There are two settings that we must always be mindful of and cherish and give thanks for.

“In His Presence” and “In the presence of our enemies”.

In the past few years, The LORD has written this on the tablet of my heart in unforgettable ways.

Nothing trumps the truth of “In His Presence there is fullness of JOY”.

Looking back to His presence, in the early days of the Charismatic movement, when I encountered The LORD and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, I became totally immersed in His presence and wanted it to last, not just every now and then.

So I read the book by Brother Lawrence, “Practicing the Presence of God” and entered a new dimension of my salvation that changed me forever.

My mother always said “practice makes perfect” as I grew up as a dancer, so I decided to practice what Brother Lawrence did.

My conversations with The LORD were and are ongoing to this day. Sometimes I cannot tell when I shifted to my prayer times.

“In the Presence of our Enemies” was only a phrase to me that I just accepted and was thankful for until The LORD began to give deep understanding that many times we are deceived about who our enemies are.

I went through a season of many betrayals. I learned that many times The LORD arranges a setting where actually you think you are among friends and He uses such encounters to develop in us “trust The LORD with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding”.

Beloved, we do not know our own hearts, take a look at Peter who denied The LORD and loved Him at the same time.

A banquet table for us speaks volumes to me of HIS goodness and mercy as I learn to love like He loves and walk in wisdom, applying Calvary love to my heart, in my heart until it is my “ever present help” in my time of need.

Yes, He is my ever present help in the presence of my enemies.

WOW….LORD, didn’t realize your gave me double blessing there… In the presence of my enemies, I am also in the presence of my LORD at the same time.

You never leave me but you celebrate with me when I am being “taken to the cleaners” (or deceived or manipulated or wounded or any of those emotional tirades). He is with us. He is in us.

I dwell in HIS PRESENCE… I don’t have to practice anymore. I am not in dress rehearsal. He knows me…

He sees the good, the bad and the ugly and because HE knows our enemies as well, HE is our way of escape, our safe place, our lover, our EVERYTHING. Take away everything Lord but please don’t take me out of your presence.

And please, LORD, arrest me, detect me, scold me, do whatever it takes but never let me hear the words in Matthew 7:21-23:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but the one who does The Will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

 

~ Sandi Holman

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Sandi Holman of Matters of the Heart website was called to the nations as an End-Time Handmaiden in 1984 with Gwen Shaw and served with YWAM Singapore and YWAM Charlotte in missions. Sword of The LORD Ministries came from a divine encounter with The LORD when He came into her prayer room and said, “I have come to put a sword in your hand and was given special instructions on how and when to use it.” She is an author, Prophetic Intercessor and Seer, Chaplain, Teacher, Speaker and Equipper, and Blogger who has also served as a Pastor Online with Beyond the Veil Ministries.

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