The Presence of God
ICS Daily Devotions

Exodus 33:9 (NKJV) And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.

Ezekiel 43:4-5 (NKJV) And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

God is omnipresent—He is everywhere or all present. Therefore, we can be encouraged that He can hear us wherever we pray or cry out in His name.

The presence of God is described and appears very differently throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, the pillar of cloud represented God’s presence, just like the pillar of fire by night when God led the people of Israel out of Egypt. Both the Old and New Testaments talk about the glory of the Lord that filled the temple.

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

In addition, the New Testament talks about the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which can also be referred to as the anointing when it comes to the presence of God. The presence of God can be the manifestation of His Spirit when He ministers to us through the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We should not put God in a box by saying that God can only manifest or express His presence in a certain way. Some people don’t even believe in the manifestation of the Holy Spirit today! Indeed, God can manifest in ways that make us uncomfortable, dumbfounded, or amazed by His presence, but we must not restrict God from ministering in our midst through the work of the Holy Spirit because He is the master of every church service. We need to be open to His presence in our midst. Though we may or may not feel His presence, we can be assured God does show up because Jesus said, “for where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20).

We should not be fearful in God’s presence because we are present in the audience of a loving Heavenly Father, where there is joy, peace, and freedom. Praise the Lord that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convict people of sin, righteousness, and judgement. Therefore, it is also in the presence of God when people are saved in church services.

When light enters, darkness disappears. Therefore, people can have oppression lifted in the presence of God, because when His presence comes into our midst, demons will flee. As children and believers of God, let’s desire to be in His presence because of what a privileged position it is!

Sermon series： The Presence of God