The omnipresence of God explains how He is everywhere all at once, while the manifest presence of God is His presence made clear. There is no place where God does not exist nor where He exists less or more, for nothing can exist apart from Him or outside of Him. There is no difference in the level of God’s presence in general.
The manifest presence is caused by us becoming aware that God is near. God is present everywhere. Even though that is a fact, many people are unaware of His presence, God is not in their thoughts. But when God manifests His presence, everyone in that vicinity becomes aware of the presence of God.
Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
The Spirit manifest presence is where God makes Himself known to us. This is when the indwelling Spirit visits the believer in a unique, manifest way.
God promises to manifest Himself to those who trust and obey. John 14:21 (NLT) “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
God promises to manifest Himself to the humble. Isaiah 57:15 (MSG) A Message from the high and towering God, who lives in Eternity, whose name is Holy: “I live in the high and holy places, but also with the low-spirited, the spirit-crushed, And what I do is put new spirit in them, get them up and on their feet again.
God promises to manifest Himself to those who seek Him. Jeremiah 29:11-14 (MSG) I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” GOD’s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you”—GOD’s Decree—“bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.
Under the Old Covenant, it was only the high priest who could enter the presence of God. This happened but once a year. Under the New Covenant, however, every believer has been given full access to the throne room of God.
Hebrews 4:16 (TLB) So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.
When God called Moses, he was not prepared to move without the presence of God.
Exodus 33:15 (NKJV) Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”
As soon as Jesus died on the cross, this veil was torn from top to bottom, giving us entrance into God’s immediate presence.
Hebrews 10:19-22 (NLT) And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
James 4:8 (NLT) Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
In prayer, invite the Holy Spirit to make God known to you, to reveal God’s presence to you. Seek God with all your heart, and He will draw close to you.