The Presence of God vs the Presence of the Lord vs the Presence of the Spirit
Emmanuel: God With Us — Revelation and Experience
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel.” (Immanuel means “God with us.”)
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and pitched his tabernacle among us, full of grace and reality. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father.
John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will be with you forever,”
John 14:17 “the Spirit of reality, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, because he dwells with you and will be in you.”
2 Corinthians 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
|
Aspect |
The Presence of God |
The Presence of the Lord |
The Presence of the Spirit (the Practical Emmanuel) |
|
Meaning |
God being with man, indicating His nearness, accompanying, and guidance |
Christ incarnated as Emmanuel, personally with His people |
The processed and consummated Triune God as the life-giving Spirit indwelling the believers |
|
Reason |
God desires to carry out His economy by being with His people |
God became flesh to enter into humanity |
To dispense God Himself into man inwardly and experientially |
|
Illustration |
God’s face, God’s way, God going with His people |
The King-Savior’s presence and smile |
The indwelling Comforter, the inner “Another One” |
|
Effect |
Guidance, rest, direction, and protection |
Wisdom, insight, discernment, and victory |
Life supply, transformation, divine dispensing |
|
Explanation |
God may help a person without granting His presence |
The Lord’s help is not equal to the Lord’s presence |
The Spirit’s leading and witnessing are His presence |
|
Mutual Relationship |
The source and origin |
The embodiment and expression |
The reality and inward consummation |
|
Examples |
Moses enjoying God’s presence (Exo. 33:14) |
Joseph prospering because the Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2–5) |
Paul living with the Lord in his spirit (2 Tim. 4:22) |
|
Application |
Examine everything by whether God’s presence is there |
Be governed by the Lord’s presence and smile |
Walk according to the Spirit and live with Him |
|
Burden |
Better to stop than to lose God’s presence |
Do not merely seek the Lord’s help, but His presence |
Move from doctrine to experience—live in Emmanuel |
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Prophesying Guidance |
God’s presence is the way and standard |
The Lord’s presence is the governing principle |
The Spirit’s presence is the New Testament reality |
|
Conclusion |
Without God’s presence, everything is lost |
The Lord’s presence is everything to us |
Today Emmanuel is the Spirit in our spirit |
|
Related Scriptures |
Exo. 33:14; Psa. 27:4, 8; Psa. 51:11 |
Matt. 1:23; Matt. 28:20; 2 Cor. 2:10 |
John 14:16–20; Rom. 8:14, 16; Gal. 2:20; 2 Tim. 4:22; 2 Cor. 13:14 |
Core Points (Summary):
1. The presence of God → the presence of the Lord → the presence of the Spirit is a progressive revelation.
2. The practical Emmanuel today is the Spirit indwelling our spirit.
3. Living with Christ is not by methods, but by remaining in His presence.
4. The entire New Testament is the history and reality of Emmanuel, consummating in the New Jerusalem.
*Please refer to the 2025 Thanksgiving International Symposium on the All-Inclusive Christ Revealed in the Gospel of Matthew, Part Three: Jesus—The Name of King and Savior Given by God, and Immanuel—The Name Called King and Savior by Man
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