The Paradigm Shift that Changed My Life

The God of the Bible is omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (always present). The last one on the list is a very encouraging attribute and it’s the one I want to talk about today…

The Paradigm Shift that Changed My Life

When we first come to faith in Christ, one of the concepts we immediately embrace is that God is everywhere and He is always with us (see Psalm 139:7-10, Proverbs 15:3, Hebrews 13:5). While this is a profound new reality, it’s only a doorway into a larger world.

The next discovery a believer should have is an encounter with God’s Presence. This can happen in a church service, during worship, at a small group or in a private time of prayer. Experiencing this personal touch of God’s Spirit is special. It softens our heart, fills us with His love, empowers us to live passionately for Him and so much more!

Although God is omnipresent, there are moments when His Presence is mysteriously more noticeable than others. I believe these instances are not coincidental; rather, they are scripted by the Holy Spirit to recalibrate our hearts to Heaven. If we miss this important signal, we can fall into the trap of religion and American intellectualism. The enemy would love for us to park at the place of mentally acknowledging that God is everywhere, but staying here is not the will of our Father…

Jesus wants to shift us from believing in the omnipresent God to knowing the OMNIPRESENCE of God.

What is the OMNIPRESENCE of God?

The OMNIPRESENCE of God means that you are a carrier or a vessel of God’s Presence everywhere YOU go. It doesn’t matter what is going on around you in the external circumstance, because there is an internal disposition focused on Him.

It doesn’t matter whom you are with or what a person is saying to you because there is an unbroken fellowship between your soul and the Spirit of the Lord.

The OMNIPRESENCE in Scripture…

Do you remember the account of Moses in Exodus 33:1-15? The Lord promised Moses that He would continue to lead Israel towards the promise land, delivering them from their enemies and eventually entering a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 33:1-3). This is a dream come true, right? There was only one caveat: He was sending His Angel with them instead of His Presence.

Does this mean God would cease to be omnipresent? No. His Presence, however, was being withheld.

Despite losing His Presence, Moses was guaranteed that his earthly dream was coming to pass. He was being given victory over all his enemies. Material blessing was being released from Heaven. Most Christians today, would be satisfied with this result, but not Moses.

Instead, Moses cried out in Exodus 33:15, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here!”

What could cause a person to hunger for God’s Presence more than dreams, victory and blessing? Moses had shifted from the omnipresent God to the OMNIPRESENCE of God. He wanted God’s Presence to be with him wherever he went, even if that meant going nowhere.

The Chase of His OMNIPRESENCE Transforms Us

We cannot go from omnipresent to omnipresence with the flick of a switch. While the journey of this paradigm shift can be filled with ups and downs, it is the daily pursuit of more of Him that changes us into the image of Christ. While the process can last a lifetime, the first steps are simple and easy-to-take.

To begin to move from omnipresent to OMNIPRESENCE you must travel eighteen inches from your head to your heart. Place your hand on your heart and ask Jesus for a fresh touch of His Presence and love. Throughout your day stay focused on your heart as the storehouse of this heavenly deposit no matter where you are or who you are with. When you discover your mind drifting apart from God, pull it back into your heart and ask for more of His Presence.

As your faithful to live before the altar of His Presence, God will alter your behavior, habits and speech. He will speak to you about people and situations in ways like you’ve never experienced before. Before long, He will lead you to step out of comfort zones and be used by Him in ways you could have never imagined.

It’s critical to resist the pattern of fruitless religion that is lived solely from our reason and mental arguments. The mind is a wonderful servant, but a horrible master. We need our lives branded by the fervent desire for more of His Presence.

One of the banners over my life is to know His OMNIPRESENCE. What about you?

Never be afraid to wait on God in your heart and pray with the boldness of Moses, “Jesus, if Your Presence doesn’t go with me, do not lead me up from this place!”

CC Image • Courtesy of Jamie G. on Flickr

    Andrew Mason is the Small Groups Pastor of Real Life Church, a family of churches in the Nor. CA region. He oversees Small Groups and Assimilation. He is Founder of SmallGroupChurches.com, an online community of leaders dedicated to growing churches one small group at a time. Andrew resides in Sacramento, CA with his wife Camille and their two sons.

    Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

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