Practicing the Presence of God

Please turn to Romans Chapter 8. 

Let’s take a few moments to talk about a phrase we may have heard before — “practicing the presence of God.” Ever hear of that phrase? 

It actually comes from a little book written by a French monk named Brother Lawrence. He lived 80 years, a hard life, from 1611-1691. He worked in a monastery kitchen. And he believed that washing dishes, and things like that, can bring you closer to God. That’s really nice. 

BUT… that phrase (practicing the presence of God) assumes something. It assumes God is out there (or up there) somewhere, and our job is to reach Him. To reach a higher state of consciousness or awareness of God Almighty. Maybe we can create a feeling of His nearness… through effort and discipline (like washing dishes or planting trees or meditating and chanting). And so… we practice, we practice, and practice some more, until we get really good at it. Right? 

NO. If you have been born again, born again in the spirit (John 3:3, Romans 10:9-10, Titus 3:5), the Bible says something completely different. It says that God is not somewhere… somewhere you have to reach. It’s written that… He is already in you (Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 3:16). 

So in the next several minutes, I want to correct that phrase (“practicing the presence of God”) and reclaim it — because practicing the presence of God, when you understand what the Word actually says, is not about effort. It is about BELIEVING… believing what spiritual truths… that we’ve been given… says about us - who we are, what we have, and what we can do with it.

That is the ONE THING I want you to walk away with: born-again believers do not practice reaching God. We practice believing He’s already here.

Now… to get there, let us talk about where this letter came from. Paul was wrapping up his third missionary journey, traveling through Greece, and he stopped in Corinth — a real city today, about an hour from Athens. From there, he wrote this letter to believers in Rome he had never met.

Here is a little detail I enjoy. At the end of the letter, in Romans 16, Paul sends greetings from a man named Erastus — a government official. And 2 Timothy 4:20 says that Erastus lived in Corinth. So, the Word puts Paul in Corinth. In 1929, archaeologists digging near a theater in Corinth found a stone pavement with a Latin inscription carved right into it. It reads: “Erastus laid this street pavement at his own expense.” Same guy, same city. So all of that puts Paul right there in Corinth (Greece), among real people, in a real city, writing a real letter to real believers in Rome (Italy). And it’s also addressed to us. 

Now here’s what makes the letter of Romans unique. Paul had never been to Rome. He is writing to a group of believers he had never met, laying out the full scope of the good news before he ever arrives. And yet, Romans is Paul's most thorough and detailed letter. If you want to understand how God loves born-again believers — people who live right now, today — this is the letter to read.

By the time Paul gets to chapter 8 of Romans, he has already worked through sin, the law, and justification by believing. Chapter 8 is the big moment. It is where he says: “here is what it actually looks like to live in the spirit.” And it opens with one of the most powerful sentences in all of Paul’s writing.

Let’s take a look. We’re in Romans Chapter 8, verse 1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

No condemnation. That is our starting point. Paul does not begin Chapter 8 by telling you that you’re a sinner and not good enough, to try harder or do better, or wash more dishes, or meditate longer. He begins by telling you… who you are. (Remember, remember who you are, what you have, and what you can do with it). 

The Greek word for “condemnation” here is katakrima — it means a judicial sentence against you. A penalty. A verdict. And Paul says… that verdict… against you… is gone. Wiped clean. Case closed. So when you walk in the spirit, you are not doing it to earn something (like Brother Lawrence). You are doing it because you already have everything. We already have everything. 

Romans 8: 5-6: (5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. (6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Here is where it gets practical. That word MIND — in the Greek it is phroneo — it means to set your mind on something, to direct your thinking toward it, to give your full attention to it. Paul is not talking about some mystical spiritual state of universal consciousness that you have to rise up to. No. He is talking about focusing your mind - your thoughts.

And to be “carnally minded” (from verse 6) — focused on the physical, the temporal, 5 senses stuff, the problems right in front of you — that, that stuff leads to death. Spiritually minded (verse 6) — focused on the things of the Spirit — leads to life and peace. And notice what Paul says: life and peace. Not striving and peace. Not suffering and peace. Life. Because this is supposed to be natural. Life. Living. The Spirit is already in you. You are not reaching up — you are believing... as you already are.

Romans 8:9-11 — this is the heart of it all. 

(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be… that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Now, wait a minute. Slow down. What’s all that mean? Let’s take it verse by verse.

In verse 9, Paul says the Spirit of God dwells in you. The Greek word for dwell is oikeo — it means to take up residence, to live in a place, like a person lives in a house. This is not a short visit. This is not an experience or a moment you achieve through spiritual discipline or morning routines or enough time on your knees. Nope. If you are born again, the Spirit of God lives in you. That is the street address. That is where He is. That’s where God in Christ dwells. In you. In you. And you. And you. And me. 

Verse 11, Paul makes it even bigger. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead — that Spirit is in you right now. Think about that… the next time you feel like you just don’t have what it takes… to get through the day. The power that conquered death… is NOT far away. It is NOT waiting for you to earn it. It is IN YOU.

Romans 8:14-16: (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons and daughters of God. (15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

Verse 14, “sons and daughters of God.” We’re NOT trying to BECOME children of God — we ALREADY ARE! And we didn’t receive a spirit of fear or bondage (verse 15) — we received the Spirit of adoption (like 2 Timothy 1:7 says). Here the verse says “We cry, Abba, Father.” That word “Abba” is an Aramaic word — it is what a young child calls her father. Not a formal title. Intimate. Close. The word a child uses when she comes to her dad.

Look at verse 16. The Spirit itself bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. That. That right there – is presence. The presence of God. It’s not a feeling you have to make. It’s not something you build through years of spiritual discipline and meditation and chanting. This is a reality of a present – right now – truth. 

So here’s what we’ve learned.

Brother Lawrence had the right heart. He wanted to live in constant awareness of God — and there is nothing wrong with that desire. But here is the correction the Word gives us: born-again believers do not need to practice reaching God, because God already reached us. He is not outside the kitchen… waiting for you to invite Him in… while you wash the dishes. He is already there. In you. The Spirit of the living God — the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead — took up residence in you… on the day you were born again.

So, what does “practicing the presence of God” actually look like… for a born-again believer?

It looks like verse 6. Romans Chapter 8. Verse 6. 

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Minding the things of the Spirit. Choosing what you think about. When a doubt, worry, or fear comes at you, you say, “I have the Spirit of God in me, and that Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).” When you feel weak, you say, “The power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me (Romans 8:11).” When you feel far from God, separated — and we all have those moments — we say, “God is not far away. He dwells in me (Romans 8:9; Colossians 1:27).”

That is believing. Simple believing. And believing is something every single one of us can do – right now — today – at any time. 

Born-again believers do not practice reaching God. We practice believing He is already here.

You are God’s best.

Amen?

Does anyone have any questions or comments? Let’s talk.