Find The Voice Of The Presence

“In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.”
Isaiah 63:9 NIVUK

This is one of my favourite verses—truly a life verse for me. It has marked my journey deeply and quietly shaped the way I walk with God. There are certain scriptures that don’t just inform you; they form you. They sit with you through seasons, speak in different tones over the years, and somehow keep revealing fresh layers as you grow. This has been one of those verses for me.

In this passage, God speaks of the angel of His presence. In the original language, that phrase literally means the messenger of His presence. I love that. God’s presence is not passive. It’s not silent. It’s not simply an atmosphere or a goosebump! His presence carries a message. It delivers something. Like a postman turning up at your door, the presence of God arrives with intent—with heaven’s communication in hand.

The day we realise that God’s presence isn’t just a feeling in a worship moment, a sensation in a good quiet time, or a goosebump at an altar call, something very powerful begins to erupt in our lives. Don’t misunderstand me—I love those moments. I’m deeply grateful for the way God meets us emotionally and spiritually. But the sensation is never the destination. It’s the doorway to more.

God’s presence contains a voice. A message. A word. Sometimes I think we, as modern, Spirit-filled, presence-loving Christians, can fall a little bit in love with the sensations of charismatic life. We feel deeply—sometimes even to the point of overwhelm. But much of that is simply the wind in the trees. Beautiful, yes—but it’s the sound around the truly important thing.

When you sense God near, don’t merely opt to enjoy the feeling. Pause and ask the braver question: “Lord, what are You saying?” Or, as young Samuel was instructed, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). That posture of listening turns experience into encounter, and encounter into transformation.

One of my early mentors taught me a simple but life-changing practice: get a pad and a pen, and begin to write what you sense God is saying. Interpret the awareness of His presence into words on a page. It’s a way of maturing from presence as an experience into presence as a message.

Sometimes I would even start the page with the words, “Dear Jarrod…” and then begin to write what I felt God might be saying to me as a letter from heaven! At times it flowed with great clarity and certainty. Other times, I was pressing in, wrestling for understanding around something complex. With my Bible open beside me, I was deepening my listening, training my focus, and exercising my listening muscles. Thirty-five years on, I still practise this. Not because I’ve arrived—but because listening is a muscle that stays strong only when it’s used.

Maybe today you’ll sense God’s presence while listening to worship, sitting in church, or reading the Scriptures. However He comes, remember to whisper the prayer that opens heaven’s conversation: “Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening.” And then give Him room to answer.

Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration

I believe that God is near to me and speaks to me personally, and I declare that His presence carries truth, direction, and life into my everyday world (Isaiah 63:9). I confess that my heart is attentive and my ears are open, and like Samuel I say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening,” trusting that God delights to reveal His voice to those who wait on Him (1 Samuel 3:10). I believe that I am led by the Spirit of God and that His inner witness guides me into wisdom, peace, and clarity as I walk with Him (Romans 8:14). I declare that God instructs me and teaches me in the way I should go, counselling me with His loving eye upon my life (Psalm 32:8). I believe that I hear the voice of my Shepherd, and that I am not confused or misled, because His voice is familiar and full of life and truth (John 10:27). I confess that as I draw near to God, He draws near to me, and His presence becomes not just an experience, but a living conversation that continually shapes my heart and my future (James 4:8).

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