Him for He careth for you.” (I Peter 5:7)
In your
presence O Lord, I pour out my hearts unto you because you are the
author of my life. (Please open up unto God and tell Him all your
needs.) Add other prayer points and pray!
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PRAYER HINT
“And behold, a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve
years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said
within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” (Matthew
9:20-21) She did and immediately she was made whole.
Lord,
now that I come to your presence, let the miracle of your presence
manifest in my situations. Heal my sickness both spiritual
and physical. Add other prayer points and pray!
Two blind
men sitting by the way side heard that Jesus was passing by. They cried out
saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.” Jesus had
compassion on them, and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their
sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:30-34)
Have
compassion of me, Oh Lord. Let me find your divine mercy in the land of
the living.
Add other prayer points
and pray!
