You know, there is a fight going on over God. You may not know it, but you are a part of the fight, the struggle. Let me give you one insight on this: God, as we know is "omnipresent", meaning He is everywhere, all the time. There is not too much to brag about concerning that. It means, of course, He is in Australia at the same time He is in Kentucky. But, He is also in the bar at the same time He is in the church. There is comfort in that, knowing, as a believer, that wherever you go, He is there. Yet, the most lost soul on the planet can claim that same benefit. The fight over God which His adversary is conducting, is not over the omnipresence of God, but rather over His manifested presence. The devil does not care a nickel's worth over the omnipresence but he is at war over the manifested presence. You see, if all we have is omnipresence, we have little relationship with God. It is like having a distant relative that you know exists, but you never see them, hear from them, touch them or be touched by them. And, you are doubtful you are in their will. Yet, they do exist and that is the depth of your relationship. And, that is not God's plan for us.
I hate to give the devil much credit, but he has and is putting up a good fight. about this And, much of his effectiveness comes on the basis of our willingness to settle for the omnipresence and forsake the manifested presence. All you have to do to see this is just listen and watch how people describe God. Look at the church world, which for the most part knows only the omnipresence of God. Even among those who say they believe in the manifested presence of God, how they define that manifestation is a long way from how the Bible defines it. And, they seem to be perfectly willing to re-define to suit themselves. Why is that? It is a part of the fight.
God has said in His Word that in His presence is fulness of joy and at His right hand, pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11). Does that match the descriptions of God's presence you have heard? When Peter was explaining Holy Ghost baptism, he used this verse to help describe what had just happened to them on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:25-28). Manifested presence of God! And, there was, just as described, fulness of joy! There were pleasures! They behaved as though drunken. Their tongue was made glad. Look around at the church world that says they believe in the manifested presence. Is there joy? Is there pleasure? Is there rejoicing? Is there tongues being made glad? Is there any semblance?
Our covenant with God includes the promise of manifested presence, but the enemy works hard to keep the church from claiming the blessing. Here is the promise: "Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out, when times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord", Acts 3:19. That verse, in a nutshell, describes our new covenant with God. If we repent, turn around and change our mind, our sins would be blotted out, not just covered over as in the old covenant, and, we will have times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. That is a favorite verse! Here it is in the Kenneth Wuest version of of the New Testament and it is even better, "therefore repent at once, instantly changing your attitude, and perform a right-about-face, in order that there may come epoch-making periods of spiritual revival and refreshment from the presence of the Lord". Glory, halelujah, I love the times of refreshing in His presence! It is our promise. It is our covenant. It is our expectation.
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