Maintaining God’s Presence

God attaches a condition to his presence in our lives, and it is found in 2 Chronicles 15. In the previous chapter, King Asa had led the armies of Judah to a great victory over Ethiopia’s million-man army. However, Asa testified that it was God’s presence that had scattered the enemy.

“Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, ‘Lord, it is nothing for you to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on you, and in your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you!’ So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled” (2 Chronicles 14:11-12, NKJV).

As Asa and his armies led the triumphant procession back to Jerusalem, a prophet named Azariah met them at the city gate with this message from God: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them” (2 Chronicles 15:2-4).

Here is the secret of getting and maintaining the presence of God in your life. The Lord reminded Asa, point-blank, with no holds barred, “Asa, don’t ever forget how you got this victory. You sought me with all your heart when you were in trouble, and I sent my presence to you. It was my presence that put your enemies to chase.”

This is not a complicated theology. Anyone can have the abiding presence of the Lord, if he or she will simply seek him for it.

“If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). The Hebrew word for found here is matsa, meaning “his presence coming forth to enable, to bless.” In short, this verse tells us, “Seek the Lord with your whole heart, and he will come to you with his presence. Indeed, his presence will be an almighty power that emanates from your life.”