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God
Manifests His Presence
The manifested presence of God can be
summarized in five aspects. We must seek to cultivate a sense
of God’s presence by meditating on the word of God and in
prayer. Even in
this there is the surprise of really meeting with God in His
glory. When we are seeking the cultivated presence of God we
must still look for God to come and visit us with a sense of
His own manifestation super-added to all that we have
cultivated. Here
are five ways that the Bible describes this manifested
presence.
First, when the Word of God is attended
with the Power of the Holy Spirit, Paul described it as a demonstration of the
Spirit and power (1 Cor. 2:4). This is when we hear
God's voice in the Scriptures as powerfully as if we were
standing before the throne at that moment. The Word
comes with the creative saving and sanctifying power of the
Holy Spirit.
Secondly, God is
often pleased to manifest His presence in a special way in
prayer. In Psalm 145:18 we learn that God is
near to those who call upon Him, especially those that cry out
to Him. In their earnestness and fervency, and
burden, God makes His face to shine upon them. They know
what it is to find themselves brought into the "secret place
of the Most High and under the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm
91:1).
Thirdly, God is
often pleased to manifest himself in the midst of His gathered
church. Paul spoke of how God made
individuals fall on their face and confess that God is truly
among you in 1 Corinthians 14:25. Jesus said where there
are two or three gathered in my name there am I in the midst
(Matt. 18). The Psalmist knew the blessedness of God inhabiting the
praises of
Israel
(Ps. 22).
John knew that Jesus loved to walk in the midst of the
“lampstands” or his churches (Rev. 2:1).
A fourth manifestation of God’s presence
is seen in Revivals. Revivals are an unusual degree of God
manifesting His glory in individuals, churches, communities,
and even nations.
The Great Awakening in the US colonies of the
1700’s is an example of this. It is just
indescribable and
glorious.
The Fifth aspect of God’s manifested
presence is heaven itself. Heaven is the
immediate presence of God. There we are not dependent on the
means of the Word of God, prayer, or creation. There we see
the glorified Savior face to face (Rev. 22). God’s presence is
direct and
infinitely glorious. We could not endure this powerful
presence if we were not already changed into a glorified state
ourselves. Yet,
with all of this as Milton says God plants an
individual kiss on each cheek of the children of God in
heaven. This is what we long for at the end of our eartlhly
pilgrimage of seeking to live in God’s presence. Let us be
like David and “set the Lord always before us” Ps. 16:8. Let
us “Draw near to Gold
and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Let us seek for God to rend
the heavens and come down (Isa. 64:1). Let us learn to be like
Enoch and walk with God (Gen. 5).
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Editor's note: Gary Carter is an
assistant to Dr. Gills as well as the pastor of Tampa
Reformed Baptist
Church. |
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