What does it mean to experience the presence of God? Well, several things. First, there is experiencing the presence of God in prayer or worship. Then, there is the constant abiding fellowship of the Holy Spirit in our hearts that we can sense every moment of the day. Next, there is regular answered prayer in our lives and the desire to please Him in all that we do.
How shall I describe experiencing the presence of God? No one can put this experience exactly into words. However, the Bible gives us examples of this. The face of Moses shone like a light when he came down from Mount Sinai after time in the presence of God. Jesus Himself, when he was transfigured on the mountain shone like the face of an angel along with Moses and Elijah.
Experiencing the presence of God can be described differently by different people, and even with myself, no two times of prayer are exactly alike. Also, you will experience God’s presence in different degrees, sometimes very slight, other times so strong and overpowering that you feel like you can reach out and touch our Lord Jesus right in your room. However, I will try as I can to put this into words.
First, after some time in prayer, there begins a sense of peace, joy, calmness and a comfort of feeling loved that starts inside your spirit. This sense seems to deepen and to grow stronger as you continue in prayer. Your heart becomes filled with love for God and others, faith seems to just spring up by itself, and you almost feel like there is another person right next to you. This initial sense of peace and joy deepens until it is almost overwhelming. It can at times almost feel like it fills the entire room. You may feel like you cannot speak as the awe of what you feel and the gratitude for it well up inside you. At times, the Holy Spirit within you begins to lead you or show you or lay things upon your heart that He wants you to do. Other times your heart may just be filled to overflowing with praise, gratitude and worship. It is no effort to desire the things of God. It can seem like God’s own desires have become your own.
Your heart now longs for more of Him. You don’t want to leave this special place, or for your time to end. Many minutes or even an hour or so can go by and it seems like mere seconds. Other times a great burden for intercession in prayer will come over you. It can seem like the very heart of God has been dropped inside of you as you pray fervently for someone or something, even if you do not fully understand what it is. After a time, this presence will lift for the most part and your heart will feel light and full of joy. You may sit quietly for a time just enjoying the residue of Jesus’ visit and time with you. Then, as you go about your day, it seems like a little bit of that closeness stays in your heart, all day long, at work, the store, at school and no matter whether you are thinking about God or not. It is the constant abiding of the Holy Spirit, your gift from God, which you have stirred up.
This is your privilege, your right to experience every day. Why not take advantage of it? If you do not, it is like one of those stories you hear about some very poor person they find had passed away in a run-down house, but they find they had millions of dollars hidden in their mattress. They had what they needed, but they chose not to use it. As Christians, we need the presence of God with us on a daily basis, and we have the ability to experience it, if we will only choose to take the time and effort.