I prayed with all my heart yesterday to experience God's manifest presence. I wanted an encounter like Moses. I want signs, miracles, and wonders to follow me like the Scripture promised. But I couldn't seem to get into God's presence.
My prayers just seemed to hit the ceiling and go no further. I was praising and worshipping and asking for God but nothing happened. I was so disappointed.
Maybe some of you can help me fully understand. Should I be seeking the Lord more dilligently? Waiting on Him?
If God gives us seasons where we can't feel His presence on purpose, then why?
It's an excellent question, and let me relieve your mind a little bit here: While we are to abide in His presence continually, the vast majority of New Testament teaching on this subject including John's continual reminders to "abide in Him" were not addressed to individuals but to
entire congregations. This point cannot be overstressed and is not to be overlooked, because there are numerous verses and passages to the effect that God takes pleasure in manifesting Himself within a BODY, where all members great and small feel His manifest presence and move together as one in the Spirit of God, and each give utterance as the Spirit leads, and each have a role to play in edifying one another.
Scriptures to this effect (that He desires us to gather together) are all over the place:
- "God inhabits the praises of His people" (not inhabits the praises of "a person," though He can)
- "And when they were all together and
in one accord, the Spirit descended upon them in flames of fire"
- "Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, singing to yourselves (i.e. to each other) in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs"
- "When two or more of you are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of you."
Those are just a few paraphrases, but you get the point. If you are desiring to experience the manifest Presence of Almighty God, pray that He gives you the opportunity to attend truly Spirit-filled meetings where the Spirit is in manifestation; where the congregation gives itself to prayer and extended worship, and where the services are led by truly anointed people (and I don't mean "charismatic" in the carnal sense of the word but heavily anointed by the Spirit themselves, and thus able to lead others into the same place).
Granted, there are a lot of things that can go on in various "Charismatic" services, not all of which will be God, so you have to be circumspect. But if you want to experience the Presence of God, that will be your fasted route.
As far as in your own private life, that can also be done, but it will take more prayer, more worship, and more time spent in His word. It's not that God doesn't love us individually, I'm just telling you the system He set up for experiencing His Presence and Power.
I am speaking by the way as someone who has experienced His Presence numerous times, many of which were while I was part of more powerful worship teams. If you have any musical talent and can worship on the altar where the Presence is strongest, you can experience it even quicker. But He wants His children together, not separate, and operating as a body in love in and through Him.
You desire a good thing, so don't be discoursed, and don't think it has anything to do with you. It has more to do with the current state of the church actually.
God bless,
- H