Experiencing Gods Presence

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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials Nanjing
SummerFest 2008 18 Jul 2008
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
Three different ways the Bible describes Gods
presence 1. Omnipresence One of the
attributes of God is that he is present
everywhere. There is no place we can go and
escape Gods presence.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
God, who was present everywhere, made himself
known at special times and in specific ways to
individuals who sought him.

• He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the
  garden

• He talked to Noah and personally sealed the ark
  door

• He cut a covenant with Abraham to create a nation

• He wrestled all night with Jacob

• He was with Joseph in prison

• He spoke to Moses in the burning bush and tent of
  meeting

• He was in the fire with Daniels friends

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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
2. God with us in Jesus Christ   In the past
God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets
at many times and in various ways, but in these
last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he
appointed heir of all things, and through whom he
made the universe. Hebrews 11-2 NIV.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped,
   7but made himself nothing,  taking the very
nature of a servant,     being made in human
likeness.    8And being found in appearance as a
man,        he humbled himself and became
obedient to death--         even death on a
cross! Phil. 26-8 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
While Jesus physical body allowed him to be
clearly present with his followers, it also
introduced the possibility that he could be
physically absent.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
18"I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth
agree about anything you ask for, it will be done
for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two
or three come together in my name, there am I
with them." Matt 1818-20 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
3. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit Jesus promised
another comforter, and this promise of an eternal
yet personal presence of God was fulfilled for
the disciples on the day of Pentecost, as they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the
house of Israel after that time," declares the
LORD . "I will put my law in their minds and
write it on their hearts. I will be their God,
and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a
man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother,
saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all
know me, from the least of them to the
greatest," declares the LORD . "For I will
forgive their wickedness and will remember their
sins no more." Jer 3133-34
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
There is only one God, but he has come to us as
three separate persons. He is the infinite,
omnipresent yet personal God of Abraham, he is
God in human flesh as Jesus Christ, and he is the
Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful
nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God
lives in you. And if anyone does not have the
Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead
because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because
of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who
raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he
who raised Christ from the dead will also give
life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit,
who lives in you. Rom. 89-11 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
Yet we long to experience Gods presence, that
is, to be aware of his presence, to have our
hearts stirred by him. We dont want just to
hear truths about God we want a special word
from God to guide our steps. We want to feel
the presence of the Holy Spirit, convicting us
and filling us with his supernatural power.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
What can we do to experience Gods presence? 1.
Praise and worship

• 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So
  be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at
  the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
  opens the door, I will come in and eat with him,
  and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will
  give the right to sit with me on my throne, just
  as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his
  throne. Rev 319-21 NIV

2. Hearing Gods word
3. Open our hearts.
4. Confess and repent.
5. Keep obeying the last clear direction we
received
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
Obedience is often costly, but such
obedience glorifies God. 25The man who loves
his life will lose it, while the man who hates
his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me and
where I am, my servant also will be. My Father
will honor the one who serves me. 27"Now my heart
is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save
me from this hour'? No, it was for this very
reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify
your name!" John 1225-28 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we
profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Heb. 1023 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
We can experience Gods presence anywhere at any
time.
God is with me. He wants to talk to me. I
can choose to withdraw from the noisy environment
to focus my attention only on him.
This is a discipline, a practice that we can
develop better over time.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
How can we experience Gods presence when
everything is going wrong around us?
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a mother
forget the baby at her breast and have no
compassion on the child she has borne? Though
she may forget, I will not forget you!
Isaiah 4914-15 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
5 For your Maker is your husband- the LORD
Almighty is his name- the Holy One of Israel is
your Redeemer he is called the God of all the
earth. 6 The LORD will call you back as if you
were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit- a
wife who married young, only to be rejected,"
says your God. Isaiah 545-6 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with
deep compassion I will bring you back. 8 In a
surge of anger I hid my face from you for a
moment, but with everlasting kindness I will
have compassion on you," says the LORD your
Redeemer. Isaiah 547-8 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
God never really forsook Israel yet He
recognizes that they felt forsaken. God says,
for a mere moment I allowed you to feel that I
have forsaken you. -David Guzik
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
9 "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I
swore that the waters of Noah would never again
cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be
angry with you, never to rebuke you again. 10
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be
removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not
be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD , who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 549-10 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
God loves me no matter what may happen.
Is God big enough to deal with the situation I
face?
Is he worthy of my trust?
Can I seek his face regardless of the situation?
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.
Job 1315 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why
are you so far from saving me, so far from the
words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry out by
day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not
silent. Psalm 221-2 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
16 Dogs have surrounded me a band of evil
men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands
and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones people
stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my
garments among them and cast lots for my
clothing. 19 But you, O LORD , be not far off
O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Psalm
2216-19 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
24 For he has not despised or disdained the
suffering of the afflicted one he has not
hidden his face from him but has listened to his
cry for help. Psalm 2224 NIV
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
Its always OK to ask why? But we should
run to God with the question and stay in his
presence to listen for his answer.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
Never decide what you believe about God while
you are facing a huge crisis.
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Experiencing Gods Presence in Trials
I wanna lift my hands I wanna worship you,
even though I ask why... I wanna give my
life I wanna seek your face, even though I
ask why...