This post is based on a message by Pastor Todd Cosenza.
Why experiencing God’s presence is a choice
God is always with us—no question about that. But sensing God’s tangible presence with our five senses, feeling His peace, power, and joy—those are things we receive on purpose. King David shows us how to do this in Psalm 9 by making four deliberate “I will” decisions. These are not spiritual tricks; they are choices that set the atmosphere for God to move.
“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.” — Psalm 9:1-2
The heart of the message is simple: what we speak and what we choose to focus on opens or closes the door to God’s presence. Thanksgiving opens the door; complaining shuts it. Rehearsing God’s goodness brings hope; rehearsing the problem brings defeat. Worship lifts us to higher ground where victory is visible.
The four “I will” statements that release God’s presence
1. I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart (Psalm 9:1)
David chose thanksgiving over complaint in the middle of hardship. Thanksgiving isn’t just a feeling—it’s an act of obedience and a spiritual position. The Bible warns that grumbling and complaining lead to destruction (see 1 Corinthians 10:10 for a reminder about how grumbling opened the door to loss in Israel’s history). David’s strategy was to create an atmosphere in which God could move.
Practical next steps: When your feelings don’t line up with truth, choose thanksgiving anyway. Say it out loud. Make a list of things God has already done for you and thank Him for them.
2. I will tell of all your wonderful deeds (Psalm 9:1)
David refused to rehearse the problem. Instead he rehearsed the testimony. Speaking aloud what God has done builds faith and strengthens you to keep fighting. This is not suppressing honesty; it’s moving from airing wounds to declaring truth. Past victories become fuel for future breakthroughs.
Practical next steps: Keep a running list of testimonies—big and small—and review them. Tell someone else what God has done for you. Use testimony to replace a complaining loop.
3. I will be glad and rejoice in you (Psalm 9:2; cf. Philippians 4:4)
David didn’t wait for the problem to end to experience joy. He pulled future gladness into the present by rejoicing in who God is. Philippians 4:4 echoes that command: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Joy anchored in God, not circumstances, invites God’s presence and releases supernatural peace.
Practical next steps: Rehearse rejoicing. Sing, speak, or meditate on the character of God until joy rises. Train your heart to be glad in the Lord first, not as a reaction to changed circumstances.
4. I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High (Psalm 9:2)
The phrase “O Most High” in the original Hebrew means, “the Elevated One.” Worship takes you to God’s higher ground. David understood praise lifts you into the realm where God sits—an elevated place of authority and victory. When you worship in the middle of the fight, you gain the higher ground spiritually. As Todd put it, when you get higher you can look the enemy in the face and say, “It is over.”
Practical next steps: Worship before you analyze. Lift your voice or heart in praise, even in hard seasons. Let worship move you out of the low, earthbound place and into God’s elevated vantage point.
Words matter—choose “I will”
Those two little words, I will, are the engine of faith. They are words of determination, not wishful thinking. “I will” says you’re not half in. You’re not saying “I’ll try” or “I hope so.” You are deciding—and speaking—that you will take the spiritual steps according to God’s Word. That determination signals faith and invites God’s presence.
Todd used a personal example from marriage to make the point: at the wedding altar he wasn’t wishy-washy when the time came for saying wedding vows; he declared what was true and what he intended. The same kind of determined speech is required in spiritual life. Say “I will” and mean it.
Quick summary
- I will give thanks — choose thanksgiving over complaint.
- I will tell of your wonderful deeds — rehearse testimony, not pain.
- I will be glad and rejoice in you — pull future joy into your present by rejoicing in who God is.
- I will sing the praises of your name — worship to get to the higher ground and receive victory.
Closing encouragement
The presence of God is the most precious thing we can experience on earth. It brings peace, power, joy, and victory. David’s four “I will” statements are not just devotional quotes—they are a practical strategy to release God’s presence into any situation. Be purposeful. Say it. Mean it. Live it.
Application questions
- Where are you currently choosing to complain rather than give thanks? What specific step will you take today to turn your words into thanksgiving?
- What testimony from your past can you rehearse this week to build faith for what you are believing God for now?
- What will it look like for you to rejoice in the Lord this week regardless of circumstances? Name one concrete action (sing, journal, speak a declaration) you will take.
- How can you practically include worship before decision-making or problem-solving to get to higher ground?
Decide today: I will. I will give thanks. I will tell of God’s deeds. I will rejoice in Him. I will sing His praises. Make those words your posture and watch how God’s presence begins to change your situation.
