I Saw You

intro

There are many promises of God which are truly amazing. All of them are amazing but some are truly amazing.

Matthew 28:20 AV

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The wonderful reality of God being with us makes all the difference. This is of course why Jesus is so precious to us, because he is Emmanuel - God with us.

There is peace, power and victory in the presence of God.

Moses, God’s great deliverer of his people in Egypt knew this very well.

Exodus 33:15 AV

15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

Of course now with the redeeming work of Jesus completed we need never fear this - Jesus has promised never to leave or forsake us.

Hebrews 13:5 AV

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Feeling vs Faith

Think about that promise for just one moment - `I will never leave you or forsake you.

This is a wonderful promise because it means that we God’s presence is with us continually. And so all that comes with His presence is with us continually as well.

Joy

Psalm 16:11 AV

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

In the presence of God is not just joy, but a fulness of joy, a complete joy joy, a joy that is not lacking anything.

Joy is as vital to the christian life as blood is to the human body. Loose enough blood and you will faint. Loose enough Joy and you will grow weak in your walk as well.

Joy lifts us up, gives us hope, it gives us the energy we need to face each day, with all its challanges and remain steadfast.

Strength

Because there is Joy in God’s presence there is also strength, because:

Nehemiah 8:10 AV

10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Like Samsons long hair was the sourse of his strength to defeat the Philistines, so God’s presence is the sourse of your strength to defeat your enemies.

It is the strength to get up each morning and fight the good fight, to run the race set before us.

peace

In the presence of God there is peace. A peace that comes from confidence in God’s love and power.

A peace which enables us to always see things clearly and in perspective, that we do not feel overwhelmed or lost.

Jesus said:

John 14:27 AV

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

His peace is not worldly, it is spiritual it is not bound by circumstances or feelings.

And it gives us courage.

Courage

Deuteronomy 31:6 AV

6 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.

The presence of God gives us wonderful courage. It is a courage that resists and drives out fear.

It is courage of Gidion as he led his army of 300 against 135 000 enemies knowing that unless the Lord ghives him victory he is dead.

Victory

The christian never fights for victory he fights from victory. As long as the Lord is with us we will always have victory!.

Isaiah 43:2 AV

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Gods presence provides Safety

By safety here we dont mean an absance of trials and dangers but that each one will have sufficient grace.

Danial is an amazing example of this. God did not spare him but was always with him.

Daniel 3:25 AV

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Recap:

Joy, Strength, Peace, Courage, Security - no wonder the psalmest said:

Psalm 16:11 AV

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

BUT remeber its called Faith vs Feelings.

Everything I just toild you about what comes with God’s presene is true - it is straight from the word and God never lies.

But the word of God do we beleiev it by faith or sight? FAITH!

But now here is where a true spiritual battles takes place in each and every one of us. This battle is betweeen the flesh and the Spirit. Its between truth and Lies. Its between Faith and feelings.

Faith comes from the Spirit, but feelings comes from the heart.

The Holy Spirit can alweays be trusted, but the heart is a liar.

Jeremiah 17:9 AV

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Why does this matter? Because many, many people are led by their heart, feelings, emotions and NOT by the Spirit.

And most days our feelings give us a VERY different interpretation of our situation that our Faith does.

Faith tells me that My God loves me and is aleways with me nd by his presence i have: Joy, Strength, Peace, Courage, Security.

But do you really think that I FEEL that every day? Do you even think that i feel that every week? NO! I heart tells me a very different story:

“God is not working, this is your life now, this situation cannot improve, you are alone, you have nothing to be happy about....”

The truth about God is true wheather or not we feel like its true, even if it feels like God has taken his hand and eye off us, its NOT true - it may feel likes its true but by faith we must believe.

The Story Nathaniel meeting Jesus

Let me show you something very precious in closing.

John 1:43–50 AV

43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

Now we can ask what was Nathaniel doing under the fig tree? Most speculate that he was praying. But its not very important.

What is important is this: He thought, he FELT like he was alone. He FELT like no one could see him. he FELT like he was by himself.

BUT in fact all his feelings were wrong. He was not alone. He was not by himself. Jesus was with him the whole time. Jesus saw him, Jesus was with him, Jesus was near him, even he felt alone.

This is you today - you are sitting under the fig tree. You feel alone. You feel like noone is with you. You feel like you have to face this day, this challage, this mountan all on your won - BUT your feelings are lying to you.

I want to tell you today, not by a feeling but by FAITH: Jesus sees you. Jesus is with you. Even though you dont feel like he is = HE IS!!!!

Not Alone! His presence will go with you.

Joy, Strength, Peace, Courage, Security all yours!!!!