‘Experience the Presence of God’ formational experience can be healing, both spiritually and emotionally. I spent several months doing this exercise every morning and it helped exchange some of the ‘lies’ I believed about God and myself.
1) God to a quiet place. Take time to focus on God and to still your heart.
2) Meditate on a verse of scripture (see suggestions below). Say this scripture softly over and over to yourself until you can say it (or a portion of it) with your eyes closed. [As you repeat the scripture, try to sense it in your heart, not just your mind.]
3) Ask yourself the following:
- What is the picture I see in my mind’s eye as I repeat this scripture?
- What does the scripture reveal about the heart of God?
- Now when I put myself in the picture I saw in my mind’s eye, what is God saying to me personally?
4) Take time to pray, speaking to God what you have seen and heard from Him today. Thank him as you experience the presence of God.
This is based on a method of healing meditation by Thom Gardner. See his book, “Healing the Wounded Heart” for more information.
Scriptures to Use with the “Experience Presence of God” exercise
If you struggle with any of the following feelings, try the “Experience Presence of God” exercise with one of the listed scriptures.
- FEAR (I am not alone)- Isa. 41:10, Matt. 28:20, Isa. 66:13, Psa. 121:8, Phil. 4:13, Deut. 33:27, Prov. 3:5-6, Gen. 28:15, Jer. 1:8, Isa. 44:8, Deut. 31:6, Josh. 1:9, Psa. 46:7, II Chron. 32:7, Isa. 43:1-2
- REJECTION (I am accepted by God) – Deut. 26:18, Rom. 8:16-17a, Isa. 43:1, Jn. 15:15, Rom. 8:31, Isa. 49:15-16, Rom 8:35-39, II Thes. 2:13, Isa. 45:24-25, Jer. 23:6, Rom. 3:23-24, Rom. 14:17-18, Eph. 1:5-6
- WORTHLESSNESS (God, my Father, approves of me) – Psa. 139:14, Jer. 31:3, Deut. 32:10, Isa. 43:4, Isa. 54:10, Zeph. 3:17, Gen. 1:27, Psa. 100:3, Psa. 119:73, Psa. 139:13-14, Isa. 43:21, I Cor. 15:10, II Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10, Col. 3:9-10
- SHAME (I am covered with Christ instead of shame) – II Cor. 12:9, Isa. 61:10, Isa. 43:25, Psa. 139:7, Rom. 8:1-2, Heb. 2:11, Col. 1:22, Psa. 32:1, Gal. 3:27, Isa. 61:10a, Rom. 13:14
- INSECURITY (I am safe in the arms of my Father) – Psa. 125:2, Isa. 40:11, Psa. 91:4, Psa. 27:5, Isa. 43:2, Heb. 13:6, Psa. 31:14-15, Deut. 33:27a, Psa. 31;1-3, Psa. 32:10, Psa. 34:7, Psa. 121:5-8, Psa. 125:1-2, Jn. 10:27-29
- DEFILEMENT (God has cleansed and restored me) – I Pet. 4:10-11, Isa. 63:9, Jer. 30:17a, Lam. 3:22-23, Eze. 16:9, Col. 3:12, Psa. 80:3, Jer. 30;17, Eze. 16:8, Amos 9:14, Nahum 2:2
- HOPELESSNESS (The Truth about hope) – Jer. 29:11, Isa. 43:19, Isa. 58:11, Isa. 50:10, Psa. 18:28, Psa. 30:5, Phil. 4:13, Psa. 130:7, Rom. 8:24-25, I Pet. 1:3-5, I Pet. 1:13, I Jn. 3:3