God is relational and he created humanity because He wanted to be in relationship with us. We were created to be in relationship, both with God and with each other. Because of this, there is nothing more fulfilling than engaging the presence of God.
There are two aspects of God’s presence:
· His omnipresence – which means that God is around us at all times
· His manifest presence – which is what Adam had in the Garden of Eden; the ability to relate to and engage with God
Sometimes we are so caught up in doing what we are doing that we take God’s presence for granted.
Luke 10:38-42
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was too busy being busy and busyness makes our relationship with God more business rather than relationship.
Let’s look at 3 big verses for a second:
Psalm 22:3
God is enthroned in the praises of his people…
Psalm 16:11
In his presence, there is fullness of Joy
Nehemiah 8:10
The Joy of the Lord is our strength
When I worship, God is enthroned – or His Presence is made manifest. As I lift up my voice in worship, I become more aware of God’s Presence. When I worship and His presence is manifest - there is Joy! This is why we feel better when we worship. When I worship, His presence comes, His Joy is released, and I am strengthened.
There is so much power in our praise and we need to understand what happens when we praise. Let’s look at Joshua’s first two victories.
1. Crossing the Jordan
In Joshua 3 when they go to cross the Jordan, they cross in a very specific order:
· First, they send the Ark of the Covenant (The Presence of God)
· Then the Priests
· Then the Levites families
· Then everyone else
If this was me, I would have been arguing with God - we are going into the enemy’s land, so we had better be sending the fighting soldiers first! But this is not how God wanted them to cross, His Presence goes first.
2. Jericho
In Joshua 6 with Jericho:
6 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valour. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.
4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
Notice again the order:
· The Priests with Trumpets & instruments
· The Ark of the Covenant
· Then the men of war
