The Presence of God

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“... The Lord [be] with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3v16 (AMP)

Many a times in Scripture we see that God gives the assurance of His presence to His children. He doesn’t promise that we would not go through the fires of affliction, or the troubled waters, but He promises to be with us through it all. Isaiah 43v2 (NAS) says ”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.” Indeed beloved, God is with us, the Greater One is one the inside of us (1 John 4v4). And that’s why one of the enemy’s tactics is to break our fellowship with God by causing us to sin. He knows that as long as you are living a life that is pleasing to God and God is for you, then who can be against you (Romans 8v31). But if God is not with you, then you are in big trouble. Remember the story of the children of Israel who God gave a mighty victory against Jericho. But because of the sin of Achan, they were defeated when they went against Ai – a smaller enemy. When Joshua sought the face of God, “The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them” (Joshua 7v10-13, NIV). Beloved, is the Presence of the Lord still with you or is there something you need to remove and take care of?

Supplementary Text

“All who keep His commandments [who obey His orders and follow His plan, live and continue to live, to stay and] abide in Him, and He in them. [They let Christ be a home to them and they are a home to Christ.] And by this we know and understand and have the proof that He [really] lives and makes His home in us: by the [Holy] Spirit Whom He has given us.” 1 John 3v24 (AMP)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Presence. We ask for Your mercy if there is any besetting sin in our lives, and we pray that Your Presence would always be with us and that You will grant us peace in Jesus name, amen.