How to Host the Presence of God: Lessons from King David

“It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.”
—1 Chronicles 13:3 NLT

The Presence of God is the believer’s natural habitat—the place we were made for. I’m not just talking about God being everywhere (omnipresence), but about His manifest Presence—when He shows up in a real and tangible way. Sometimes He comes with power, other times with peace. But talking about His Presence isn’t enough. We need to experience Him—and David’s life gives us a framework.

I remember the first time I experienced the manifest Presence of God. I was a brand-new Christian at a worship conference in San Diego. The people mentoring me told me that worship was the way to encounter God (see Ps. 22:3). During a worship moment, I lifted my hands, sang out, and felt a tingling sensation move through my whole body as I wept. A lady gave me a word from the Lord. I believe God baptized me in His power. I had met with God!

Experiencing His Presence was satisfying, fulfilling—like I had found where I belong. And it stirred in me a longing for more.

We need His Presence more than anything.

So how can we see more of Him in our lives?

Let’s look at King David’s life and how he brought the Presence of God into his city.

1. Value the Presence of God

How much do you value the Presence of God?

Not just the form of Christianity, but the Christ of Christianity?

Relationships are built through experience—and Christianity is not a religion, it’s a relationship.
Why have the religion with no relationship?

When David became king, his first priority was to bring the Ark—the place where God’s glory dwelt—back to the center. He refused to neglect the most important Person.

David valued God’s Presence above all else.

William Wilberforce once said:

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.”

King Saul had the structure—but neglected the Presence. Paul warned of people who have a form of godliness but deny the power. And Jesus was knocking on the door of the Laodicean church—implying they were having church without Him.

Sometimes today’s churches are the same.

Even His earthly parents didn’t realize He was missing for three days!

The point is: without God’s Presence, all we have is dead religion.

But with Him is life.
With Him is vibrancy.
With Him is purpose.
With Him is fulfillment.

If you want to host His Presence, let the Holy Spirit stir up a hunger for Jesus above all else.

Yield to Him.

Ask God why the Psalmist said:

“How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2)

What did they experience that made them long for God like that?

2. Become a Praising People

When David brought in the Ark, he did it with praise.

“Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing…on harps…tambourines…cymbals, and with trumpets.”
—1 Chronicles 13:8

“David danced before the Lord with all his might…with shouting and the sound of the trumpet.”
—2 Samuel 6:14-15

David knew that a praising people is a Presence people.

If you want to host the manifest Presence of God—become a praiser.

Just like my first encounter with God’s Presence started with praise, so will yours.

God inhabits praise. His dwelling place is in the praises of His people (see Psalm 22:3).

But to praise Him, you’ve got to let go.
Let go of fear.
Let go of pride.
Let go of shame.
Let go of what others think—or what you think.

Give God the praise He alone is worthy of.

Sing.
Dance.
Lift your hands.
Shout.
Kneel.

Don’t just go through the motions. Let your praise be heartfelt, costly, and full of honor.

3. Learn from Your Mistakes

At first, David put the Ark on a cart, driven by oxen. But when the oxen stumbled, a man named Uzzah reached out his hand to steady it—and died.

“The anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah…he died there by the ark of God.”
—2 Samuel 6:7

Later, David realized the mistake.

“Because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
—1 Chronicles 15:13

There’s a proper order to hosting the Presence of God.

They searched the Scriptures and learned the Ark was supposed to be carried on the shoulders of priests. We need to know the Scriptures.

But, just like Uzzah, man can try to put his hand on the move of God.

In other words, we try to control the move of the Spirit.

We say we want revival, but when God moves, we get nervous.
Someone might get offended.
We might go over time.
People might think it’s weird.

But what if someone gets healed?
What if someone gets saved?
What if someone gets delivered?

We need discernment to know what quenches the Spirit—and what pleases Him.

David didn’t quit because something went wrong. He found the right way—and did it again.

You will make mistakes in learning how to host the Presence of God. We all will.

But don’t quit.

Get the proper order—and try again.

I’m prophesying to someone: It may have gone wrong before, but it’s time to get the proper order and do it again.

4. Know That It Will Cost You

“When those bearing the Ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep.”
—2 Samuel 6:13

Every six steps—another sacrifice. The path to hosting God’s Presence was drenched in blood.

This points ultimately to the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who made a way for us to be the home of God on earth.

But it also speaks of the personal sacrifice we make to host the Presence of God.

Practically speaking, it may cost you time, energy, comfort, even food (through fasting). You may have to turn off Netflix. Pause social media. Skip a night out.

To make room for Him, you may need to rearrange your church service.
Extend worship.
Make space for prayer.
Allow the gifts of the Spirit to flow.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice what’s good to receive what’s better.

It’s not always about asking God for more of Him—it’s about giving Him more of us.

5. Overcome the Resistance

Another thing that will inevitably happen is resistance.

Some people just don’t want change.
They don’t long for the manifest Presence of God like you do.
And they will resist you.

When David praised the Lord with abandon, even his own wife criticized him.

“Michal…despised him in her heart.”
—2 Samuel 6:16

But David didn’t let her resistance stop him.

“David said to Michal, ‘It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father... I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes.’”
—2 Samuel 6:21–22

When you begin to prioritize the Presence of God, people will resist.

But don’t back down.

Instead—give even more for Jesus.

There will always be critics. And yes, sometimes you can even hear God through your critics.
But you can’t please everybody. So, stop trying.

Give Him the praise He deserves.
Welcome His manifest Presence—unashamedly.

Conclusion

All the practical steps flow from the first one: value the Presence of God.

You make room for what you value.

God wants to bring His manifest Presence into your life—into your home, family, church, and workplace. And He’s looking for people who will carry Him in.

If you’ve never experienced the manifest Presence of God, here’s my word for you:

Seek until you find.
He is faithful to reveal Himself.

Don’t just try for two days and quit.

Before my first encounter, I had prayed for over three weeks for God to reveal Himself.

It’s not about a specific timeframe—it’s about hunger.

He’s a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”
—Psalm 34:8

Question:
Where do you want to see God show up in a new way? Are you willing to make a sacrifice to see more of Him in your life?