21 Days 2020 | Day 16 | Sign of the Kingdom – God's Presence (Part 2)

Church of the City Guided Prayer

SCRIPTURE
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And He said, "My presence shall go with you.” -Exodus 33:14
DEVOTIONAL
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Romans 8:19 says that “All creation is eagerly waiting, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!” What is creation waiting for? They are waiting for us to bring heaven to earth and take our place as co-heirs with Christ.
How do we do such an abstract, overwhelming thing? We simply bring the presence of God with us as we go through our day. We lean into our relationship with God and do what we “see” the Father doing. (John 5:19) We already have his love. His acceptance. His belonging. AND we have access to the riches of our inheritance in Christ. He wants to go with us where we go. He wants to flow through us to others.
Pentecost, The Reformation, The First and Second Great Awakenings, even our modern day Jesus Movement were sparked and sustained by experiences with God’s presence and the viral transmission of His presence through people captivated and carrying God’s goodness to others. Currently, around the globe and in our nation, there are outpourings of God’s presence that are leading to salvations, healings, reconciliations, social justice initiatives, and cultural transformations of all kinds.
As a vessel, you are simply carrying a spirit of hospitality to the world. You are introducing people to your precious friend, Savior, God and King. You are introducing people by letting the love of God flow through you to them - His power, His presence, His kindness, His healing. If a guest in your house was thirsty for water, would you offer them an empty glass? Obviously, you would offer them a glass filled with water -- because you had water to offer. Jesus said, “Come to me and drink! Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being...! (John 7:37-39)
God wants you to drink of His presence and be satisfied. He wants you to ask for more and more and more of Him. And He also wants you to overflow with His goodness to bless and transform the world around you!
by Anthony and Mary Keith Skinner
QUESTION
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Watching God’s presence touch someone is one of the most thrilling experiences you can have. Do you feel afraid or excited to bring the presence of God to your spheres of influence? If you feel apprehensive, what are you afraid of? Talk to God about it.
Are you willing to ask God to guide you to someone who needs a touch from Him? If so, ask God to show you what to do. He might lead you to pray for someone, speak a word of encouragement to someone, buy a coffee for someone or… who knows! Let God lead you. The Holy Spirit is your personal teacher and guide!
PRAYER
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God, thank you for your presence. Thank you for graciously filling me with your presence. I want to not only be filled with you for myself, but I want to be filled to overflowing for others around me.