GOD'S PRESENCE IN US

[Albert Finch]

John 14:18,20 - "I will not leave you alone; I will come back to you. When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father, and that you are in me, just as I am in you."

When we talk about power encounters as a means of reaching people with God's love, many different ideas may run through our heads. Most people don't see themselves as being equipped to have power encounters and may leave this to the more highly gifted. There are, however, several ways that most any spirit-filled Christian can engage in a positive power encounter:

THE POWER OF PRESENCE

Power encounters occur when Jesus' followers bring God's power and presence through the Holy Spirit to a person who does not believe or is trapped in darkness by evil forces. There is power in simply bringing the presence of God inside us, in contact with those whom God is drawing to Himself.

In 1 John 1:5, John writes that the message he heard from Jesus and now declares is, "God is Light." Light speaks of the power and life of God's nature. In John 8:12, Jesus states that He is the Light of the world, and the verse finishes by saying that when we follow Him, we will have light as well.

God's presence in us is like a light that shines and distinguishes us from those who do not have this light. We are told to "live as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). The greater the light and presence of God we release, the more the darkness will be overcome around us.
We find that when we intentionally allow the presence of the Holy Spirit to be released through us to touch others, people are drawn and they experience a peace they have not experienced elsewhere.

THE POWER OF JESUS' NAME

Most Christians are familiar with the fact that Jesus delegated His authority to us and gave us the power of His name. Take note in the following verses to the things that we have been given power to do in the name of Jesus: Matthew 10:7-8, Mark 16:17-18, Luke 9:1-2, and John 14:11-13.

Simply utilizing our God-given authority can dispel darkness and bring the Kingdom of God to earth.

THE POWER OF LOVE

The Bible makes it clear that our enemies are in the spiritual realm and are not the people we are trying to reach -- Ephesians 6:12 - "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

When we take God's light into spiritually dark places, it is best that we don't pray against the people trapped in darkness, such as psychics. Instead, ask God to bless them and reveal His glory and light to each individual.

1 John 4:4 - "..because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

We can pray that God's glory and light and presence be increased; then, the darkness is revealed and loses its hold. It is also important to recognize that we ourselves are then protected in that light.

As we mature, we will grow in faith and in our understanding of the authority God has given us to do the greater works Jesus spoke about.

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