In some church circles, you may hear the words Shekinah Glory used. Most often it is typically used within a worship setting where you want God’s presence to show up in that service. Well, what exactly is Shekinah Glory? How do you experience the power of Shekinah Glory in your life? Is this even possible or is this some kind of wishful thinking from people who don’t know any better? Well, there is hope of the glory of God being evident in your life and that’s what we want to examine today. By the way, if there is something that has to do with God’s presence and your life that is something worth examining. Let’s do just that.
What Is Shekinah Glory?
The word Shekinah is a Hebrew word which means dwelling or settling. In a biblical sense it represents or means the presence of God dwelling or settling over you. In today’s terms, you might even refer to it as the manifest presence of God. Whichever words you use it is a very real experience in the presence of God. Bible commentary from Dr. Tony Garland puts it this way: "it is the majestic presence or manifestation of God in which He descends to dwell among men. Whenever the invisible God becomes visible, and whenever the omnipresence of God is localized."
Where Do We See Shekinah Glory in the Bible?
There are different examples of this in Scripture so let’s highlight a couple.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. – Exodus 40:34-38
In this instance, we see the presence of God or the Shekinah Glory descending on the tabernacle. God’s glory was represented by a cloud, however, his glory is not always represented in a physical manner. Remember God is spirit and his Spirit dwells within us now. This was not the case in the Old Testament.
Here is another example
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.” – 2 Chronicles 7:1-3
I hope you notice some of the similarities between this experience with Moses and with Solomon. In both instances, God’s presence was represented by something physical. In Moses’ case, it was a cloud. In Solomon’s case, it was fire. Once again these are physical representations that helped the Israelites become aware of the presence of God dwelling or settling with them. This was a display of the Shekinah Glory in their life.
How Do We Experience Shekinah Glory Now?
When it comes to manifestations of God’s presence now it is not the norm to see God manifested with physical representations like clouds or fire. As you search through the New Testament the glory of God went from dwelling in tents and temples to dwelling in the hearts of men.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? – 1 Corinthians 6:19
Since this is the case you can actually say that the Shekinah Glory is ever-present with you because the Holy Spirit dwells in you. You don’t have to worry about God’s presence lifting or leaving you because he is with you everywhere you go. Now there will be times when you are more aware of God’s presence such as when you are praying or in worship, but whether you feel it or not the Holy Spirit lives in your heart.
One of the greatest gifts God has given you is his Holy Spirit. I would say the more you understand who he is and the work he does in your life the greater your Christian walk will be. The power of Shekinah Glory is experienced in your life when you take the time to lean into and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Everything you need to live this life has been given to you through the Holy Spirit. It is your recognition of this that makes all the difference. Shekinah Glory is not limited to an experience you seek in church settings. It goes far beyond that. Since the Spirit of God dwells in you that means that God’s glory, God’s power, God’s anointing, God’s wisdom, God’s love, and basically all of God’s character goes with you everywhere you go. This is the power of Shekinah Glory in your life. In other words, it doesn’t have to stay in a tent or temple, but it can be with you all the time. The manifestation of God’s glory won’t be with fire or clouds but with lives that reflect who he is. When God’s character becomes clear and evident in your life, that is proof of the power of Shekinah Glory at work in you.
3 Ways to Tap into the Power of Shekinah Glory in Your Life
Now that you know it’s there with you how then do you tap into the power of this Shekinah Glory in your life from day-to-day. Let me give you three things you should make a regular part of your life. When you do this, you will see the power of God on display in your life.
1 – Worship
Worship is simply ascribing to God the worth of who he is. What is beautiful about worship is that it opens the door for God’s presence to be manifested in your life. While yes, the Holy Spirit dwells within you, worship helps bring this truth to the forefront. There is something about worshipping God that stirs your heart, that lifts your vision, that reminds you of how wonderful God is. If you remember in the example earlier with Solomon as they worshipped, they declared the goodness of God. When you do this, you invite God’s glory to be manifest in your life. This will most likely not be a physical manifestation like in the Old Testament, but it will be evident that God’s presence and glory are in the place.
2 – Pray
Prayer is another way to tap into the power of Shekinah Glory in your life. In prayer, you are inviting all of heaven’s resources to address your earthly situation. Where God’s power and glory really show up is when you make prayer about his will and his glory. If you really want to see God’s power manifest then make prayer about what God wants to do in the earth. In simple terms let his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. When you are aligning your prayers with God’s will you are setting yourself up for the power of Shekinah Glory to be displayed in your life.
3 – Obey
The third way to see God’s glory show up in your life is to obey what he tells you to do. Nothing quenches the Spirit more than disobedience. This is personally as well as corporately. I remember a long time ago I was in college and our Christian club was running a spring concert/drama which we did every year. This year I was chosen to be the MC. As the evening was progressing, I was sensing that this wasn’t moving the way God wanted. What I felt in my heart was we needed to stop and begin to worship God because there was something different he wanted to do. As the MC I was torn between following where I felt God was leading and getting through the program. Even though I sensed it strongly in my heart, I chose to move the program along. Needless to say whatever presence of God was there was quenched by my decision. That whole evening was one big struggle that never accomplished what God wanted. This is why obedience is so important if you are going to see God’s glory manifest in your life. Yes, the Holy Spirit dwells in you but there is so much God wants to do in your life and your obedience is the key to making that happen. Nothing will quench the Holy Spirit faster than disobedience. This was a lesson I have never forgotten.
The wonderful thing about the power of Shekinah Glory in your life is that it is not reserved for certain people or certain places. Because the Holy Spirit lives inside you, there is access to God’s power and God’s presence every moment of the day. Granted you will be more aware of this in certain moments over others but recognize that he is always with you. He is ready, willing, and able to manifest his power, his presence, and his glory to those who would seek him.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.– Jeremiah 29:12-14
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Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.