Encountering God's Presence

Intro:

A Student Named Paul

I began to get around people who knew God.

I began to listen to sermons and hear stories about people who knew God.

I read the accounts of people in the Bible who knew God.

I began to say, enough is enough:

“enough is enough. I will seek him until I find him, or until I die… I can’t live just reading about revivals and about people who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody who knew you.” - Paul Washer

Experiencing God is for everyone… But not everyone will experience God.

Illustration: Dog’s chasing after one another.

My Story is really Similar

10/40 Event

My mentor took me to spend an hour in prayer with him. Prayer isn’t meant to be a chore, it’s meant to take us into the presence of God.

He took me to an event where we learned about what God was doing in the 10/40 window.

Christianity isn’t “a religion,” it is about The Real God coming into a relationship with me through Jesus Christ.

In America Christianity can just seem like a religion that you tag along to your life. No power, no change, no experience with God.

People putting their lives at risk to worship Jesus. Why? Because he is real. When you encounter his presence, everything Changes!

We were responding in Worship, and the presence of God manifested in my life.

Filled with an awe of his worthiness above every other thing.

I began to sense tear of joy and delight.

Suddenly I realized that there was nothing on earth I had ever experienced that was greater than this joy of being in His presence.

Everything else became so small in comparison, so insignificant compared to the greatness of this joy in the Lord.

At that same event the man who was speaking shared about his experience as a college student. Praying in his dorm room and encountering the presence of God.

Psalm 73:25 ESV

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

China

After graduating I spent the next year in China sharing my faith in Christ. And at night I would go into my room, shut the door, and get on my knees before God to spend an hour in prayer. Often I would find myself, once again, with tear of joy and delight in the presence of God.

One reason people fall astray:

I think one of the reasons so many people today walk away from their faith, is because they never new God.

I hear of the “deconstruction” stories where people tear down all their beliefs and renounce their faith and belief in God’s Word; and I think it’s because they knew a whole lot about God, but never encountered his presence.

I want you to really know God:

Guys, I really want you to know God. To experience him personally. Not just to know about a religion. or to know doctrine, or just to believe a set of intellectual facts about God.

There is real joy there, in his presence.

1. Set your heart on truly knowing God, not just being a Christian.

Pitfall: People tend to follow their heart instead of lead their heart.

One of the myths that has been ingrained into us is that if you don’t follow your heart, you are being inauthentic.

This is in conflict with common sense though:

Son: He does want to learn. He wants to be able to read.

But, if he were to follow his feelings (follow his heart), he would never want to sit down and put in the time to learn to read.

As you grow and mature, you should learn to say “no” to your feelings in order to say “yes” to the bigger goal.

The heart is deceitful (Jer. 17:9)

Guard your heart (Prov. 4:23)

Instead of just following your heart, you should take time to stand back and look objectively, through the lense of Scripture, at your heart; and then guide your heart.

The invitation is for you:

Matthew 11:28 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Brian Head Video

John 15:4 ESV

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

“But they are too weak, too unfaithful; they never can attain to it. Dear souls, how little they know that the abiding in Christ is just meant for the weak. And so beautifully suited to their feebleness. It is not the doing of some great thing and does not demand that we first lead a holy and devoted life. No, it is simply weakness and trusting itself to a Mighty One to be kept.” - Andrew Murrey

2. Take time to actively seek God.

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

What desires come between you and God?

Give him a time and a place.

Matthew 6:6 ESV

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Satan wants you to view it as:

A Chore

A waste of time

Laziness or inneffective.

Helpful tips:

Silence your soul enough to hear the still small voice of the Lord.

Understand that giving time to seeking the LORD is an act of Worship in istelf, and it glorifies God. So you can take great joy in knowing this is a worthy use of your time.

Spend time doing different categories of prayer:

Waiting

Worship

Listening

Song

Petition: Praying for your personal needs

Intercession: Praying for the needs of others.

Thanksgiving

Confession:

Praying Scripture

3. Repent of All known sin.

Sin hinders our relationship with God.

Dimmer Switch

a killjoy: No, actually sin is what steals our joy.

God’s presence is the ultimate joy:

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Discussion Questions:

Which the stories, videos, or verses were most significant to you and why?

Read Psalm 73:25. Why do you think a person could say, “there is nothing on earth I desire besides you?”

Look at your note sheet: Which of the three main points do you need to apply? Explain your answer.

Read Jeremiah 29:13. Do you want to seek God with all your heart? If so, what will that look like for you in the next few days?

*** Pass around the Sign Up Sheet for Welcome Retreat

Concluding remarks: “Let’s be people who really want to know God personally, not just know about Him. Let’s be people who want Him more than anything else, and seek Him with all our hearts.”