Brief Summary
This sermon emphasizes the importance of God's presence in our lives, distinguishing between His omnipresence and His relational presence. It highlights that God's presence brings peace, power, purpose, transformation, provision, and favor. The sermon encourages listeners to seek God's presence above all else, as it is the key to overcoming life's challenges and fulfilling one's divine assignment.
- God's relational presence is more important than blessings or material things.
- His presence brings peace in storms, power for the impossible, and purpose with transformation.
- Seeking God's presence leads to provision and favor in all circumstances.
Introduction: The Worthiness of Praise
The sermon begins with a call to praise God, emphasizing His worthiness of all honor and worship, day and night. It is highlighted that praising God is not dependent on circumstances but is due to who He is: the Holy One, Savior, Redeemer, Justifier, Holy Ghost Baptizer, and soon-coming King. The speaker expresses excitement about the worship team's growth and mentions a personal anecdote about seeing a freed granddaughter worshiping God, which is likened to her grandmother dancing in heaven.
Personal Anecdotes and Introduction to the Sermon's Theme
The speaker shares personal anecdotes, including attending a vow renewal and humorous observations about a family. Transitioning to the sermon, the speaker notes the current season and shares a story about dead deer on the road, leading into a joke about a hunting trip involving deacons and a pastor. The core message is introduced: the importance of the power of God's presence, urging the congregation to avoid letting the word go in one ear and out the other.
The Context of Exodus 33:14-15: God's Relational Presence
The speaker sets the stage for the scripture reading from Exodus 33:14-15 by explaining the context: a dialogue between God and Moses after the golden calf incident. God was displeased with the Israelites' idolatry and initially wanted to send an angel instead of personally leading them to the Promised Land. Moses interceded, emphasizing the necessity of God's personal presence. The speaker distinguishes between God's omnipresence (being everywhere) and His relational or manifest presence (active guidance and communion).
The Importance of God's Manifest Presence
The speaker elaborates on God's relational presence, which signifies His active involvement in every aspect of life, blessing and communing with His people. He contrasts this with the fear the Israelites felt, preventing them from experiencing God's glory directly. Moses understood that their survival in the wilderness depended on God's ongoing direction and provision. The speaker uses an analogy of a symphony conductor noting that music without God's presence is just noise, emphasizing that church services without His presence are empty.
His Presence Brings Peace in the Midst of a Storm
The first key aspect of God's manifest presence is its ability to bring peace during storms. Referring to Mark 4:37-39, the speaker recounts Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. Storms in life can arise unexpectedly, whether financial, health-related, familial, or emotional. The key is that Jesus is in the boat with you, preventing the storm from stopping you. An anecdote about a little girl on a turbulent flight who remained calm because her father was the pilot illustrates that knowing God is in control brings peace.
His Presence Brings Power for the Impossible
The second aspect of God's presence is that it brings power to do the impossible. The speaker references Acts 16:25-26, where Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns in prison, leading to an earthquake that opened the prison doors and broke the chains. Praise invites God's presence, bringing His power into the situation. The speaker emphasizes that God specializes in impossibilities, referencing the opening of the Red Sea and the raising of the dead. He encourages listeners not to curse their prison, as it may be the birthplace of someone else's breakthrough, highlighting the jailer's salvation in the story of Paul and Silas.
His Presence Brings Purpose and Transformation
The third aspect of God's presence is that it brings purpose and transformation. The speaker refers to Isaiah 6:1-8, where Isaiah sees the Lord and is cleansed, leading to his commissioning as a prophet. Transformation begins with revelation, as Isaiah's encounter with God led him to see his own sinfulness and need for grace. The speaker emphasizes that every encounter with God leads to an assignment from God, citing examples like Moses, Paul, and Isaiah. God's presence makes one useful and pliable for His purposes.
His Presence Brings Provision and Favor
The fourth aspect of God's presence is that it brings provision and favor. The speaker references Genesis 39:2-3, where the Lord was with Joseph, leading to his success and prosperity even in Potiphar's house. Favor finds you even in famine, and provision follows. True success isn't about location but about God's presence. The speaker encourages listeners to seek God's presence rather than chasing favor, as favor will chase them down when they prioritize God. He concludes with anecdotes about God's favor in everyday situations, such as finding a parking spot, and the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, whose fellowship with God in the fiery furnace turned the fire into fellowship.
Conclusion: Seeking God's Presence
The sermon concludes with a call to seek God's presence above all else, as it changes lives, breaks yokes, and restores relationships. The speaker shares a story about a missionary in Africa whose simple church, filled with God's presence, deeply moved a visitor from the United States. He emphasizes that God's presence makes sinners weak, the broken whole, and the weary strong. The speaker expresses frustration with superficial faith and emphasizes that genuine encounters with God lead to transformation. He invites the congregation to come forward and seek God's presence, believing that it can bring change, peace, strength, and deliverance. A final blessing is offered, encompassing physical healing, financial abundance, and spiritual enrichment.
