Focus: In His Presence (Pt.2)

Text: Ps.16:11

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

In His presence we discover a world of incredible possibilities. In His presence we begin to taste of the powers of the world to come.

The psalmist declares, "Let my sentence come forth from thy presence…" (Ps.17:2). Our verdict comes from the presence of the Lord. He alone has the final say about our lives, not any other.

The psalmist declares, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man…" (Ps.31:20). In His presence our security is guaranteed. God will not allow anyone to exert his ego over us. Our God will not allow anyone to display his pride over us.

The psalmist says, "The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel" (Ps.68:8). In the presence of God unmovable things move, and impossibilities bow. He says again, "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth" (Ps.97:5). The fire of His presence burns and melts hills and mountains. 

Power is ever present in the presence of God. His power is always present to heal and deliver.

Isaiah declares, "When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence" (Isa.64:3). From the place of His presence God does things that unimaginable. From the place of His presence God gives us pleasant surprises and beats our expectations.

Isaiah says, "The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it" (Isa.19:1). Idols can't stand the glory of His presence. God's presence knocks out the idols of this world. Before our God idols are powerless.

We read, "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old" (Isa.63:9). The angel of His presence saves and secures us. 

God redeems and bears us. We experience the power and blessing of His presence.

The psalmist prays, "Cast me not away from thy presence…" (Ps.51:11). Who wants to miss such an infinite and pleasurable presence? Tell me, why would Adam run to hide from God's presence? We read, "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden" (Gen.3:8). Why would Jonah seek to flee from the presence of God? David could not afford to find himself outside of the divine presence. Something is so wrong with whoever hides or runs from the presence of the Lord. Moses prayed to have God's presence go with him in his journey to the promise land, and God said to him, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" (Ex.33:14). The presence of God assures us rest. His presence guarantees our rest and calm.

Nahum says, "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein" (Nah.1:5). Nothing remains the same before God's presence.

We read, "Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests" (Zeph.1:7). In God's presence you need not say a word, and things would begin to shift. We simply hold our peace and see the wonders of our God and the glory of His manifest presence.

Peter tells us that "the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Act.3:19). We are revived and refreshed from the place of His presence.

Paul tells us that God does his things in such a way "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1Cor.1:29).

The same way that overflowing joy and eternal pleasures are found in the presence of God, so are glory and honor. We read that "glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place" (1Chron.16:27). Isaiah says, "Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD…"(1Chron.16:33). In God's presence even trees develop lips for singing and praising the Lord.

I pray for you to seek and enjoy God's presence in an ever-increasing dimension. Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter