John 14

God sent His Son to earth so man could experience His presence, not as Old Testament believers did in tents, temples, and tabernacles but through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. If you are born again, the presence and power of God is in you! You’re a walking tabernacle, and God is ever present to lead, protect, and guide you regardless of where you go or what you’re doing. First Corinthians 3:16 says, Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that even though He was going to return to heaven, they would not be without His presence. He would not leave them comfortless, but promised to send them the Holy Spirit, who would lead and guide them into all truth. This promise was fulfilled in Acts 2 when the disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit and the presence of God filled them. It was this point that God’s presence began to tabernacle with man.

Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praises of His people. Simply put, this means God inhabits everything we do to glorify Him. Adam and Eve lived in a garden, and the presence of God was there. The Israelites lived in a tent, so God said, “Put me in a tent.” When His people built a temple, God said, “Put me in a temple.” Finally, God said, “Put me in people so that I can be with them all of the time.”

Many people can name times when they’ve experienced God’s presence. This can happen everywhere—I’ve experienced the presence of God in airports and on airplanes. For some, God may have manifested His presence at church, in their cars, while they were preparing dinner, or getting ready for work. One thing is certain, God’s presence can be felt.