The reason an open heaven is so desirable is the manifestation of the presence of God.
Why Do We Need His Presence?
And there are things that happen in his presence that don’t happen anywhere else.
1. His presence is our ideal environment as we said earlier. God made man and placed him in the Garden of Eden and came regularly to fellowship with man. Let us see what Eden represents. Isaiah 51:3 “3For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Eden is translated as the garden of ‘delight’. In some other places in the Old Testament, Eden equates with the garden of the Lord. Eden was the place where God’s presence dwelt on earth. God’s plan was for man to fellowship with Him continually. He created man to live and function in His presence. And God’s presence is designed to be man’s ideal environment for optimum performance. Everything functions well in the right environment. Birds cannot function in water; the fish will die outside water. Man malfunctions outside of the presence of God. When man sinned, he was expelled from Eden, literally, the presence of God. It is this separation that is referred to as spiritual death. We were reconciled to God through the atonement done on the cross of Calvary; so, once again, we are back in the garden. But notice that God had to come in order to speak with and fellowship with the man. The challenge is to get God to come. God lives in you if you are born again but for His power to manifest in your life, you have to create the right environment that will attract him. We function properly when we are in his presence just as the fish functions only in water. Jesus said, for without me you can do nothing– John 15:5. Many believers are incapacitated and are struggling because they are unable to secure the presence of the Lord.
2. When God comes, things change. Things also change when God leaves. We see this in the life of King Saul in 1Samuel 13, 15 and 16. Evil spirits took over whenever the presence of God left until David, through praise, would bring down the presence of God. So, any time something is blocking your way, or someone is trying to hold back your blessing, don’t get mad or complain. Start praising the Lord. Then He’ll show up in your situation and make things right.
3. God’s presence brings wisdom. In the presence of God you are inspired, instructed and corrected. You develop a higher level of confidence.
4. God’s presence brings joy Psalm 16:11. Gladness of heart. Joy (expressed) is a requirement for receiving from God. It is the power needed for provoking the flow of divine blessing in your direction. The Bible says the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10b. Harvest is destroyed when joy withers. Joel 1:10-12, “The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. [11] Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. [12] The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: BECAUSE JOY IS WITHERED AWAY FROM THE SONS OF MEN.” A joyful heart is a praising heart. Praise is the overflow of joy and gratitude. When this is in place harvest is guaranteed. No wonder the Bible says God loves a cheerful giver. Joy is the sickle with which you reap your harvest. Without it the harvest can be wasted. With joy we draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Notice it says ‘wells’. No wonder the Bible says rejoice in the Lord always!
5. God’s presence brings rest Ex 33:14, “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” His presence makes the work simple and fruitful. His presence does the job and we have rest.
6. His presence brings peace. Jesus demonstrated this peace in the storm. He was asleep while his disciples were worrying themselves sick. The peace we are talking about doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is quiet. It means we are not worrying about anything. You don’t have to solve your problem, just get God in through continual praise and everything will be taken care of.
7. God’s presence attracts the right people. The presence of God makes your life colourful and attractive. It is a magnet that attracts the right people into your life.
8. God’s presence brings blessings. Psalm 65:4; Gen 39:2, 20-21
9. God’s presence brings power- for protection (Psalm 91), conquest and achievement etc. The presence of the Lord releases the power of God and it is his power that enables us to achieve results in any pursuit.
10. God’s presence brings deliverance.
How Do You Bring Down His Presence?
How To Gain Access Into His Presence And Abide There
1. Pleading the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus…” This is done by confessing as follows: “Thank you Lord, that through the sprinkled blood of Jesus, I have access into the presence of Almighty God; into the holiest place in the universe.”
2. Hunger for his presence. John 19:28, “I thirst” Jesus was not only just thirsty for water; He was thirsty for the divine presence. He was missing the fellowship He had with the Father. How thirsty are you for the things of God? Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Setting aside time regularly once a year, once a month, weekly and daily to fellowship with him without distraction, will ensure that you dwell permanently in his presence.
(To be continued)
Bishop Dr Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l.
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