March 18th, 2017

                       My Promise to You,
  “I Will Always Be With You” (Deuteronomy 31:6-8)
Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
 
It has been said, “The darker the days, the darker the nights.” Due to the trials we face that seem to never end, we need to cling to this promise. God is always with us. More specifically, God is always with you. Now say it to yourself, “God is always with me.” We see this clearly in Moses’ speech to the children of God. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 

Moses had summoned all the people together. Moses encouraged Israel and gave them a very straightforward charge, to be “strong and of a good courage” because their God would not fail them nor forsake them. He had personally experienced the mighty hand of God using him to deliver the people out of Egyptian slavery. He had walked hand in hand with the people for forty years, while suffering through the wilderness wanderings. He had experienced both victory and defeat with the people, and he knew that they were basically a stubborn and stiff-necked people toward God. Moses loved God’s people and encouraged them to follow God wholeheartedly. He then turned to Joshua and encouraged him to be strong and courageous. He further directed that “the LORD, HE it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
 
This was a two-fold promise: We are to be firm and fearless. We are to be firm, "Be strong and of a good courage." This command says do not quit, be dedicated, be steadfast, be dogmatic, don't throw in the towel when you see the mighty armies in Canaan. We are to be fearless, "Fear not, nor be afraid of them." Fear would weaken them for the task. Israel was not to be cowardly but courageous.

NOTICE: Whoever the “them” is in Deuteronomy 31:6, “they” don’t stand a chance. Moses and the children of Israel were standing on the border of the Promised Land. Moses knew he was about to die and Joshua would soon lead them over. God was with them and would protect them when they entered the Promised Land.

As you journey on your course for the Lord, do not fear, nor be terrified by the enemies who oppose you. The Lord your God will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. We must be strong and courageous. Notice: Our strength and courage do not come from our power and performance but from God Himself. We are to be focused upon God and not upon the enemy.  We must not fear nor be terrified by the enemies who confront us throughout life. We can be strong and courageous because of God's presence and guidance. As we face the enemies of this world, God will be with us and never forsake us.

As you go up to face those giants in the land, you might think they are too strong for you. Hold on to this promise that God is with you. You’re going to battle some violent opposition; you might be tempted to retreat. But remember, God is with you. If your heart is breaking, remember, God is already rushing toward you giving you the peace, comfort, and strength you need. You’ll face overwhelming odds; you’ll be incredibly outnumbered. Fear would be your natural response. But hold onto this promise, God is with you. NOTICE: This promise is a reoccurring theme seen all throughout the Scriptures - Joshua 1:5; Psalm 23; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5.

Keep in mind that the worse the days get, the more God is with you. The harder the trial, the closer He moves toward you. Are you feeling overwhelmed? He is pursuing toward you to stand by your side and help you. When you’re going through hardship, or when you’re heavyhearted and burdened, at times like these God moves toward you in a way that’s unlike any other time. It doesn’t matter if you can’t see Him working. His approach may not cause you to feel any different. But it’s the truth--God is right there with you. The harder the days get, the closer He leans in so you can hear His voice. Sometimes it feels like God backs away from you when you hit hard times, but that’s not true. “the LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Is your heart breaking today? God is rushing toward you. He is always with you.

Remember, God hears answers our (righteous-upright living) prayers. He does this by delivering us from crises. God is embracing towards those whose heart is broken. What a precious promise when facing great loss! God has promised to save those who are of a “contrite spirit.” The word contrite refers to being crushed into dust or as low as the dust. This is true not only of spiritual salvation, but with physical deliverance as well. Always Remember, God is with you. How have you experienced God’s presence in hard times? What comfort do you draw from this truth? How is our confidence (“FEAR NOT”) rooted in God’s presence (“HE IT IS THAT DOTH GO WITH THEE”)? How are those connected in your mind?
 
This is one of the most precious promises from the Word of God. Always remember, He is with you. Remember, He is always with you. He lives with us. If we grieve, He grieves. If we suffer, He suffers. This Person is the Holy Spirit of God. Also called the Comforter (John 14:16; 26). He is an unseen Friend. He is with us where ever we go.

Prayer, Lord, I admit there are times that it seems You is not with us. Times of depression, difficulty, doubt, restlessness, or loneliness. Thank You for the precious promise that You are with us wherever we go and whatever we face. Thank You for showing me that the circumstances aren’t nearly as important as Your constant and faithful presence in my life—no matter what, no matter when, and no matter how long! Amen.