Barriers That Keep Us From God’s Presence//Hosting His Presence// Pastor Mason Seybert//Alive Church

What if the reason God feels distant isn’t because He left—but because something is blocking our ability to experience His presence? In this powerful sermon, “The Barriers That Keep Me From God’s Presence,” we explore the truth revealed in Psalm 139:7–9: there is nowhere we can go where God is not already there. On your best day, God is there. On your worst day, God is still with you. God is omnipresent—He fills the heavens and the earth. God doesn’t travel from place to place. He already fills every place. Yet many believers still feel spiritually distant. The problem isn’t God’s presence—it’s the barriers we build that block our awareness of Him. Sometimes we assume God has moved away from us, but Scripture teaches the opposite. When God feels far, His presence isn’t far away—it’s often blocked by walls we have built brick by brick, choice by choice. These barriers don’t appear overnight. Just like a wall, they are built over time through decisions, attitudes, and habits. The truth is this: proximity to God is not the same as intimacy with God. God is near, but intimacy requires invitation. God desires relationship, and He responds when we welcome Him into our lives, our thoughts, and our struggles. In this sermon, we examine five major barriers that can keep us from experiencing the presence of God. 1. Distractions (Luke 10:40–42) Just like Martha in Scripture, we can be so busy doing things for God that we miss being with God. Distractions pull our focus away from what matters most. You can be incredibly close to the presence of God and still miss the moment. When we surrender our distractions to God, we create space to hear His voice again. 2. Pride (James 4:6) Pride convinces us that our way is better than God’s way. It quietly persuades us that we can run our lives without His guidance. But Scripture reminds us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. If you want to see God move in your life, humility opens the door to His presence.