David Diga Hernandez - How to Be Aware of the Holy Spirit's Presence

Intentionality is living in the awareness of His presence. Many believers are under the impression that God is a million miles away and that if they act well or behave properly, every time they commit a good act or do something considered good behavior, they imagine they get just a little closer to God. When they pray, they feel closer; or they think that if they go to church, they get a little closer; or if they fast, they get a little closer. My friend, that’s not what’s happening, and if you think that’s what’s happening, then you need help understanding your connection with the Lord. Acts 17:27 says His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. We don’t do these things to connect with God; we do them from a connection with God. The reason that strengthens our spirit is precisely that we become more aware of Him when we do these things. So it’s not a performance-based relationship. It’s not as though if I do three good actions in one day and only one bad one that I’m closer to God by net positivity; it doesn’t work like that. It’s not mathematical; it’s not systematic. You cannot systematize that which is spiritual; that is the basis of religion, and religion kills. You cannot systematize spirituality; that is legalism. Rather, when we approach the Lord, we must remember that He already lives within us, that we are already one with Him. That connection cannot be undone. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You have the Holy Spirit within you. You can’t get any closer to God than having Him live within you, having Him dwell within your very being. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost? You’re not your own; you’ve been purchased with a price. He dwells in you. One of the habits that must begin to form in your life is intentionality, being aware of His nearness. The scripture very clearly states His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us. I want you to do something that may seem strange: take your hand out and put it in front of your face, just like this, just right here, just like that. I want you to look at your hand and observe how close it is to your face. Realize that God’s presence is closer to you than your hand is to your face; He’s right here in front of you. He’s not a million miles away; He doesn’t abide at some great distance. His presence and light permeate your very being. You are a carrier of glory, a host with the presence of the Holy Spirit; you are a habitation for God; He dwells in you. Think about that. If we are to become more consistent in prayer and in the Word, we absolutely must become aware of the presence of God that dwells with us and in us. To do that, you have to slow the pace of your life. Everything in our culture today, everything this world has to offer — that’s hyperbole, of course, but for the most part, what the world offers is fast-paced, instant, convenient, on your terms — instant gratification. Anything we desire, we can order it. I mean, everything online is basically the everything store. Anything you want, you can have, and you can have it in various ways — convenience, speed; fast-paced. We’re so used to that. Think about the trajectory of social media and the format of social media. The major social media platforms are forming their algorithms and user experiences around a faster pace. Who has time for a three-minute video anymore? Who has time for a ten-minute video? What’s beginning to happen is we are being conditioned to expect immediate gratification, and because of that, we neglect prayer, because prayer isn’t going to abide by those same terms. You are not the Lord; you are not the King; you are the servant. We are His servants, His children; He is the Father; He is the Lord; He is the Ruler. Yet we snap our fingers at God and say, «God, why didn’t I get an encounter with You?» We get angry with Him. Well, so and so told a story and encountered You in this way, or my brother or sister, or my pastor or friend, they seem to have encounters with You all the time. Why won’t You give that to me? And we huff and puff and become angry, and we feel so entitled that we expect God to respond instantly to everything we request. Then we fall into self-pity, saying things like, «Oh, God never listens to me. Oh, God never comes through for me.» Who gave you that breath with which you are complaining? Was it not God? Don’t you trust His wisdom? Isn’t He sovereign overall? Don’t you believe He has a plan? Do you not believe that He has good intentions for you? Do you not believe He’s working to develop your character, even when you can’t see it? Do you not believe the promise that He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it? Do you not believe that He is the Potter?