For God is With Us

Who has ever been in a scary situation all alone?

Story of walking to deer blind all by myself before sunrise as a young boy

It was much better with my dad by my side

Who in here has ever heard that God is with you?

Matthew 1:23 ESV Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).

Joshua 1:9 ESV

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John: 14:16-17).

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

Now, don’t miss this- who in here believes that God is with you?

Head knowledge and heart knowledge (or belief) are two very different things

Hear this: “I know Elle loves me” “She’s told me- I’ve heard that”

Good conversations, comfort in being with her

But when she would go off to work- I would become this insecure madman! “Will she come home? Is she thinking about me? Is she thinking about other boys?”

No rest, no solace, no security, no peace

Having head knowledge that God is with us may be nice when we are at church or when we are saying words in a prayer...... it will sound nice when we are comforting and counseling a friend

But when struggles strike in our lives and pain happens- head knowledge that God is with us will be little comfort or rest

It won’t anchor us

Imagine this:

If you just won the big game, or absolutely crushed it during that major performance, or received that great news that you’ve been awaiting for all this time, what would mean more: “To get a Facebook or Instagram message from me saying, “Congrats bro” .... or coming off the field, stage, or out of the room and seeing me there with a smile sayin’ “Soo excited!!!”

If something heartbreaking or tragic happened in your life- what would mean more: if I sent you a “best wishes” card (I’m praying for you during this difficult time), or if I showed up to your house, knocked on the door, and gave you a hug??

You see, we don’t simply read and have knowledge that “God is with us” .... we experience and then intimately believe that God is with us

Let this sink in: God is with us

God is with you- right here, right now.

He is with you. He is over, underneath, beside, between. He is within you.

Just think- how would believing that change the way you think? The things you do? The things you say? How you live??

In my own experience, I get up here often to teach God’s Word. What if I believed God was with me? Would I spend less time saying what Lance has to say and move over for God to speak?

Would I be more bold? Would I be more in awe and worship? Would I ask “What is He going to do next?” Would I be less anxious and nervous?

How about for us collectively?

Would you be less anxious and worried?

Would you continue to do the things you do? The things you know you shouldn’t?

Would you do more of the things you know you ought to?

Would you get lost more in love and wonder of Him?

Would you be afraid as much?

Would you say the same things you do? Would you say different things to your friends?

Would you sit more in the quiet, in the silence, asking God to do something? To work? To use you?