How to Experience God’s Presence Daily

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Why Experiencing God’s Spirit Comes First

Today we begin a new message series entitled “God’s Vision for Us. We will be going through the vision that God gave our leadership team last year. It is a vision for our church overall and for each one of us individually. We’ve been saying it at the end of each service recently.

Our church will never achieve Gods’ vision for us until each one of us embraces that vision for our own lives. God’s vision for our lives is for us to fulfill the purpose that He created us for. When we are fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives, we will have the most joyful, productive and eternally impactful lives possible. Many people who consider themselves religious or Christians have not even begun a relationship with God.
Others have begun that relationship but have never experienced God’s supernatural power in and through their lives. Today’s message I’ve entitled “ How to Experience God’s Presence Daily” and we’ll be talking about our first vision statement: This Week I Will Experience God’s Spirit. So, let’s begin by talking about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity, equal with the Father and the Son, working together as one.

Genesis 1:2 (ESV) The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

In the second verse of the Bible, we are introduced to the Holy Spirit, active in the creation of the world. Before there was light, before there was land, before there was life, the Spirit was there. He was ready to move, ready to bring order out of chaos and life out of nothing. Right now, we experience God’s presence and power through the Holy Spirit.

As believers, the Spirit lives in us, making Jesus real to us and bringing the Father’s love close.

Luke 3:21–22 (ESV) … when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus gave us an example to follow by being water baptized. Then He prayed and the Holy Spirit baptized Him with power for His mission in life. The Father then spoke of His approval of Jesus and His plan for His life.

Acts 2:1–4 (ESV) When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly … they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

After Jesus resurrected from the dead, He ascended back into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on His followers who were praying to be Spirit baptized to receive power for their mission. This is the moment the church was born, ordinary men and women became bold witnesses through the Spirit’s power. The same Spirit who hovered over creation, who filled Jesus at His baptism, who was poured out at Pentecost, that same Spirit wants to fill your life today. This is why our vision begins with Experience God’s Spirit.

Today, we’ll look at 4 steps every believer is called to take. As we follow God’s leading through these steps, the Holy Spirit will give you power to live in daily.

Step Out of Religion into Relationship

Stop checking spiritual boxes and start knowing the living God who loves you and gave Himself for you. Let’s take a quick look at what Americans believe about eternity. Only 2% of Americans believe they are going to hell. Jesus teaches that the vast majority are going there.

Of the 98% who don’t think they are going to hell, the majority think they’re going to heaven because they’ve been good people or have done good things. That’s religion. Religion is man’s attempt to earn Heaven by good works. The gospel is God’s gift of Heaven through a relationship with Jesus Christ, received by faith.

Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Every person who has ever lived, except Jesus, is a sinner. The result of sin is eternal death, separation from God in hell, a place of eternal torment, forever. But God has an alternative for us, a free gift that costs us nothing, but cost Him everything. Eternal life is only found in Jesus, you can’t earn it, you can only receive it through faith.

Romans 5:8 (ESV) But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

God in His love for us, sent Jesus to die on the cross for us as sinners. The one who never sinned paid the penalty for our sin on the cross that we might be forgiven. God is not waiting for you to be good enough or to fix your life. His love ran to you at your worst, making a relationship with Him available that will last forever.

Romans 10:9 (ESV) Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

To be saved, God calls us to turn away from our sin and confess that Jesus is Lord, that we are going to follow Him for the rest of our lives. We must believe that He rose from the dead and invite Him into our lives forever. Then and only then will we be saved and assured of heaven as we continue to trust Him.

Application: Step Out of Religion into a Real Relationship with Jesus

If you’ve been leaning on religion, trying to earn God’s favor by being a good person, today is the day to lay it down and step into a relationship with Jesus. That means talking to Him honestly, believe what He’s done for you, and surrendering control of your life. Don’t put this off, this is your moment today. If you already know Him, remember what you’ve been rescued from and who rescued you.
Step out of religion into relationship.

Obey Christ’s Call to Be Baptized

Baptism isn’t just a tradition, it’s Jesus’ command for everyone who follows Him.

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

These were Jesus final marching orders to His disciples, including us today. Water baptism for disciples who have chosen to surrender their lives to Jesus was a non-negotiable part of following Him. Discipleship begins with obedience, and baptism is the first step after believing Him.

Acts 2:38 (ESV) And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Peter did not separate belief from baptism. The moment someone repented and turned to Christ, they demonstrated it through baptism. It was obedience in action, not a delayed option for later. The third step was to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, Spirit baptism, which we’ll talk about in the next point.

Acts 2:41 (ESV) So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

The first church grew because people didn’t hesitate. They believed, they obeyed, and they were baptized the same day. That same urgency matters today.

Application: Obey Jesus Now and Be Baptized

If you’ve trusted in Jesus but haven’t been baptized in water, you’re holding back from the first step of obedience that Jesus asks for. Bapism is more than a symbol, it’s a declaration that you are His. That you’re following where He leads and that you’re willing to be identified with His death, burial and resurrection. Don’t delay. Make the decision today to obey Christ and be baptized in our upcoming service on August 31.

For those who were sprinkled by their parents as infants, that has nothing to do with biblical baptism, which is for those who have made a choice to follow Jesus. If you’re a believer, you need to obey Jesus and be baptized for the first time. For those who have already been baptized, remember that following Jesus means saying yes to him every day, not just once. Ask God to show you an area where you’ve been hesitant to obey, and take that step of faith.

Be Filled with the Spirit for Power and Prayer

Jesus wants to empower you with His Spirit so you can live boldly and pray deeply.

Acts 1:8 (ESV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Jesus instructed His followers to pray and wait for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Why did they and why do we need Spirit baptism? Spirit baptism isn’t about a one-time emotional moment, it’s about receiving supernatural power to live for Jesus and share Him with others. This is God’s way of equipping you for the mission He’s given you.

The mission for every believer is to be a witness for Jesus and we need the power of the Spirit to fulfill that mission.

Acts 2:4 (ESV) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

When the early believers were filled with the Spirit, they received a prayer language that allowed them to communicate directly with God beyond their natural words. It became part of their ongoing spiritual life, building them up and strengthening their faith. We are instructed to pray with our minds and to pray with the Spirit,, both are essential. For the early believers and for us, a prayer language is an essential part of spiritual equipping to fulfill our mission.

Romans 8:26–27 (ESV) Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

These two often overlooked verses unpack the incredible power of a prayer language. When we pray with our minds, as we should, we often don’t know how to pray for someone else or situation. That’s when the Holy Spirit can pray through us in a language that we don’t understand, but God does. He who searches hearts is God, who understands what the Spirit is praying through us, even though we don’t know what He is saying.

The last phrase is the most powerful. The Spirit intercedes or prays for us according to God’s will. When we pray in our prayer language, we pray a perfect prayer in keeping with God’s will. When we pray according to God’s will, those prayers will always be answered, They are perfect prayers with 100% being answered by God.
Praying in the Spirit is more than just speaking. It’s the Spirit Himself praying through you, perfectly in line with the will of God. Even when you don’t know what to pray, the Spirit knows exactly what to pray.

Application: Ask to Be Spirit Baptized and Pray Daily in the Spirit

If you’ve believed in Jesus but have never been Sprit baptized, this is your next step. Ask Him to fill you completely, body, soul and spirit and to give you a prayer language to deepen your walk with Him. Like all other prayers, you must pray in faith, believing God’s Word in order to receive the answer. This isn’t about hype or performance, it’s about opening your life fully to His presence and power, it’s about total surrender.

Surrendering your tongue to speak things you have never spoken before. For those who already pray in the Spirit, make it part of your daily rhythm. Set aside intentional time each day to pray in your prayer language. Let God strengthen your spirit, guide your steps, and prepare you to be a bold witness. Be Filled with the Spirit for Power and Prayer

Meet with God’s Spirit Every Day in Word and Prayer

Spirit baptism is the starting point, daily time in the Word and prayer is how you keep the fire burning.

John 6:63 (ESV) It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Jesus’ words and all of Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. God’s Word is spirit and life for every believer who studies and applies it to their lives. If we want to stay spiritually alive and strong, we need His Word and Spirit every single day.

Ephesians 6:17–18 (ESV) And take the … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

The Spirit works through the Word to fight your battles. And when you combine reading the Word with praying in the Spirit, you will keep on growing in the blessing of God.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

God’s Word, inspired by the Spirit is our essential guide to equip us to fulfill God’s mission for our lives. Every time we open God’s Word with a listening heart, the Spirit can correct us, train us and equip us for what’s ahead.

Application: Keep the Fire Burning with Word and Prayer

Being filled with the Spirit is not a finish line, it’s a starting line. In order to keep the fire of the Spirit alive in us, we must feed it daily with God’s Word and keep the conversation going in prayer. If you’ve been neglected that daily time, restart tomorrow. Set aside at least 15 minutes, ten for reading the Bible and 5 more for Spirit-led prayer.

For those already in the habit, go deeper. Pray the Scriptures you read, write down what the Spirit speaks to you. Ask God each day, what’s my assignment today?

Conclusion: Live God’s Vision by Meeting Him Daily

God’s vision for each one of us and our church family is to experience God’s spirit daily. We’ve seen that the Spirit-filled life begins when we step out of religion and into a real relationship with Jesus. It continues when we obey Christ’s call to be baptized in water. Growth continues when you are filled with the Spirit for power and prayer.

God’s vision for each believer is to meet daily with His Spirit in Word and prayer. These are not optional extras for super Christians, they are essential steps for very follower of Jesus.

📘 Continue the Journey

Reflect deeper and apply this week’s message with the Message Study Guide — perfect for personal devotions, family discussion, or your Life Group.

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