PRESENCE-CENTERED LIFE
DEFINING THE CORE VALUE
Our first ministry is to God. As we behold Him, we are moved to worship with joyous passion.
Psalm 27:4; Luke 10:39–42; James 4:8; Psalm 1:1–3, 23:6, 26:8; John 4:23; Psalm 22:3
God delights in us and He has always desired to be with us. We focus on His presence because we have discovered that He is focused on us.
1 John 4:19; Ephesians 1:3–6; Zephaniah 3:17; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 65:4; 1 John 3:1; Revelation 3:20;
Our lives are to be centered around God’s presence. We abide in His presence continually. We are led by the Spirit of God, having an awareness of Him, sensing where His presence is and is not.
Psalm 27:4; John 15:9; Galatians 5:25; 1 Kings 19:11-13; John 15:4-5
Purposefully cultivating a hunger for God’s manifest presence and an openness to experiencing the Holy Spirit deepens our friendship with God and our awareness that we carry His presence for the sake of the world.
Psalm 73:28, 107:8-9; John 1:16; Matthew 5:6; Isaiah 55:1–2; 1 Corinthians 3:16
As a lifestyle, we practice recognizing God’s presence while we interact with others, having our hearts postured to say what He is saying and do what He is doing.
1 John 4:16–17; John 5:19–20, 30, 12:49–50, 14:10
The presence of God is to be experienced and sensed. It is tangible and discernable. There are many ways in which we can sense the presence of God: through His pleasure, peace, love, clarity, stillness, weighty glory, fiery intensity, and more.
2 Chronicles 5:14; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; Exodus 40:34-35; Acts 2:1-4; Exodus 20:18-21; Hebrews 12:29
The presence of God gives us rest, fullness of joy, and freedom.
Exodus 33:14; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Psalm 16:11
DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND
Being focused on His presence doesn’t mean Christians should spend all their time in private worship, disconnected from the rest of life or the Body.
Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 4:12; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 18:20; John 17:15, 18
Not every supernatural presence is from God; we must use our discernment.
1 John 4:1; Acts 13:6–12, 16:16–18; Philippians 1:9–10; Hebrews 5:14
Physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not an indicator of our spiritual maturity.
1 Corinthians 13:1–3, 13; Matthew 7:21–23
God’s presence is just as much at work in the secular world as it is inside the church.
Psalm 139:7–12; Matthew 5:44–45; Habakkuk 2:14; Numbers 14:21; Romans 5:20
The Holy Spirit leads us into a Presence-focused lifestyle, not a self-focused lifestyle.
Matthew 16:24–25; Luke 14:27; 1 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 12:1–2
Just as we can cultivate the presence, we can also quench and grieve the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30
PERSONAL APPLICATION
We worship and have fellowship with God throughout the day in all aspects of life, such as prayer, the Word, creativity, music, nature, family, work, and friendships.
1 John 1:3; Matthew 6:6–15; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Psalm 104; Colossians 3:16-17
God has made us a dwelling place for His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 2 Timothy 1:14; Colossians 2:9–10
As we draw near to God, He draws near to us.
James 4:8; Matthew 5:6, 6:33
We will often experience the presence of God according to our God-given design or our giftings, including, but not limited to: supernatural seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, smelling, imagination, creativity and more. We may also encounter God’s presence according to what we most need from God at the time, such as His fiery love, perfect peace, eruptions of joy, etc.
1 Corinthians 12:4; Hebrews 5:14; 1 Kings 19:11-13; Hebrews 12:29; Matthew 7:11; Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 58:11
The Holy Spirit’s presence motivates us toward love and toward changing the world.
Matthew 28:18–20; Joel 2:28; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5
We are called to behold God face to face with nothing between Him and us. As we do this, we are transformed into the image of Christ.
Exodus 20:3; 2 Corinthians 3:16–18, 5:18–20; Matthew 22:37
Connected to God, we are filled with joy and peace and are empowered to take risks to extend the Kingdom.
Psalm 13:5; Hebrews 1:9; John 15; Acts 1:8; Romans 14:17, 15:13
Every part of a Christian’s life is sacred and meant to be holy. We do not live with the false mindset that life is divided into the “sacred” or the “secular.” Rather, God values and is involved in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit lives in us, so everything we do and everywhere we go is sacred.
Colossians 1:16–20, 3:23; 1 Timothy 4:3–5; Revelation 11:15; 1 Corinthians 10:31
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”
- Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire)
Our first ministry is to God. As we behold Him, we are moved to worship with joyous passion.
Psalm 27:4; Luke 10:39–42; James 4:8; Psalm 1:1–3, 23:6, 26:8; John 4:23; Psalm 22:3
God delights in us and He has always desired to be with us. We focus on His presence because we have discovered that He is focused on us.
1 John 4:19; Ephesians 1:3–6; Zephaniah 3:17; Jeremiah 31:3; Psalm 65:4; 1 John 3:1; Revelation 3:20;
Our lives are to be centered around God’s presence. We abide in His presence continually. We are led by the Spirit of God, having an awareness of Him, sensing where His presence is and is not.
Psalm 27:4; John 15:9; Galatians 5:25; 1 Kings 19:11-13; John 15:4-5
Purposefully cultivating a hunger for God’s manifest presence and an openness to experiencing the Holy Spirit deepens our friendship with God and our awareness that we carry His presence for the sake of the world.
Psalm 73:28, 107:8-9; John 1:16; Matthew 5:6; Isaiah 55:1–2; 1 Corinthians 3:16
As a lifestyle, we practice recognizing God’s presence while we interact with others, having our hearts postured to say what He is saying and do what He is doing.
1 John 4:16–17; John 5:19–20, 30, 12:49–50, 14:10
The presence of God is to be experienced and sensed. It is tangible and discernable. There are many ways in which we can sense the presence of God: through His pleasure, peace, love, clarity, stillness, weighty glory, fiery intensity, and more.
2 Chronicles 5:14; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3; Exodus 40:34-35; Acts 2:1-4; Exodus 20:18-21; Hebrews 12:29
The presence of God gives us rest, fullness of joy, and freedom.
Exodus 33:14; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Psalm 16:11
DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND
Being focused on His presence doesn’t mean Christians should spend all their time in private worship, disconnected from the rest of life or the Body.
Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 4:12; Galatians 6:10; Matthew 18:20; John 17:15, 18
Not every supernatural presence is from God; we must use our discernment.
1 John 4:1; Acts 13:6–12, 16:16–18; Philippians 1:9–10; Hebrews 5:14
Physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not an indicator of our spiritual maturity.
1 Corinthians 13:1–3, 13; Matthew 7:21–23
God’s presence is just as much at work in the secular world as it is inside the church.
Psalm 139:7–12; Matthew 5:44–45; Habakkuk 2:14; Numbers 14:21; Romans 5:20
The Holy Spirit leads us into a Presence-focused lifestyle, not a self-focused lifestyle.
Matthew 16:24–25; Luke 14:27; 1 Peter 2:21; Hebrews 12:1–2
Just as we can cultivate the presence, we can also quench and grieve the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30
PERSONAL APPLICATION
We worship and have fellowship with God throughout the day in all aspects of life, such as prayer, the Word, creativity, music, nature, family, work, and friendships.
1 John 1:3; Matthew 6:6–15; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Psalm 104; Colossians 3:16-17
God has made us a dwelling place for His Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 2 Timothy 1:14; Colossians 2:9–10
As we draw near to God, He draws near to us.
James 4:8; Matthew 5:6, 6:33
We will often experience the presence of God according to our God-given design or our giftings, including, but not limited to: supernatural seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, smelling, imagination, creativity and more. We may also encounter God’s presence according to what we most need from God at the time, such as His fiery love, perfect peace, eruptions of joy, etc.
1 Corinthians 12:4; Hebrews 5:14; 1 Kings 19:11-13; Hebrews 12:29; Matthew 7:11; Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 58:11
The Holy Spirit’s presence motivates us toward love and toward changing the world.
Matthew 28:18–20; Joel 2:28; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5
We are called to behold God face to face with nothing between Him and us. As we do this, we are transformed into the image of Christ.
Exodus 20:3; 2 Corinthians 3:16–18, 5:18–20; Matthew 22:37
Connected to God, we are filled with joy and peace and are empowered to take risks to extend the Kingdom.
Psalm 13:5; Hebrews 1:9; John 15; Acts 1:8; Romans 14:17, 15:13
Every part of a Christian’s life is sacred and meant to be holy. We do not live with the false mindset that life is divided into the “sacred” or the “secular.” Rather, God values and is involved in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit lives in us, so everything we do and everywhere we go is sacred.
Colossians 1:16–20, 3:23; 1 Timothy 4:3–5; Revelation 11:15; 1 Corinthians 10:31
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- All of us experience God’s presence in different ways. What are some ways that help you personally experience His presence?
- In what ways do you tangibly sense His presence? (Ex: peace, weighty glory, fire)
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”
- Eric Liddell (Chariots of Fire)
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