Never Fail Because the Lord is With You

As you recall, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in Potiphar's house in Egypt.  However, rather than being defeated, Joseph's condition is described as "The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man" in the house of Potiphar, who put all that he had under Joseph's authority.  Then after he refused to lie with Potiphar's wife, and he was put in prison Joseph's situation is described this way, "But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy" so "the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners.  The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper."

Joseph triumphed even as a slave and prisoner in Egypt, because the Lord was with Him.  David recalls, in Psalm 23, that walking through the valley of death, he will not fear, because "Thou art with me."  Many of the patriarchs and prophets accomplished amazing feats because the Lord was with them.   Darkness changes to light when the Lord is with you.

In the New Covenant, Jesus, removed the barrier of sin through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:13-14) and raised you up to sit with Him (Ephesians 2:6) and your life is literally "hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).  Jesus promised and through His completed work, He made it a reality that "I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  You are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and by His Spirit the Father and Jesus live in you.  We absolutely are in His presence NOW, not just after we die.  Paul further declares how amazing this truth is in Colossians 1:27, "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  In short, the Lord is with you.

What is the problem? Why don't we walk around like "He is with us" and "He always leads us in triumph?"  Maybe Hosea 4:6 says it best, "My people are being destroyed because of lack of knowledge." Our natural mind cannot fathom the thoughts of God.  We desperately need the revelation of God's truth. Jesus said we live by the Word of God.  That Word has to abide in us to bear fruit. The benefits of having God with you and in you are infinite. You will overcome. You will be free. You love others and yourself.  You will have peace, love, joy, and are satisfied forever.  Obviously when we leave this earth and come before God, we will bow in awe of His greatness, His glory, His presence and overwhelming perfect love.  A young man in Atlanta, Georgia, who died and came back to life describes his experience of being in God's presence as "being totally satisfied" and all he wanted was "to do what God wanted him to do."   You and I are in  His presence NOW.  Jesus promised that if we continue in His Word, we would know the truth, and the truth would set us free.

What is our experience as we realize we are in His presence.  Psalm 16"11 states that "in His presence is fullness of joy.  The joy of the Lord is my strength.   The Word likewise reveals His love that casts out all fear and His peace that flows like a river.  Choose to remind yourself that the living God dwells in you.  What can man do to you or me if God be for us and with us?   However, since our natural fleshly thoughts are fallen, we need to renew our minds and refresh our feelings by God's Word.  We can change our thinking by following David's instructions how to enter into His presence, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, and bow before Him."  In Philippians, Paul reminds us to give our anxieties to God in prayer and He will keep our minds and hearts in peace beyond all understanding.  The Spirit helps us apply this truth and put to death those doubts, fears, and hindrances which seek to steal all the benefits of His presence. 

Take a moment to be still, and know that He is God.  I will never leave you or forsake you.