God's Presence

"Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  (

)

God promises to be with his children.  God's presence is comforting and is real.  The promise is not new, but it is forever.

The following Bible verses about God's presence are quoted from the New American Standard Bible 1995 version unless noted otherwise (

).

Hiding yourself from God's presence doesn't work

     After they had sinned, Adam and Eve tried to hide themselves from God, and it didn't work.  "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3:8).  Fleeing from God's presence did not work for Jonah, either.  "Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, 'How could you do this?' For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them" (Jonah 1:10).

God is with us in our pilgrimage of life

     When Jacob was sojourning, looking for a wife, God spoke to him in a dream.  "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you" (Genesis 28:15).  We -- those who believe in God -- are the children of the promise.  God promises to be with us wherever he leads us in the fulfillment of his purpose.

​Thank you, Lord, that you lead us through all the stages of our lives, and that you give us direction and purpose.

God's presence in our lives gives us rest

     Moses said to God, "Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.  Consider too, that this nation is Your people."  And He [God] said, "My presence [literally, my face] shall go with you, and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:13-14, brackets added, Ref. 2 fix).  
​God's presence "settles us down" (Ref. 3).  God’s presence also refreshes us (Matthew 11:28 check, Ref.4).   Needs work.

God is with us when we face our enemies

     It is

who fights for us.  "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, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you" (Deuteronomy 20:1).  "For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" (Deuteronomy 20:4).   For additional study, read the account of how God was with the godly king Jehoshaphat and the army of Judah in defeating their enemy invaders (2 Chronicles 20:1-25).

Praise God!  When we place our trust in God -- in

God's presence will never fail us or forsake us

     "Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, 'Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).

God’s presence will never fail us or forsake us.  David wrote, “And those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.  For Thou, O Lord, hast not forsaken those who seek Thee” (Psalm 9:10 check version).

God is with us to deliver us through our calamities

     God tells his children, "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" (

). 

Note how God's promise, "When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched" was literally fulfilled by God's presence with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace (

). 

Thank you, Lord, that you are with us to protect us so life’s calamities will not overflow us.

God's presence is everywhere for all time

     David asked the question, “Where can I go from Thy Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Thy presence?” (Psalm 139:7 check version).  David then describes the breadth of God’s presence.  “If I ascen to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol Thou art there.  If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Thy hand will lead me and Thy right hand will lay hold of me” (Psalm 139:8-10, check version).

God’s presence is everywhere.  The theological word for this is “omnipresence.”  Omnipresence is one of the attributes of God (new Ref. 5 find).  We cannot hide from God.

God is with us, even in the smallest assembly of believers

1.  Above God’s presence via the the Holy Spirit makes our ministry effective.  Jesus said that after his departure , the Holy Spirit “in” believers would be the main means of God’s presence, as compared to the physical presence of Jesus with his disciples during his earthly ministry.
2. discuss Holy Spirit in believers John 14:16….will be with us forever.
3. Gods presence through the Holy Spirit makes our ministry effective.   Shall receive power …. Witnesses acts 1:8.  o
4. Not only words but also deeds including miracles. Words and deeds 1 Thess.  Insight into Gods mind and will for us 1 Cor 2

     Apply.  Turn to God.  Repent of the sins you have committed.  Receive forgiveness of your sins through the sacrifice of God's Son, Jesus Christ, for you.  Put your trust in Jesus, and God will give you the gift of God's presence with you, the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37-38). 

  For further study on this point, read the story of Jehoshaphat and how God defended Judah from invaders (2 Chronicles 20:1-27).  Key verses are "the battle is not yours but God's" (2 Chron. 20:15), and "Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you" (2 Chron. 20:17).

David knew that God's presence would never fail him.  Specifically, David knew:   

• God's presence leads us beside quiet waters (literally, waters of rest) (Psalm 23:2)
• God's presence is with us to calm our fear and to comfort us (Psalm 23:4)
• God's goodness and lovingkindness follows us all the days of our lives (Psalm 23:6)look for alternative verse (not fail or forsake) David knew

Remember how God's presence delivered the three youths through the fire of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace.  In

, Nebuchadnezzar asked his officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire? They replied to the king, 'Certainly, O king.'"  Then in the next verse, Nebuchadnezzar says, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!" (Daniel 3:25, underline added).  Not a hair was singed on these three men that God protected with his presence (Daniel 3:27).