I Will Be With You Says The Lord, Evans Olang

Joshua 1:9, “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.”

In this life, we need company. We cannot make it alone, we know that. Just because we do not want to be alone does not mean we just need anyone to help us in one way or another, we may just need company, someone present even if they say or do nothing. If you look at a child who is terrified, a parent’s presence is enough to calm him or her down. He or she may not look to the parent to take the fear away; the presence of a parent is enough to overcome their fear. They believe the parents are bigger than their imaginary monsters that appear real.

What about us believers, at times we are not looking for answers, we are looking for someone to be there with us. Their presence is enough to make us face what we could be running away from. In Joshua’s case, he always had Moses with him. That made him feel strong and courageous fighting in battles. Now that Moses was gone, the Lord encouraged him of His presence; He may have seen that He needed His presence now more than ever. And the Lord said to him, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged”, God was not giving Joshua anything, He was assuring him of His presence and the peace he needed would come about because of God’s promised presence. Just like a child who gains peace and confidence, not because of what the parent (s) give him or her at the time of weakness and fear, but what comes about because of their presence. Three times in Joshua 1, God assured Joshua of His presence, Joshua 1:5,”… as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, vs. 9, “for the LORD your God is with you”, vs. 17, “…only the Lord your God be with you”. God’s presence alone was enough to take away fear and give him courage to go forward. God was with Joseph in the absence of his father Jacob. Jacob did not even know what became of his son but God was with him in the pit, in Potiphar’s house, in jail and even on the throne. God was with Daniel in the lion’s den; he was with Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in the fire; he was with David when he was running away from Saul; he was with Jonah when he tried to flee from His presence; He said to Abraham, in Genesis 26:3, “dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you.” He told Jacob in Genesis 31:3, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.” He told Gideon in Judges 6:16, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man”. What these people had in common is that they were all afraid and though their situations did not change, God assured them of His presence through it all.

He is Emmanuel God with us in this Christmas season. He is Jehovah Shammah, the ever present God. He is present with our kids even when they are not with us. He is present in our spouses even in our absence. He is present in us in our jobs when we get overwhelmed. What a joy to know that He is ever present. He does not need to come, He is already here and how He would speak to us the way He spoke to Joshua, “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.” We do not need Him to come and solve, His presence is enough to solve. Therefore do not be discouraged or afraid, He is with you Isaiah 43:1-2, “1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you”, Blessings Ev

Related articles

• My Eyes Sees You, Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)
• Because Of Who You Are, by Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)
• Facing What You Are Running Away From, by Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)
• Commend All To God, Part 2of2, by Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)
• Commend All To God, Part 1of2, by Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)
• When God Seems Silent, by Evans Olang (magnifyhisword.wordpress.com)