The Presence And Power Of God

THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF GOD

TEXT: Exodus 3:7-15; 2 Chronicles 7:14

"If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land."

INTRODUCTION:

From time to time we wonder and ask ourselves, and one another: "Why can’t I win my friends to the Lord? Why is it that my family members just don’t seem to be interested in God?"

The answer may shock us in its boldness, but the truth often hurts. Here is the reason, I believe, why people who know us are not interested in our God. It may be because we do not have enough of the presence of God in our lives.

You see, my brothers and sisters in the Lord . . . there is something about God’s presence and power that makes everything else fade in comparison. Without it, we are just as spiritually lifeless as everybody around us.

Illustration:

Danny Simpson, a 24-year-old Canadian, was sentenced to 6 years in jail for robbing a bank in Ottawa, Canada, of $6,000. The gun he used in the robbery eventually ended up in a Canadian museum.

The .45 caliber Colt semi-automatic turned out to be an antique made in 1918 by the Ross Rifle Company of Quebec City. The pistol was worth as much as $100,000. If Danny Simpson had realized what he had in his possession, he would not have ended up in jail.

How about us . . . we who claim to be God’s children? Do we really know or experience the presence and power of God in our lives?

This morning, I would like to share three important truths about the presence and power of God in our lives.

I. THE PRESENCE AND POWER OF GOD GIVES US NEW IDENTITY

No matter what we do, without the power of God in our lives, you and I would be "just another somebody" to those around us. I don’t know about you, but I got tired of being just "another somebody" to the lost around me.

I made my mind up and set my heart to declare, "I am going to pursue the power of God in my life." I am going to get so close to God that when I walk down the street people will meet and get to know God. They will not know that I am there, but they will definitely know that God is there.

Illustration:

There was this college student who was enrolled in ornithology, which is the study of birds. The course had the reputation of being the most difficult in the whole curriculum.

The instructor was an extremely difficult professor. Everybody feared him. Ornithology was a required course—every student had to take it.

At the beginning of the course, the professor announced that there would be a test after 40 days. And it would comprise a large portion of their final grade. So everybody studied hard. They made sure that they understood everything the professor was teaching.

On the 40th day, the students walked into the lecture hall extremely nervous. On the stage was a table with 5 cages on it. Each cage had a cover and beneath each cover they could see the feet and thin legs of a bird.

At the sound of the bell, the professor told the students: "Here’s the test. You can see there are 5 birds and they are all covered except for their feet and legs. You must tell me the identity of each of those 5 birds by looking only at their feet and legs."

Everyone had studied long and hard, but no one had anticipated such a test. They were all sweating, trying to remember something, anything, that could help them pass the test.

Finally, one student stood up and said, "This is ridiculous. This is the craziest test I have every seen. And you are the worst professor in this whole college." He said, "I quit. I‘m out of here. I’m not going to take this test."

He turned and walked toward the door. "Just a minute young man." said the professor. "Who are you? I demand to know your name right now." The young man stopped, took a long look at the professor, and then pulling up his pant legs said, "You tell me."

Brothers and sisters in the Lord . . . We don’t have to act . . . we don’t have to hide ourselves or our identity within our shell when we come into God’s house or around other Christians.

We don’t need to have other people asking us if we are Christians. They can know . . . they can see…. and they can experience . . . the presence and power of God.