What Is Hindering Us From Experiencing…

~ Phillip Hendren ~ Leave a comment

Thought & Theology

To experience God’s presence is to experience the shining of God’s face ( Psalm 67:1 ESV). Believers always live in God’s presence, and he notes all their deeds ( Mal 3:16 ESV ). He has promised to be with us until he comes again ( Matt 28:20 ESV)

Scripture References

How to Enter God’s Presence

Seeking the presence of God is a spiritual pursuit that many find integral to their faith and well-being. While the concept is deeply personal to each individual, here are general practices that can help you draw closer to the divine presence:

1. Intentional Prayer – Engage in sincere, heartfelt prayer, where you not only speak to God but also take the time to listen. Prayer can be a powerful way to feel connected to the divine.

2. Reflection and Meditation – Quiet your mind and reflect on spiritual truths. Meditation on holy scriptures or devotional literature can usher you into a deeper awareness of God’s presence.

3. Worship and Praise – Participating in worship, whether through song, dance, or quiet adoration, can elevate your spirit and bring you into a sense of communion with God.

4. Confession and Repentance – Acknowledging your shortcomings and asking for forgiveness can clear the barriers that may be separating you from feeling God’s presence.

5. Fasting and Self-Denial – Fasting can be an outward expression of an inward focus on spiritual matters, helping to strip away distractions and bring clarity to your spiritual quest.

6. Reading Scripture – The word of God is described as being alive and active; immersing yourself in the scriptures can bring a feeling of closeness to God.

7. Acts of Service – Love in action, by serving others, is often when people report feeling God’s presence most acutely. God is love, and serving reflects His essence.

8. Fellowship with Other Believers – Gathering with like-minded individuals can create a supportive environment that cultivates spiritual encounters with God.

Remember that everyone’s spiritual journey is unique and the experience of God’s presence can vary greatly from one person to another. Being open, patient, and persistent will aid you in your endeavor to seek divine presence in your life.

Hindrances to Entering God’s Presence

While seeking the presence of God is a noble and fulfilling pursuit, there are often obstacles on the path that can hinder this spiritual journey. Recognizing and overcoming these hindrances can greatly enhance one’s spiritual growth:

1. Unconfessed Sin – Sin that has not been acknowledged or addressed can form a barrier between an individual and God. Confession and repentance are key to restoring that connection.

2. Distraction and Noise – In today’s world filled with constant stimulation, finding silence can be challenging. Distractions can prevent us from quieting our hearts and minds enough to perceive God’s presence.

3. Doubt and Skepticism – Doubt can act as a blockade to experiencing God. Faith and trust are essential components of feeling connected to the divine.

4. Lack of Desire – Without a genuine desire to experience God’s presence, one might miss the opportunities to do so. Apathy can dampen the spiritual senses needed to discern God’s presence.

5. Impatience and Frustration – The quest to experience God’s presence often requires patience and time. Impatience can lead to frustration, which in turn might lead to giving up too soon.

6. Spiritual Warfare – Some believe that there is a cosmic battle between good and evil. This spiritual warfare can sometimes act as a hindrance to experiencing the peace and presence of God.

7. Poor Community and Fellowship – Being in the company of those who do not share the same spiritual goals or who may be negative influences can affect one’s spiritual well-being and ability to sense God’s presence.

8. Inadequate Understanding of God – Misconceptions about the nature of God or a lack of knowledge about spiritual principles can inhibit one’s experience of God.

Overcoming these hindrances typically involves intentional effort and may require guidance from spiritual mentors, personal reflection, discipline, and above all, a commitment to seeking a deeper relationship with the divine.

Understanding these three categories enriches our understanding of God. He is the transcendent God – present in every circumstance. He is the intimate God – dwelling in the hearts of His children. He is God made manifest – an ever-present help in times of trouble.

Suggested Reading: AW Tozer Book listing at http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/authors/a-w-tozer/2034

Experiencing The Presence of GOD Teachings from the Book of Hebrews

Excerpt_9780764216183

God Is Our Fortress –

[1] God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

(Psalm 46:1 ESV)

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~ Phillip Hendren

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But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. (1 Timothy 6:6 NASB)

for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8 NASB)

Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (Philippians 4:11 NASB)

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” (Hebrews 13:5 NASB)

Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, (2 Corinthians 3:5 NASB)

And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; (2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB)

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:13,19 NASB)

Christians are to be satisfied and sufficient, and not to seek for more than what God has already given them. He is the source of true contentment.

NASB Study Bible Commentary

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But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5 NASB)

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21 NASB)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16 NASB)

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. (1 Peter 4:7 NASB)

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NASB)

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Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.

  • All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up. No one is to seek his own advantage, but rather that of his neighbor. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NASB)
  • make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:2-5 NASB)

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that with one purpose and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:1-2,5-6,13 NASB)

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For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I have mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I show compassion.” So then, it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs, but on God who has mercy. (Romans 9:15-16 NASB)
And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.” (Exodus 33:19 NASB)
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB)

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# Our Victory in Christ
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;* for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the **Spirit Himself intercedes for us** with groanings too deep for words; and **He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is** , because **He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. *(Romans 8:26-27 NASB)
With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit* , and with this in view, **be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, *(Ephesians 6:18 NASB)
> Lord, You have searched me and known me. (Psalm 139:1 NASB)
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (Romans 8:6 NASB)
who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He* who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, **who also intercedes for us. *(Romans 8:34 NASB)

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# A Word of Invitation
“Come to Me* , all who are weary and burdened, and **I will give you rest . *(Matthew 11:28 NASB)
that if you confess with your mouth* Jesus as Lord, and **believe in your heart** that God raised Him from the dead, **you will be saved ; *(Romans 10:9 NASB)
> For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (Ephesians 2:8 NASB)
If we confess our sins* , He is faithful and righteous, so that ***He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.* *(1 John 1:9 NASB)
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death in regard to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead,* **in order that we might bear fruit for God . *(Romans 7:4 NASB)
But now we have been released from the Law* , having died to that by which we were bound, **so that we serve in the newness of the Sp irit and not in oldness of the letter. *(Romans 7:6 NASB)
who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:6 NASB)
“Some manuscripts add who walk not according to the flesh (according to the Spirit)”
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (1Chronicles 28:9 NASB)

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# Justification by Faith
But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; (Romans 3:21-25 NASB)
All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 10:43 NASB)
nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law; since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified. (Galatians 2:16 NASB)
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. (Ephesians 3:12 NASB)
For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15 NASB)

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## Kindness Restraint Patience Repentance
Or do you think lightly of the riches*** ***of His*** **kindness** and **restraint** and **patience** , not knowing that the kindness of God **leads you to** **repentance ? *(Romans 2:4 NASB)
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in God’s merciful restraint He let the sins previously committed go unpunished; (Romans 3:25 NASB)
that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and that they would attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, (Colossians 2:2 NASB)
See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too will be cut off. (Romans 11:22 NASB)
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NASB
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. (2 Corinthians 7:9 NASB)

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For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NASB)
The heavens tell of the glory of God; And their expanse declares the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1 NASB)
who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:4-6,16 NASB)
Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, o those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: (Jude 1:1 NASB)