Psalm 9:2-3 ‘I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.’

DAILY READING Matthew 6:1-18; Exodus 33:1-34:35; Proverbs 15

Reverend John G. Paton was a missionary used greatly by God to spread the Gospel in the New Hebrides Islands of the South Pacific in the 19th century.
Born to Christian parents in Scotland, as a young man he spent a great deal of his time in serving God through preaching and distributing tracts, while he prepared himself to be used by God in a greater dimension.
When he finally sensed God calling him to serve as a missionary in the New Hebrides, he spent time praying about it until he was fully convinced.
Eventually he and his wife embarked on the journey to New Hebrides Islands to begin their missionary work. However, working among the hostile cannibal tribes in the region was not easy, but through all the trials, John Paton maintained an unshakeable faith in God, knowing that God who had sent him on the assignment was with him. This assurance of God’s Presence made him to enjoy unusual protection as he worked among the heathen tribe.
One night these hostile natives surrounded his mission house intent on burning it down and killing them. John Paton and his wife prayed continually during that fearful night trusting God for His deliverance. When daylight came they were amazed to see the attackers had inexplicably left.
A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ, and Paton, remembering what had happened, asked the chief what had kept him and his men from burning down the house and killing them that night.
The chief replied in surprise, asking Reverend Paton if he hadn’t seen the hundreds of big men in shinning garments, standing guard with drawn swords in their hands. He said this was what had made them afraid to attack. Rev. Paton then realize that God had sent His angels to protect them that night.
Through many other challenges that he faced, God helped Reverend Paton to overcome them all and he eventually succeeded in his mission to bring many of the natives to Christ.

Indeed Reverend Paton succeeded due to a strong faith in God and assurance of His Presence. This awareness of God’s Presence has been the secret of the great men who have done exploits in God’s kingdom.
In Exodus 33;15 Moses refused to go on with his journey, except God’s Presence went with him. And due to God’s Presence that surrounded them on the journey, Psalm 114 records that when Israel left Egypt, the red sea saw them and fled, the mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs..
Indeed when we carry God’s Presence, evil will see us and flee, because evil can never stand where God abides. God’s Presence is an unbeatable asset in the journey of life. When you are surrounded by God’s Presence, though you may walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil, because God is with you. Wherever you go, He will give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways.

Let us therefore always take the time to prepare spiritually and ensure God’s Presence is with us. Indeed we must be first established in God, before we can begin to manifest outwardly in our calling as sons of God on the earth.
Our seasons of spiritual preparation will involve times of separation spent in prayer, praise, fasting and studying The Word. When we eventually succeed in carrying God’s Presence, it will change our walk and embolden our talk. It will grant us angelic assistance and divine protection from every enemy.
Psalm 9:3 says ‘When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.’
Indeed God’s Presence will always make the difference in our lives. And one of the key ways of maintaining God’s Presence is through praise. God inhabits the praises of His people and as we continually engage His Presence through High praises, we can be assured of unending victory in all our endeavors..

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to pay the price of spiritual preparation to enable me carry Your Presence. Please grant me the grace to live a life that pleases You so that Your Presence can always make the difference in my life in Jesus Name.

Quote
When God places His hand upon a man in life nothing can come against him, this is because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. WORDBITE 222