1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
There are two kinds of God’s presence: the omnipresence of God and the manifested presence of God. God is omnipresent. Therefore, He is present wherever we are. In addition, there can be a strong or manifested presence of God in our midst. When we minister to Him, He will minister to us because God created us to have fellowship with Him.
The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts after being saved. However, while God was present with the people in the Old Testament through the pillar of cloud, pillar of fire, and His glorious presence, in the New Testament, the Bible also talks about the manifestation of the Spirit where God chooses to minister to His people through the different gifts of the Holy Spirit. The manifestation of the Spirit is God’s presence in the local church. It is much easier for God to touch a person’s heart than for us to speak a thousand words to them!
Therefore, the manifestation of the Spirit can appear when we enter into His presence through worship and the teaching or preaching of the Word. It can happen during cell groups, church seminars, church camps, church services, or whenever two or three are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20). We should view the presence and the manifestation of the Spirit as a norm rather than an exceptional case or something that only happened historically, and be conscious in our minds and hearts that we can encounter Him whenever we meet with Him daily and as a corporate body of believers.
Exodus 33:11b (NKJV) but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
When the pillar of cloud came to the tabernacle of meeting, Joshua enjoyed the presence of heaven where God dwells and the close encounter with God so much that he couldn’t bring himself to leave. Joshua was eventually appointed a leader to lead the people into the Promised Land. One reason why God chose Joshua is his longing to fellowship with God. Joshua’s knowledge of God and His very different spirit of faith in God was established when he had the privilege of encountering God and dwelling in His presence.
We can also have a close encounter when we spend time with God alone and as a corporate body. Expect a close encounter with God during the praise and worship and the preaching of the Word every Sunday. We ought to enjoy and desire being in God’s presence because many of our challenges can be resolved in His presence. He will speak to us and show us the solution. God’s presence, also referred to as the anointing, can break the yoke and remove burdens in our lives. He can heal sicknesses and illnesses, and miracles can happen when God is in our midst.
Sermon Series： The Presence of God
神显明的同在
哥林多前书 12：7 圣灵显在各人身上，是要使人得益处：
神的同在有两种：神的无所不在与神所显明的同在。神是无所不在的。因此，无论我们在哪里，祂都在那里。同时也可能有神在我们中间强烈的或显明的同在。当我们事奉祂，祂就会事奉我们，因为神创造我们是为与祂相交。
当我们得救后，圣灵住在我们心中。然而，虽然神在旧约的百姓面前是藉着云柱、火柱以及祂荣耀的彰显与他们同在，但在新约中，圣经也谈到了圣灵的“显现”，即神选择通过圣灵的各种恩赐来服事祂的子民。圣灵的“显现”就是神在地方教会中的同在。神对人心的轻轻一下触摸，顶得上我们对他们说一万句！
因此，当我们通过敬拜和教导或传讲神的话语进入祂的同在时，圣灵的彰显就会显现出来。它可以发生在小组聚会、研讨会、教会营会、礼拜聚会，或任何两三个人奉祂的名聚集的时候（马太福音 18：20）。我们应该把圣灵的同在和显现看作是一种常态，而不是例外或只在历史上发生过的事情，并且要在头脑和内心中清醒地知道：我们每天中无论何时与祂相会，以及作为一个信徒团体，我们都能遇见祂。
出埃及记 33：11b 惟有他的帮手，一个年轻人，嫩的儿子约书亚不离开会幕。
当云柱来到会幕时，约书亚是如此迷恋天堂的彰显—那里是神的居所，以及与神的亲密相遇，乃至于他不舍得离去。约书亚最终被任命为领袖，带领百姓进入应许之地。神拣选约书亚的一个原因是他渴望与神团契。约书亚对神的认识以及他对神那非同寻常的信心之灵，是在他有幸与神相遇并流连于神的同在时建立起来的。
当我们花时间与神独处，以及每当我们聚集敬拜神时，我们也可以和神有亲密的相遇。期待在每个星期日的赞美和敬拜以及传讲神的话语中与神亲密相遇。我们应该享受并渴望与神同在，因为我们的许多挑战都可以在祂面前解决。祂会对我们说话，向我们展示解决方案。神的同在，也被称为膏抹，可以破除我们生命中的轭，解除重担。祂能医治疾病和病痛，当神在我们中间时，奇迹就会发生。
讲章系列： 神的同在
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