The practice of living in the presence of God!

When I talk about the “practice” of anything, I mean, the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it. With that in mind, to live in God's presence means to live in a constant awareness of God's nearness and to seek a close, intimate relationship with Him! Living in the presence of God involves developing and cultivating a mindset of conscious, ongoing fellowship with God through practices like prayer, Scripture, and living according to His teachings, which brings an awareness or understanding of His joy, peace, strength, and guidance. I’m speaking of a conscious awareness of being mindful that God is always present, not just in moments of worship, but in every part of life. This can be an internal feeling of closeness or an awe for God's power and love. The practice of living in the presence of God involves surrendering to the influence of the Holy Spirit, allowing God's presence to bring about changes in your life. The practice of living in the presence of God is not easy. In fact, it’s a struggle. Your old wayward, sinful self will fight every step along the way, but Jesus made a provision for you to enable you to yield to Him and follow Him completely. On the evening before His death, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14.15-17). Who is the Spirit of truth? For starters, He’s a person. He is not a force or power. He is the third person of the Trinity. God exists in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Here, Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as your “Helper.” The word literally means advocate, encourager or one who comes alongside to help you. The Holy Spirit is the person Jesus sent to come alongside you to help you practice living in the presence of God. Be encouraged!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible teacher & expositor