How to block the His presence

As believers we are called to live holy. Not holy in part, not holy in certain areas of our lives, no, we must wake up and realise who we are and how we are called to live. We want all the power of the believer, we want the presence of the Almighty, but we want it on our terms. We want to live with one foot in the world with none of the consequences, and one foot in the kingdom with all the benefits. How can we represent Him by carrying His presence if we are not living holy lives? How can we stand before God, the righteous, holy, creator of the universe, and wag our finger at Him saying "flow your holy water through my life, never mind the thick layer of oily sin that I choose to hold onto." I have tried to live this way. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh, while desiring His power and presence to flow through me at the same time. It does not work that way. We cannot have both. We must each make the decision as to what is more important, our flesh or Him.

Picture a glass filled with crystal clear, pure water. That is you as a believer. Now picture a thick layer or dirty, filthy oil on top of that pure water in the glass. That oil is the sin we hang on to in our lives. As we seek Him, as we seek His presence, He wants to fill us, but neither can he pour more of His pure water through that layer of oil, nor can we reach up to Him through it. You see, when a Christian sins he does not lose his salvation. Our legal standing before God is unchanged. However, as we choose to live unholy, this is what is affected [Moller:1998]:

• Our fellowship with God is disrupted and our Christian life is damaged (Eph 4:30)
• Our fruitfulness in ministry is damaged (John 15:4)
• Loss of spiritual strength, some diminution of spiritual power, some loss of effectiveness in the work of God's kingdom (1 Peter 2:11)
• Loss of heavenly reward (1 Cor 3:12; 1 Cor 3:15)
• We will stand in judgement one day and give account of what we have done in the body (2 Cor 5:10)

Bottom line... If we want to experience more of God's presence we must put away the sin that so easily ensnares us. We must get control of ourselves, get control of the flesh. As we live holy we open the flood gates for His presence to flow into and through us.

HE IS WORTH IT, LIVE HOLY

Have mercy upon me O God,

...Remove my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions,

and my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned,

and done this evil in your sight - 

That you may be found just when You speak,

and blameless when You judge.

Create in me a clean heart,

O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

- Psalm 51:1-4, 10-11  

Cited:
Moller F P. The Wonderful Christ and the Meaning of Humanness. Words of Light and Life, vol. 2. Pretoria: Van Schaik, 1998, chapter 5.