God’s Presence: Transformative Visions and Encounters

God’s Presence, revealed through supernatural encounters and visions, will always fill us with awe. Such experiences leave a lasting mark on our lives, even if they initially terrify us.

Some have been privileged to see the brightness of His glory or smell His wonderful Fragrance. At the same time, others have experienced an unexplainable heat, static electricity, or an unworldly peace. Who has not heard reports of gemstones, gold dust, gold teeth, feathers, or angels, suddenly emerging from an invisible dimension?

Let us revisit personal encounters of individuals, such as those of Moses and Ezekiel, as well as those of groups that experienced God’s Presence. I will also share a vision and some revelations that I recently received through Scripture, which have significantly deepened my understanding of the subject.

Individual Encounters with God’s Presence

The Scriptures describe ways God manifests His Presence as light, fire, water, wind, and often in a cloud. What is clear is that God will show up for one person just as easily as He will for many.

In Exodus 40:35, we read that Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Again, Ezekiel 10:4 states, Then the glory of the Lord rose up from above the cherubim and went over to the entrance of the Temple. The Temple was filled with this cloud of glory, and the courtyard glowed brightly with the glory of the Lord. (NLT)

God Manifests to Groups of People

You, in Your great compassion, did not abandon them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, to guide them on their way, nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go. (Nehemiah 9:19, NASB)

Furthermore, crowd size was unimportant, as millions at the base of Mount Sinai witnessed God speak through fire and thunder. (Click to read)

God’s Presence at the Transfiguration

Why do you suppose that God chose to use the cloud as a symbol to communicate with us? Maybe those fluffy white cotton balls in the sky are more than rainmakers.

Perhaps they are reminders from a God who is always with us, watching over us, and available to speak to us. Whenever a cloud parts, it is usually to reveal a message. (Read my dream – A House Mystery).

Responding to God’s Presence

One common reaction seen in Scripture is that those who witnessed God’s Presence either fell to the ground, face down, or retreated.

Here are a few notable mentions. Moses responded with curiosity to the “burning bush,” until it spoke to him (Exodus 3:1-6). After seeing the majesty of the King of Glory in a vision, Isaiah the prophet exclaimed, “Woe is me!” until a seraph cleansed his lips from guilt (6:5-7). Similarly, in his own unique experience while on the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul fell to the ground. He was temporarily blinded for three days by the Light of the Lord Jesus to cause him to stop persecuting the body of Christ. (Acts 9:1-8)

Moses spent 40 days in God’s Presence, lying face down and interceding for Israel. Yet, when He came down from the mountain, his face was shining. (Deuteronomy 9:19,25-27, and Exodus 34:29-35)

God may hide Himself in clouds and light to protect us from His holiness and His glory. After all, He told Moses, “No man may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)

That statement was foremost in mind after a recent vision at church. It was unexpected and unrelated to the sermon. I started thinking about a beautiful, colorful portal I had seen in a dream and wondered what was on the other side of the swirling clouds.

Seeing God’s Face

I quietly pondered the vision for several days, wondering if I had truly seen God. Later, the Holy Spirit gave me understanding through the following Scriptures.

The Lord Jesus stated, “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.” (Matthew 11:27)

He also said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The Greek verb horaó means more than “to see,” it also means “to perceive, or discern, or experience” (Strong’s, 3708). Therefore, the Disciples “saw” God when they looked at Jesus. This also means that apart from Jesus, we cannot see the Father.

Here is an important key. Jesus said, “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven” (John 3:13, ISV, bolded for emphasis).

Scholars have translated this difficult-to-understand verse in various ways across different versions of Scripture. And I don’t think I understood this before. Could Jesus be telling us that while He was on earth, His Spirit was in heaven at the same time?

Our Spirit-Angels in Heaven

We, joined to Jesus in the Spirit, are just like Him. And, with Jesus, we see the Face of God in Heaven. (1 Cor 6:17, Luke 1:19, Ephesians 2:6, NKJV). Let me explain.

Let us suppose that the traveling part of our spirit that sees the Face of God in Heaven is called our “angel” (Matthew 18:10, Acts 12:14-15).

To recap, our natural eyes cannot “see” or perceive the Face of God, though we might see a cloud, light, or rain. Nevertheless, the part of our spirit that is in Heaven in Christ Jesus can see all things.

Try to imagine the tremendous awe-filled atmosphere of Heaven. The holy angels closest to God’s throne, described as seraphim and cherubim, are overwhelmed by His Presence, and they cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Meanwhile, the Elders bow and throw down their crowns (Revelation 4:8-11, NKJV).

Discerning God in Visions and Encounters

In spiritual dreams, colors are brighter and more vivid, and invisible dimensions become discernible. Personal interactions hold deeper meaning, and the Presence of the Lord is felt. Be prepared for the unexpected. Seriously! Buildings can seem to dance, and turtles sport colorful shells instead of the boring browns we are accustomed to seeing.

When God visits in dreams and visions, He usually tries not to scare us. He may appear as a boss, a dad, a husband, an older brother, or even a roofer. You may discern His pleasant fragrance, such as incense or myrrh, or feel His manifest Presence through heat (He is a consuming fire). Furthermore, you can hear His audible voice or wear His mantle of Peace. Some of you, dear readers, will have very different experiences from me.

Others may desire more of God’s Presence but think that these experiences are only for a favored few. Nothing is further from the truth. God wants to reveal greater and more awesome things than we can ask, think, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). So, He invites us to “Call to [Him]” and “Come near” (Jeremiah 33:3; James 4:8, NIV)

If this subject is entirely new to you, a great way to begin your journey is to meditate on and visualize the Scriptures. Pause as you read and form mental images, and begin to pay close attention to your spiritual dreams. I have written a book (#ad) and produced video teaching courses to help you understand your dreams, visions, and encounters.

Desiring God’s Presence

There are a few things we should keep in mind when seeking God’s Presence:

God is a Spirit. To connect with Him, we must desire and welcome His Spirit (the Holy Spirit), whom we receive as a gift when we give our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is a Person we learn to love, trust, and obey. And we relate to Him, spirit to Spirit.

God is holy! Holy, humble, and faith-filled living pleases Him. Then, we won’t feel ashamed of our impure lips like Isaiah! (Isaiah 57:15; John 14:23; Isaiah 6:5, NIV)

Truly, the more we seek and respond to God, the more He will manifest to us. (James 4:8). We must be attentive to what God is saying and doing, so as not to miss the times He visits unexpectedly, whether we are awake or asleep. When God is upset or ignored, He departs. (Job 33:14-18; Numbers 12:6-9) But sincere repentance restores our relationship with Him. (1 John 1:9, NIV)

God loves us and He desires to be close to us. He responds to our praise and worship (2 Chronicles 5:13-14), and our intercession greatly pleases Him. (Revelation 8:1-3)

Finally, we must test and confirm our spiritual experiences with the Word to avoid becoming deceived by counterfeits. (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 2:27; Hebrews 4:12)

In conclusion, there are many ways to experience God’s Presence. As so many have done before us, let us draw near to God’s Presence today!

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