Exodus 33:14 is one critical verse of the bible that is commonly heard from Christians: “And He said, My presence will go with thee, and I will give you rest.”
The presence of God is one topic often discussed in church services and Christian gatherings. The Presence of God has been portrayed as an invisible guard to a Christian’s daily life.
Well, this theory is not really amiss because it has been verified in the Scriptures that the Presence of God ultimately protects and guard whoever is found shielded under It.
Psalm 91 expounds on the benefits that will be enjoyed as a result of dwelling in God’s Presence:
Ps.91:1 “He that dwells in the secret place of the highest shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Ps.91:11–12 “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
Table of Contents
What exactly can we say is the Presence of God?
God is Omnipresent, that is, He is everywhere, His presence is all over the world. He sees everything we do and nothing goes past him without His knowledge. Yes! God is everywhere, but the Presence of God carries more weight than him being omnipresent.
The Presence of God is an atmosphere where there is conscious awareness of God and His power.
The Presence of God comes to play in a situation where there is a relationship between a person and God. An individual who has a relationship with God fully understands the dynamics of the Holy Spirit and the interpersonal action He takes.
God is always present with us. When we believe in Jesus, God gives us His Spirit, which lives with us and in us (see John 14:16-17). But it is a challenge to realize he is with us when we are stressed and overwhelmed with too many issues.
However, according to Brother Lawrence in his book; Living in the Presence of God, it is possible to practice and learn to be aware of God’s presence.
Awareness of God’s presence is a simple spiritual discipline, such as reading the Bible, praying, or worshipping. It is not mystical, mysterious, or esoteric, and it is not just for those who spend all their time praying and seeking God.
On the other hand, an awareness of God’s presence exists in every Christian because Jesus promised to always be with us. This post is going to give clear ways to live in the Presence of God
17 Tips To Living In The Presence Of God
1. Come clean with him.
Sometimes you can’t feel God’s presence because something is blocking the communication between you. He has not gone, but your sensitivity to His presence can be affected by that unknown sin in your life.
David the psalmist said: “When I am silent (about his sin), my bones are tired from my moaning all day long.
To fully activate your awareness of God’s Presence be truthful to yourself and God, if there is any sin or fault in your heart make sure to confess it to experience a full manifestation of His Presence
Live A Victorious Christian Life
2. Accepting Jesus.
A vital step in growing in this deep relationship with God is, of course, to come by way of the door to the spiritual life–Jesus Christ.
When our individual human spirit is born again, we reconnect with the spirit of our Creator Heavenly Father and become more aware of His presence in our lives.
You have the ability to consistently feel God’s presence at all times – in times of joy and sorrow, in times of contentment, and in times of crisis.
3. Letting go of the sinful nature (The Flesh).
You realize even after accepting Jesus, certain things keep coming between you and God.
Sin basically destroys. Rom.6.23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God commands us not to sin because He knows that it destroys relationships, destroys society, corrupts our bodies, and distorts our desires and thoughts.
Sin weakens us spiritually. We must abide with Christ by walking in faith, dependence, and purity if we want His power to work through us.
If we hide sin in our hearts, God will not even hear our prayers (Psalm 66:18).
4. Take the Scriptures seriously.
Take up scriptural verses, learn them and say them.
The verse should be the verse you are interested in and it should be easy for this practice. Psalm 23 and the likes are ideal for this practice.
Come on and read. Feel free to come to God and read a small passage or sentence. This is not the time to skim from verse to verse. The goal is to take each sentence, try it, and master it as you read it.
Do Biblical Exposition for Yourself (Try to feel the Words)
You may want to translate a scripture passage that touches your heart into prayer.
Only when you feel something from that passage and understand its deeper meaning do you then carefully move on to the next section. Do not rush. Take as much time as you need.
Try to feel and “feel” the meaning. Try to feel the Spirit of God behind the words on the page. Then you may want to turn what you feel into a simple prayer from the heart.
5. Meditate on God’s words.
Before you start reading the Bible, ask for God’s grace so you can really understand what the scriptures are telling you.
When we meditate on the Word, we are using the Bible to meet God. Lynne Hammond also touched a little on this in his book “Living in the Presence of God.”
“Learn to show yourself recognized before God, a worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, who shares the word of truth righteously. (2 Timothy 2:15, King James Version)
6. Declare your love for Him through a song.
God dwells in the praise of His people. Have you ever wondered why you sometimes feel closer to God when you are in church singing songs? Maybe because that’s where worship is usually done.
When you begin to praise Him, wherever you are, you will feel His presence, perhaps because you are no longer focused on yourself but on Him.
Worship is not limited to singing, but if singing praises to Him keeps your mind focused on His presence, then, do it.
7. Call Him names.
People around you can use God’s name right and left (as a curse in anger or as a frivolous expression).
But the Bible says that there is power in the name of Jesus because “salvation will not be found in others, for there is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Say His Name aloud – as an answer to everything you seek, as a source to soothe your soul, as He whose Presence you long for; and you will feel the power of His Presence … and His peace.
8. Take a Deep Breath and Say that Simple Prayer.
There are times when we need Him but we don’t know what to say or where to start. Start by saying his name, and then you may scream His name from your heart.
For me it’s often just “Jesus, I need you” or “Jesus, give me a heart for you”. I believe that the simplest cry is the one that pierces His heart – and ours – the fastest.
9. Be Still Before Him.
Sometimes we can’t sense God’s presence because there’s too much of everything else going on; too much noise, too much traffic, too much confusion, too many thoughts running rampant in our minds, and much anxiety.
Habakkuk 2:20 says “The Lord is in His temple, let the earth be silent before Him.”
Center your mind on Him and start to breathe deeply. Try it. Exhale the distracting thoughts. Inhale a desire to sense His presence. Exhale your pre-occupation with the self. Inhale a desire to know Him more completely. Focus on God while going through the process.
10. Purposely announce your identity in Christ
It is a must-step to openly declare yourself as the child of the Kingdom of God. I guess you asking if this is necessary. Actually, it is!
When you make it a habit that wherever you go you announce your identity as a child of God and immediately set principles for yourself and fellow people, it serves as a guard that watches what you do, say, or wear because you wouldn’t want to be identified as a hypocrite.
It ultimately creates an atmosphere that is welcoming to the Spirit (Presence) of God.
11. Obedience to Spirit Prompting.
Obedience to God’s injunctions is vital to sustaining the Presence of God in us.
Let’s not forget the disobedience of Adam and Eve brought separation from God. The consequences of disobedience cannot be overemphasized, a disobedient Christian will derail from the path of grace; he/she can’t enjoy a direct flow from God’s throne.
Disobedience makes God turn His back on us. Prophet Samuel’s rebuke on Saul is important to us too; “To obey is better than sacrifice.” It is important to know that to live in God’s presence as Christians; we must fully obey God’s instruction.
12. Let you will be his will.
(Jesus said): “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written about me in the scroll. “Hebrews 10:7”
When we know that all things are for Him, through Him and through Him, for His glory, forever and ever until eternity comes (Rom. 11:36), our hearts learn to live in peace.
Our inner connection of faith is based on the idea that God is sovereign, he has a plan, his will is best, his guidance is unmatched, and his protection is perfect.
13. Renew your mind daily.
Listen, this is so important! Our mind is a very important part of our body. This is where we reason, this is where we made decisions, and this is where the battlefield is!
A stable mind is a prepared ground for God to dwell. You must do everything possible to satan’s attack on your mind. Our thoughts must be welcoming to the Holy Spirit.
That’s why it’s important to fill your mind with the word of God. The word of God is powerful, it will break the bondage of fear, and it will overcome all confusing thoughts [Hebrews 4:12].
14. Listen to sermons from time to time.
Dedicating your time to listen to gospel messages constantly puts you in the consciousness of God’s presence. Either it’s the sermon preached on the last Sunday service or a sermon found online by a reputable pastor.
Listening to messages helps create an atmosphere of God’s presence around us. It keeps you perpetually at the feet of Jesus.
15. Fellowship with Christian brethren.
2 Cor.6.14 – Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?
Be sure to carefully screen the company you keep, friends that are not Christ-like might involve one in worldly activities. Remember, iron sharpened iron. Don’t move with those that will take you farther away from God’s presence.
16. Praying.
You’ll lack power if you can’t pray as a Christian.
Modern man is ashamed of the thought of talking about things to God in a purely personal way. Many have abandoned ordinary prayer; they only pray when they are under unusual stress – in an emergency.
Prayer is not a technique for escaping conflict, but rather a stimulus for growth in the face of conflict. Pray only for values, not for things; for growth, not for satisfaction.
True prayer contributes to spiritual growth, changes attitudes, and brings the satisfaction that comes from communicating with God. This is a spontaneous explosion of God-consciousness.
17. Waiting patiently on the Lord.
We wait for God to act – to deliver, save, avenge, answer our prayers, meet our needs, renew His strength, and reveal His glory to do what only God can do.
“Even boys faint and are tired, and boys are tired, but those who wait on the LORD will have their strength renewed; they will fly with wings like eagles; will run and not be weary; they will go and not faint. – Isaiah 40:30-31.
As humans, we really can’t do anything on our own we need God and his intervention to grow and live, so when times are tough we should be patient knowing that our God will never leave us.
A Simple Advice
Would you learn a lesson from Jesus’ analogy with the vine in John 15? A branch that remains with vine can never die off. Why? It constantly draws health and energy from the vine.
When it stops, it loses its vitality, does not bear fruit, and eventually dries up and dies. Jesus, who calls himself the “true vine”, shows us that we stay in His PRESENCE and live or withdraw our lives from Him and dry up and die.
We must be consistently attached to Him. A minute lived out of God’s presence could cost you your entire life and destiny. Crave to live in God’s presence at all times. It’s a continuous process.