The Difference Between Omnipresence and Manifest Presence

Introduction

Dr. Eugene Stock has said, “When I was a boy, I read a story which showed me the different
ways in which we can be sure that this great library of Sacred Books, which we call the Bible, is
really the Word of God, His Revelation to mankind. The writer of the story had been explaining
three different kinds of evidence – the Historical, the Internal, and the Experimental. Then he
told how he once sent boy to the chemist’s to get some phosphorous. The boy brought back a
little packet; was it phosphorous. The boy reported that he went to the shop and to his shelves,
took some kind of stuff from a jar, put it in the little packet, and gave it to him, and that he had
brought it straight back. That was the historical evidence that the packet had phosphorous and
smelled like phosphorous. That was the “constitute irrefragable proof that the Bible is the Word
of God.” Dr. W. Graham Scroggie’s very well organized apologetic consults external, internal
and experimental evidence to support his premise.

The history, prophecies, content, testimony, unity and effect of the Scriptures together with the
witness and effect of the Scriptures together with the experience of God's manifest presence
from theory and theological view proved that the Christians and Christianity provide inclusive
attestation to the source and infallible inspired Word of God. An interesting, systematic
approach to apologetics, in our generation.

Historical External Evidence

We need to distinguish rightly between God’s “omnipresence” and His “manifest presence”. God
is everywhere; there is no place where God is not. But sometimes, for some special purpose,
God makes His presence felt by Believers. Yet the way in which this is experienced may vary
according to the need of the hour. Knowing Him is not enough but if God manifest Himself that
hour that’s more than enough. When King Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came
down, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the
house. And the priest could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the
LORD upon the house…” That’s the meaning of manifest Presence of God (2 Chronicles 7: 1-3
KJV). We could choose the two modes whether just knowing it or experiencing His move. It is
true that God sometimes makes His presence felt by an entire group of believers so that they
can all say in total agreement that “God is present” or “God was present”. They do not mean
that God is or was not present at other times, but only that God’s presence was manifested on
that occasion in so obvious a way that no one could deny it. The relationship between God’s
sovereignty and the spiritual state of the people in the gathering is not easy to fathom. It
seems to vary from time to time. Additionally, the vehicle for the presence of God can vary. It
can be related to the desire of the people, or it can be the result of an anointed ministry. Or it
can be entirely owing to the sovereignty of God: He wants to move in that way for some
purpose known only to Him and does so before anyone can even search his or her heart. There
are, however, other modes of God’s presence. Individuals in meetings can testify as to how
they felt God’s presence, when others do not. The reasons for this also vary. It can be to do
with the spiritual discernment of individuals or it can be that God has something particular to
indicate to certain people, if only to encourage them. Then there are times when an individual is
targeted by God in a meeting which everyone else agrees clearly lacked a universal sense of
God’s presence. As such variations can occur within the same fellowships from week to week, it
seems to me unhelpful to reduce God’s presence to two modes, Of course, we should observe
how God is working and seek to get as right with Him as we can be so that we are not a
personal hindrance to the work of God. Of course, it is good for us to pray that God will be
present in as obvious a way as possible. But none of these things can guarantee God’s obvious
presence, although there is often a positive relationship between the two but its God’s option
not of us. And then I'm not saying that if you don't feel the Lord is moving or felt the obvious
phenomenon He is not present. Because we cannot program God or box Him. We are finite and
God is infinite, He in varied ways that we cannot see. But usually He confirmed of what is
written in His Word. The acts of the prophets and the apostles of Jesus was a confirmation of
His Word, go and preach the word and the signs shall follows, heal the sick and raise the dead.
Therefore we felt His presence or not the fact is God is present anywhere in this planet earth.
Most Christians like dramatic spiritual experiences and this is natural because God made us with
a spiritual appetite. The problem is that, like the rest of us, our spirits are fallen. It is, therefore,
essential that our spiritual desires be renewed, like anything else in our lives. We need to
ensure that what we are pursuing is truly from God and also a part of God’s agenda for our
lives. The possibility of spiritual derailment is ever present and we often lack discernment where
we need it most.

Internal Evidence or Experimental Evidence

In 1993. I was seeking for God's guidance and direction for the next level of ministry that the
Lord has entrusted to me. Within 21 days of praying and fasting the Lord spoke to me in a
vision- "to build the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ as a new wineskin; and to bring revival in
his body and to win the lost". As stated in Matthew 16:18 ..."Upon this rock I will build my
Church..." I started with five committed people, who captured the heart of the Lord, to do the
ministry without reservation. After a long time of searching souls and seeking God's face, it was
almost fifteen years (15) of waiting upon the Lord. The Lord has been so good! He visited the
Church with unusual phenomenon that I never experienced before! The presence of the Lord
filled the tent of meeting like a cloud and fire that covered the church. Nobody could stand the
weight of God's glory during the worship service; it was more of Him and less of man's service.
There was a Spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit and with Fire that cleansed the heart of God's
people to get right with God; the spirit of fear, reverence and awareness of God's presence was
visible. It was a remarkable event that brought big impact and shaped the lives of God's people
into the right concept of what is a genuine Christianity and ministry is all about; not the
products of man's way methods and strategies but God's own prescribe way. After a year, the
Lord has blessed us so much Spiritually and financially as a rource of inspiration to win more
lost sinners to Christ and also to help the body of Christ. We planted more churches and
conducted crusades and revival conferences in the body of Christ in almost every place; from
Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. With God's grace and direction, the ministry right now has been
extended in Seoul, South Korea, for reaching out the migrant Filipino workers, who doesn't
know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior and also to work with the body of Christ for
unity as the Lord leads us to do.

Autobiography

I am Bishop Danilo O. Bantilan, the founding President of Church of Christ Brings Revival,
International, Inc., and, recently, the founding President of Asian Revival College of Theology,
Inc., located at 3f Elipe Building, Elipe Park Carmen Cagayan de Oro City 9000, Philippines
I finished my M.Div. in 1997., Doctor in Theology Theology (Th.D.) 2008., Doctor in Relegious
Education (DRE) in progress

Website: pttp//www.arcteduc7.com
Pttp//www.ccbrii.com
Email add: arcteduc1@gmail.com