Day #312 - Presence Deception

The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:21-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Photo by Dim Hou on Unsplash

When you were growing up did you ever enjoy seeing someone do illusions or “magic” tricks?

When I was growing up I got really into learning how to do “magic” tricks. Of course, there was no actual magic involved. They were illusions. What caught my interest was seeing magicians how audiences and surprise people with card tricks, slight of hand and making it look like things could disappear or appear out of thin air. I never got that good at these tricks. When some people get into doing tricks like this, things can also a take a turn towards the darkness of witchcraft type of magic. There is something in human nature that longs for the supernatural and the ability to bend reality.

Jesus had some strong words for people who treat the power and presence of God as a place for almost magic abilities but who don’t actually know Him. Many charismatic and Pentecostal churches will often elevate those who can prophesy, cast out demons and perform miracles. These are certainly important, valuable and needed gifts in the body of Christ and the world. But these are also the exact same gifts that Jesus warns about at the close of the Sermon on the mount. He tells those who called Him “Lord, Lord” they will not enter heaven and that they are evildoers. This goes to show us that just because we could have supernatural power flow through us, we may not actually know the Lord.

This is a convicting reality about how we can be deceived about “the Presence.” We can be around God’s presence and glory. We can be in meetings and church services and places where God’s power flows and it can give us a false sense that we are truly right with God. Being a person of “the Presence” is much more than an emotional experience or even a supernatural experience. Ultimately being a person of “the Presence” ought to be a relational experience where we learn to know God.

I believe from other Scriptures, we should believe the Lord to use us and even seek after prophesying, expelling demons and working miracles. But we must be a people that go deeper than the gifts and being around His presence, we must be a people that truly know Him. To know His presence is to know Him.

Lord Jesus, keep me free from the deception of thinking I am more spiritual and more powerful than I really am. Help me to know You. May my desire be for You and You alone. I love Your presence because I love You. I love knowing You. There is no one like you. In Your name, amen.