The Presence of God
Friday, June 5th, 2009
Janet and Craig Watson.
Today I received a Skype call from my dear friend, Craig Watson, the pastor of Eagle Christian Ministries in Durban, South Africa. Cherie and I have a covenant relationship by divine appointment with Craig and his wife, Janet, and we are becoming closely knit together in the Spirit. Craig and Janet have been in Athens and have ministered at Abundant Life Church. Talking with Craig via Skype (a free computer to computer “telephone” call) with web cams was like being in the same room with him.
Craig shared with me that his greatest passion over the last many months has been to live in the presence of God. For years he has enjoyed daily fellowship with the Lord. Lately, though, he has been hungry for the Lord’s presence, and has begun to spend each Wednesday morning in prayer and fasting before God. The result has been striking. Craig has experienced wonderful times of fellowship and received extraordinary revelation and anointing from God.
To Craig’s flesh, taking Wednesday morning to seek God seemed like a big sacrifice. In addition to pastoring, Craig and Janet operate an international logistics business that is thriving in famine. Time is not something he possesses in excess. But he made the quality decision to make time to seek God, and has reaped enormous rewards, both in the Spirit and in the natural.
Craig reflected, and I agree, that we’re not “professional preachers” delivering a joke, three points, and a story. We shouldn’t preach just to preach. Instead, we need to preach from a position squarely in the presence of God. The presence of God and the anointing that accompanies His presence makes the difference between just a nice message and a rhema word from God that will change the lives of the hearers, open blind eyes, heal bodies, bring deliverance to the captives, and cause miracles to occur. Like Moses, we should not preach or do anything unless the presence of the Lord goes with us. (Exodus 33:15).
In your own life, seek the presence of God and let it transform you. Make a quality decision to spend time in the Word of God, being quiet before the Lord, and hearing His voice. In your marriage, your job, your health, and every other part of your life, seek first His kingdom – and His presence – and everything you need He will supply to you. (Matthew 6:33). And when He supplies it, it won’t be by small degrees. It will be exceedingly above all you can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20) and according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Seek His presence, and let Him transform you!