The Cloud of His Presence

GSWMI January 2022 Holy Communion Service

Theme: Cloud of His Presence

Exodus 19: 16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[b] trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

Acts 2: 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

And the Lord will create over the whole site, over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (a defense of divine love and protection) (Isaiah 4:5 AMPC).
Glory to God!
This was a phenomenon previously experienced by Israel, a reference to the pillar of a cloud and of fire which attended them in their exodus from Egypt. They were under God’s divine protection, provision, love and care. Exodus 13:21-22 says, “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire….”
Even though they were in the desert, in that terrible arid land, they weren’t scorched by the sun. Then at night, they were kept warm by a pillar of fire. Thus, day or night—they were under a special atmosphere. That’s amazing! This didn’t happen for one day, three days, a few months or a year; it was for forty long years. God protected them!
In Psalm 105:37 (AMPC): “He brought [Israel] forth also with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.”
Deuteronomy 29:5 (NKJV) says, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet….” This is extraordinary; they were in God’s presence and He fed and nurtured them.
Nehemiah 9:20-21 (GNB) says, “In your goodness you told them what they should do; you fed them manna and gave them water to drink. Through forty years in the desert you provided all that they needed; their clothing never wore out, and their feet were not swollen with pain.” He hasn’t changed. The same God takes care of you and nurtures you today. His presence in, with, and about you today makes you an oasis of love and grace in a troubled world.
You live in His presence, in a divine atmosphere of joy, bliss and glory, where you’re absolutely independent of circumstances. Be mindful of this always. There could be chaos or anarchy everywhere, but in Him you’re at peace and in safety.

On a certain day, Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John to a high mountain and was transfigured before them. While there, Elijah and Moses appeared and spoke with Jesus. A cloud of glory overshadowed them. The glory was so much and so transcendent that Peter said to Jesus, “…Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias” (Matthew 17:4).
There’re such times when the Spirit of God overwhelms us and we become so conscious of His divine presence that we don’t want to be anywhere else. Many aren’t conscious of His divine presence in, and with them; they’ve thus reduced Christianity to mere religion. They don’t know what it is to carry the presence of the Holy Spirit. And without the Spirit, there’s no Christianity. He is EVERYTHING! If you’d trust Him, He’d walk you on the path of life and glory.
Many don’t know Him and therefore haven’t given Him full control of their lives. Put Him in charge of your life. Come under His sway. Talk to Him more than you talk to anyone else. Talk to Him about everything and anything. You’d be amazed how excellently He’ll guide and lead you. His joy is to see you fulfil God’s destiny for your life.
There’re too many Christians who talk about the Holy Spirit but are not submitted to Him. Every Christian must learn to be fully yielded to the Holy Spirit. You may be a gifted preacher, singer, sportsman, a writer or a politician, but if you’re not yielded to the Spirit, there’ll be no glory in your life. He’s the glory of God. The more yielded you are to Him, the more His glory increases in, and effuses through you.

2022 is an amazing year in which the angel of God’s presence leads us as His church through divinely preordained pathways, we are enveloped in the cloud of His presence and protected from every storm and troubles affecting the world
We are His people and He is our God.
We are conscious of this and we walk freely in boldly in this reality throughout this year

PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for the blessing and privilege of being filled with the Spirit, being led and guided by Him in the path that you’ve ordained for me. I’m yielded, fully and wholly given to the Holy Spirit; His glory and blessings are expressed in and through me today, as I impact my world with His divine presence
I dominate my environment with the atmosphere of the Spirit. I walk in the Spirit, for that’s the realm from which, and into which, I’m born. There’s no gloom, sadness, lack, poverty or weakness in and around me, because I live perpetually in God’s divine presence in an atmosphere of joy, brightness and victory. Hallelujah!