Many people consider turning to God and getting close to Him through the study of His Word, a tedious task. They feel content that unless we commit some major sin or evil, we are safe and have a secure place with God. But is that the truth? Everything has been created and provided to us by God. But if in our busy schedules, we do not even turn to Him to thank Him, what should be the grade of our commitment to the Creator?
Meaning of being the presence of God – When sin entered mankind through the mistrust and disobedience of Adam and Eve, all of humanity was separated from God. God being holy, any unclean thing or person cannot be in His presence, for the holiness of God would destroy that, before it gets closer. Only God decides, whom He may bless to enter into His presence. Moses was chosen by God and blessed to be in His presence and God ‘spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’ (Exodus 33:11-20). Moses prayed to the LORD God to show him His glory so that he could know God. God’s answer was, ‘you cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live’ and Moses could see God’s back only.
The spark of Divine glory in man, placed at the time of creation through God’s breath was covered but still there. This creates a deep urging in mankind to know and get close to God. God set up certain rules regarding the High Priest getting into His presence, for this inner urge would lead the spirit in man to move closer. Aaron was chosen by God to help Moses in the deliverance and then appointed the first High Priest of Israel. Nadab and Abihu, the two sons of Aaron, entered the Tabernacle ‘and offered profane fire before the LORD’ (Leviticus 10:1-2). As a result, fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD’. As per Jewish legend, both of them submitted themselves to honour God by offering incense to Him. But in the holy place in the Tabernacle, their souls were so attracted to God, that they entered the forbidden area of the Most Holy place and died. However, all believers’ sins have been forgiven and we are cleansed and sanctified or set apart for the Lord.
King David was a great musician and worshipper of God, a shepherd and a prophet, the man of God’s heart. He could see the final act of salvation through the Messiah to say, ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us’ (Psalm 103:12). After the completed work of salvation on the cross, Apostle John could say, ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins’ (1 John 1:9). We are blessed to be made the ‘children of God’ and thus can enter into His presence (John 1:12).
With sin prevailing all over the earth, God saw only Noah, ‘a just man perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God’ (Genesis 6:9). In the chaos of evil, God chose Noah to make an Ark, a large ship, to save the representative remnant of all creation. He could oppose the lies, greed and all types of evil to become a sign of light, love and hope for future generations. Being in God’s presence is to walk in His ways, build an Ark for others to find shelter from the flood of pain from evil and darkness. The task took Noah 120 years to complete and there were only a total of eight persons, Noah, his three sons and their wives, to work. He did not say, ‘How can I undertake such a gigantic task?’ God knows everything about us and gives us the task expecting our obedience. We started this ministry, ‘Sozo and shalom’; Mukti aur Shanti, with no support from any other source, with one daughter in front of the camera and the other behind it, recording, editing and all other related tasks including managing the website. In the past more than ten years now, we have never sought support, financial or material, from anyone else. God touches the hearts of people who commit regular support as led by Him. We have no church or any organisational support but we try to live and work in and according to His presence.
God has never abandoned His creation, leaving it to be on its own. After the sin of doubt and disobedience of Adam and Eve, He still kept reaching out to help us walk and live right. After Joshua’s death, all tribes of Israel in Canaan were troubled by the Midianites surrounding them, who would attack and loot them. Gideon, the son of Joash of Ophrah, was chosen by God to defeat the enemy (Judges 6:11-15). While he was threshing wheat in the winepress, ‘in order to hide it from the Midianites’, the Angel of the LORD (Lord Jesus) encouraged him to free his people from this oppression. As anyone given a big task beyond his imagination and capability, would doubt and Gideon also did. But he was told, ‘Have I not sent you?’
At Gideon’s call, thirty-two thousand people gathered but out of them, twenty-two thousand, who were ‘fearful and afraid’ returned home (Judges 7). Finally, only three hundred were chosen by God, with Gideon to lead them and face the Midianite army. To set his mind free of fear, God commanded him to go ant night with his servant Purah into the Midian camp and hear the fearful talk of the enemy soldiers (Judges 7:10-14). Interpreting a dream, one told the other about him, ‘Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel! Into his hand the God of Israel has delivered Midian and the whole camp’. God has always loved His created beings and His intense desire has always been for His people to turn to Him and live in His presence. Gideon with His three hundred men, with the presence of God with him, could rout the Midianites and kill their two princes, Oreb and Zeeb.
The Holy Spirit dwells in each believer and we are always in His presence, but many doubt and remain in weakness and the dark. The change in our life happens once we realise and accept being in His presence. The disciples, Apostle Paul and others through the ages, who lived with this awareness could move in faith and shake the whole world.
Indwelling presence of God and signs and wonders – The message from God to the Israelites was, ‘I am the LORD, I do not change’ (Malachi 3:6). God being perfect and complete in Himself, does not need anything to become better. This same message was given to the Israelites again, to turn them to the Lord, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). Our Resurrected Lord assured the disciples for their work ahead, ‘But you shall receive power, when the Holy spirit has come upon you’ (Acts 1:8). God’s Spirit is of ‘power, love and self-control’ and teaches us ‘all things’ pertaining to our life here on earth, while preparing us for our eternal life in God’s presence in heaven.
Zerubbabel was appointed as the Governor over Judea by King Cyrus and he came back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. Large population of the Jewish people decided to stay back in Babylon and only about fifty thousand returned. The work of rebuilding the Temple started, but after a while, the people’s focus shifted to the poor state of the land. The work on the Temple was stopped and they started work on improving their material state rather than their spirituality. In all this Prophet Zechariah was chosen by God to encourage them. To encourage them for lack of resources and numbers, the Word of the LORD for Zerubbabel was clear, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit’, says the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 4:6). Our Lord has blessed us with the indwelling Holy Spirit to live and work in His power. Surrounded by evil and turmoil all around us, we seek peace and our Lord gives us His peace (John 14:27).
We can depend on Him, our Good Shepherd, to help us in our storms of life. When we submit to Him and invite Him into our lives, He starts helping us overcome the struggles of life. Through our prayers and supplications, we seek His help and then ‘the peace of God which surpasses all understanding’ starts guarding our hearts and minds through Lord Jesus’ (Philippians 4:6-8). We shift our attention towards the good and pleasant things, anticipating all that to enter our lives.
Third, guidance and comfort – We are assured that in our walk of life, ‘Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the way to walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left’ (Isaiah 30:21). King David had faced great adversities in life to praise God in every situation and he could confidently say, ‘You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore’ (Psalm 16:11). Life in God’s presence helps us to cast our worries on Him and He strengthens us to face everything in His might. Our troubles may still be there, but we are assured of His help.
Fourth, desire to worship – The angels around God’s throne never tire in worshipping Him day and night, for they are in His presence (Revelation 4:8). They experience the joy of being covered by the light of His glory. Having received forgiveness of sins and salvation, we also must ‘offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks in His name’ (Hebrews 13:15).
Fifth, transformation – With the working of the Holy Spirit in us, we start leaving our life of sin behind and our minds are renewed (Ephesians 4:22-24). Our conscience becomes active to show us the right way and the heart starts convicting us, in the power of the Holy Spirit, of the sins we commit daily, to seek forgiveness.
Sixth, restoration of what was lost – God does this by guiding us to walk in His ways to prosper and secondly, by His direct intervention through giving us exceptional success. God promised Israel, ‘I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten’ (Joel 2:25-26). They were further blessed, ‘you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God’.
Seventh, strong faith and better understanding with positive witness to be a blessing to others. The Holy Spirit in us fills us with the gift of knowledge, wisdom and understanding and with this full awareness our faith also becomes strong (1 Corinthians 12:8-9). The Resurrected Lord Jesus just before His ascension into heaven blessed the disciples that the Holy Spirit will empower them to be ‘My witness in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).
We receive multiple blessings in the presence of the Lord God but the aim of all this is for us to draw closer to God. We must confess being in His presence daily and experience the abundance of all these blessings and much more.
Reasons of weakness in a believer – Our Lord told the Samaritan woman, ‘God is Spirit’ (John 4:24). We, being human, want to feel and sense God’s presence with our senses and not by our spirit. Most people commit two sins in this; first, doubt His presence. The Pharisees, during Lord Jesus’ time, created doubts about Him, despite all the miraculous works. Lord Jesus told the Jewish leaders to believe in the works He was doing, for it all was of God (John 10:37-38). Second, false teaching about the presence of the Holy Spirit being only manifested in those who speak in tongues. The gifts of the Spirit are listed by Apostle Paul and it is absolutely clear, to some’ one gift while to another something else’ (1 Corinthians 12:10&31). All believers are urged to ‘earnestly desire the best gifts’ that are essential for the task and ministry given to each individual. Since faith and understanding are gifts, a believer on his own can never turn to God nor understand the teachings and grow in faith
Second, doubt the purpose of His presence. Everything created by God and all that is from Him, is for His glory. The task assigned by God to all of us is specific with exact results that He desires. The task of making disciples is in the name of each Member of the Holy Trinity. When we start taking credit for the good that we do in His name, we sin. Continuous rejection of God in this manner affects us spiritually and materially. The Israelites left Egypt but they could not get Egypt out of themselves and suffered.
Third, misuse of His name and presence. The promise of the Saviour to us is, ‘Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son’ (John 14:13). Asking in Lord Jesus’ name is not some magic formula but it is to be according to His ways and character as revealed in His Word.
Fourth, doubt His power. The disciples were assured of ‘power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’ (Acts 1:8). Like them, we also witness before others in this power and many refuse to move a step for fear of others. Earlier, we used to record this program in different places in Chandigarh and some people would stand around, hear and ask questions about salvation and Lord Jesus. We never faced any opposition but if it does come, the Lord has let that happen for a purpose to teach us something.
We live in His presence more and more as we draw closer to Him and then are equipped to share His blessings with others. Life becomes a daily adventure bringing great blessings. Let us open our hearts to live fully in His presence and shine brightly reflecting His love and grace in all our words and deeds.
God has blessed in multiple ways through priceless gifts of His Son as our Savior, salvation through His sacrifice and then His presence in us in His Holy Spirit. Added to this is the great gift of being part of His family and citizens of His kingdom in heaven. Recognising these gifts, we live in the realisation of our presence with Him and in His power and authority to be a blessing to many others!
