Enjoying God's Presence

  
Many people tell me that they feel like God left them. They no longer experience the presence and anointing of His Spirit in their life, and they miss that feeling. They want the union with God, which they had during their first experience with salvation. God promises never to leave us (Hebrews 13:5); therefore, in actuality, we leave Him. When we do, it is impossible to feel His presence.

We move away from God in many ways. Those who are Christians in name only will indulge their flesh with no remorse (2 Peter 2:20-22). Our lifestyle choices will often pull us away. False prophets lead others away and distract them from worshiping the one true God, (2 Peter 2:1-19). Some people in crisis pray for salvation, but then reject the Word of Life and turn from walking in righteousness (Romans 13:8-14; Ephesians 2:2).  

King David lost the awareness of God's presence one time too. When He walked away from purity and God's ways, He begged God to help him to overcome his evil heart. He entreated God to restore the joy of His salvation and to renew a Godly spirit in him (Psalm 51:10-12). If we walk in the Spirit, it is much harder to fulfill the desires of our flesh (Galatians 5:16-25). We lose the craving to be around sin or to take part in it.

We see the destruction that sin leads to and we want the blessings of God on our life instead (1 Peter 4:1-5). During the sanctifying process, even if an authentic Believer does not sense God's presence, we are still basking in His blessings. Once we begin walking in the Spirit all of the time, however, we always feel the presence of God. Even if God is silent, we enjoy His company, and we live a life of praise to His name.

Prayer:

Father God, through Your Spirit, You give us hope that we will live with You throughout eternity (Romans 8:22-25). Help us to walk as children of the Light, by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:8; Ephesians 5:8). We want to live in love, just as Christ did by offering Himself as a sacrifice for our sins (Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 3:16-18). Remind us to pray in the Spirit, so that our prayers will be effective (Romans 8:26-28). Thank You for giving us Your Spirit to live in us each and every day.

Thought for the Day:

If we abide in Christ, He abides in us in the same relationship as the branch and the vine, and together we will bear much fruit by His Spirit within us. - John 15:4

God's Delight

 

Authentic Christians do not have to pray to get back in the Spirit, nor do we have to go to a church to find God, because we continually live and walk in His Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). God is love. Everyone who loves with God’s Agape love is born of God and knows Him intimately (1 John 4:7). God delights in and abundantly blesses those who love Him and seek after Him. Our petitions and prayers are near and dear to the heart of our Father God. He provides for all of our needs (Proverbs 8:17; Romans 8:28). He delights in the praises and adoration of His people (Psalm 147:11, 149:4).

On the other hand, God actually hates sinners (Psalm 5:5, 11:5). Why? They harden their heart against Him as they pursue a life of sin. Take Jacob and Esau, for instance. Jacob had a heart for God, although he and his mom cooked up some pretty deceptive activities to mislead his father! Yet, God went on record to pronounce that He loved Jacob and hated Esau (Romans 9:13). Why? Esau’s god was his belly (Philippians 3:19). God knows our heart; and like Esau, some people actually despise God with the choices and lifestyle, which they prefer over Him (Luke 16:15; Romans 9:13).

God gives everyone the opportunity to worship Him with all of their heart; however, many choose to turn their back on Him (John 3:18). God calls everyone to stop putting our faith in the wrong people and things, and to put it in Him instead. We exchange our self-centered efforts for Christ-centered ones. Our carnal humanity no longer controls our life, because we surrendered totally to God. As we follow hard after Him, and only Him, then He provides us with everything we need from the endless well of His glorious riches (Matthew 6:33). His peace and joy flood our soul.

Rather than to seek our own comfort or fame, we seek to further God’s Kingdom in the earth. Every part of our soul – our thoughts, choices and emotions – blesses the Lord (Psalm 103:1). We patiently listen for His voice as He wisely directs our steps according to His plan for our life (Proverbs 3:5-6). We start to despise anything that robs Him of the glory due His name. God loves it when our soul chases after Him (Psalm 63:8). We are a magnifying glass through which others see God as bigger than life (Luke 1:46). They pay no attention to us, because they look right through us at Him.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we decrease so that You may increase in and through us (John 3:30). We never leave the shadow of the Almighty or the shelter of Your wings (Psalm 91:1). We love you, and we keep our Father’s commandments as You manifest Yourself to us and through us, instead of us (John 14:21). You love us abundantly more than we could ever imagine being loved. We focus on You and look forward to Your Spirit transforming us into Your image (Romans 8:29).

Thought for the Day:

God transports us into higher and higher realms of spiritual delight as we give our whole body, soul and spirit in worship to Him.