Practicing God's Presence

Prayer is nothing else than a sense of God’s presence.
—Brother Lawrence

In the midst of crisis or change, Christ is with me. In the midst of the storm, He is my safe fortress. He guards me from the breakers that would crush me. But He is more than just a secure fortress. He is my strength to not only endure, but to victoriously overcome. There is never any reason to fear when the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I have the perfect love of Christ within me. God is the one great constant in my life—the same yesterday, today, and forever. Abiding in His love, He claims my thoughts, and His peace guards my soul. I discover that I, also, am strong in His grace. Because He is steadfast and unchanging, I can be steadfast and unchanging. As He is in this world, so am I. I can walk in His peace that overcomes this fallen world with the authority He has bestowed upon me.

Doesn’t this sound amazing? Isn’t this the abundant life Jesus died to give us? But don’t we all struggle at times to walk in it? He is consistent. We are the ones who don’t allow Him to be constant and consistent in our lives. We are the ones to leave the fold and wander off. 

Abiding in God’s presence is what makes the difference between living a defeated life and a victorious one. The presence of the Holy Spirit in my life must be practiced. To live an overcoming life, I must be in fellowship with God daily in prayer until His Word becomes a habit, and He is unconsciously rendered. I unconsciously “pray without ceasing.” He is just “there” at the moment I need Him. He is just “there” in moments of sudden disaster when, without Him, my world would cave. But practicing His presence everyday has brought His immediate peace in that moment. 

I don’t always know what to pray, but the Holy Spirit prays for me. I consciously submit to Him, and He prays God’s perfect will. The external voices are silenced, and I know His peace, no matter the waves crashing around me. I choose to practice His presence everyday. I choose to abide in Him. I may go through a busy day with no issue, and my conscious mind is busy with my schedule. Then suddenly I hear or see something that is earth-shattering. It bombards me. I speak the name of Jesus because I know He is in me just waiting to be drawn from the unconscious depths of my spirit into the consciousness of my soul. Peace arises that transcends logic. It defeats the emotions that attempt to have control. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Practicing His presence has brought His peace.

Do you have that sense of God's presence? He is right there within you speaking peace in the midst of your storm, but you may not realize it. Christ is always in you, my friend in Christ, never forsaking or leaving you. But for Him to make a difference in your mind, will, and emotions, you must draw Him into your conscious existence. He must impact you and your world. His presence is practiced by faith. If you will pray in faith and practice His presence everyday, He will go with you consciously through the days of your life, rendering peace, joy, and victory.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). 

If you are born-again, you have Jesus on the inside of you to be exercised in your life. Practicing His presence transcends all the conscious bombardment of hardship, pain, and suffering, and brings it all under the authority of Jesus Christ. His name is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Practice His Presence everyday until He is only what is rendered in your life. May His joy always remain in you so that your joy shall always be full.