Living Outside His Presence! Part Two.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

The Israelites walked around for 40 years living outside of God’s presence. They wandered in the wilderness, and God was angry with them for their unbelief and rebellion. We can learn from their story that it’s not good to live without God’s presence. We need to be close to Him, and when we are living in sin, we must repent and turn back to Him. He is always willing to forgive and welcome us back into His loving arms.

I understand that the careless person living in sin might be walking on a tightrope and be completely unaware of their danger. They may say to themselves, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. However, the peace they seek is only temporary and will not last. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin are death (Romans 6:23). The careless person living in sin is walking in darkness and doesn’t know where they are going. They are blinded by the devil and cannot see their danger.

1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

The Bible tells us that the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44). He wants to destroy us and will use any means possible. Therefore, we must be careful whom we listen to and what we believe. The devil wants us to think that we can sin and get away with it. He tells us that God will not judge us and that we can do whatever we want. This is a lie! The Bible tells us that God is a just God and will judge us according to our deeds (2 Corinthians 5:10). So, that devil is a liar; don’t believe him.

We must turn away from our sin and turn to God. He is waiting for us with open arms. He loves us and wants us to come to Him. Not only that, but he will forgive us for our sins, and we will be able to start over fresh. We can put our trust in Him, and He will guide us through this life if we live in his presence and obey his commands. In His presence, He will light your lamp and lights up your darkness, so you don’t have to live in fear anymore. Amen. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

Prayer:
1. Psalm 51:10-11 “Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
2. Lord, I pray that the powers of sin and rejection positioned by the enemy to frustrate and embarrass me from this day be destroyed in Jesus’ name.
3. Psalm 51; May the Lord restore unto you the joy of His salvation and uphold you with a willing spirit that will help you experience His goodness and mercy in Jesus’ name. Amen.