There are some seasons for which we can’t wait to put them behind us. Yet it is often in in the hard times when we draw nearest to the Lord. No matter what you are going through, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
If you gain nothing more from this message, let it be that you know He is with you, forever.
The Testing of the Saint
It is in our darkest moments that we will see His light. It is in silent despair that we will hear His soft still voice. It is in our loneliness that we will feel His presence. It is when we can’t see any way out that we can see Him coming in.
Consider the Lord allows the hard times because it is there we will seek Him the most.
Cherish the good memories, learn from the bad, and know that the Lord goes before you. “For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard (Isaiah 52:12).
God tests for His Word in you by engineering your circumstances to see what comes out. A test is the only way to see if you know the answer.
Even in His silence, He is teaching you a lesson.
The Lord has given us the Word that we might learn it, and places us in circumstances that He might drive the point home. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
Consider that the Lord gave you verses about fear because He knew what was ahead of you.
God is bigger than your circumstances. Don’t just pray for your circumstances to be changed, but pray for God to change you in the midst of them.
Drawing Near to God
Learn to tithe time and watch how the Lord will bless you. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
You are nearest to God when you are on your knees. We are meant to be near to the Lord, and prayer is the means in which we get there.
Only spend as much time with God as you want Him to spend with you. “…The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you…” (2 Chronicles 15:2).
You must get into His presence to feel His presence.
He is With You
Do not focus on the people who come against you, but the Lord who goes before you. “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Once you realize that the Lord has you, even fear will be afraid to go near you.
Not everyone is for you, but God is always with you. “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you…” (Deuteronomy 20:1).
The foundation of our faith is not in how we feel towards God, but how God feels towards us.
Stop looking at the steep mountain you must climb, and just follow the Lord who goes before you. “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
Faith in His Presence
The Lord being with you is never based on how you feel, but what He promises. Feelings waver, He never does. “…The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does. The Lord is near to all who call on him…” (Psalm 145:13,18).
Faith is not complicated, people are. The simpler your faith, the closer you will be to God.
You don’t see the Sun shining at night, but it is still there. The same is true for the Lord Jesus, you may not see Him, yet He is with you. Jesus said, “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
The presence of God never depends upon the efforts of man.
Be confident in the Lord, knowing that He is with you. “The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
Faith is not when you feel His presence, but when you know His presence.
Blessings to you,
Paul
All Scripture is in red and uses the NKJV (New King James Version) translation unless otherwise noted.