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The joy of God’s presence. Why we should seek Him? Unless you experience it, you are missing the greatest joy there is in God’s presence.
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
(Psalm 16:11 KJV)
In my several years of doing work for God, I have noticed that it was not always a smooth task. In fact a lot of times it was tough and rough. There are times when all you can do is nothing but trust God. But there was always something special about God, His presence is always warm and comforting. When times get tough I could literally cry out to God with the joy in my heart knowing that He never leaves me. God’s presence calms our thoughts and emotions down to the point of making us refocus our thinking of what are the important things in life.
We don’t always have things and situations figured out. We could get overwhelmed trying to do everything on our own. Not until we are bogged down that we come to our senses and realize that there is a loving and caring God who is with us and never leaves us. But a lot of times we are guilty of putting His presence aside and not acknowledging the importance of the gift that He gives through His Son Jesus.
I still marvel at the amazing grace of God and how He demonstrated His love for us through the Lord Jesus. We have access to God’s presence through the Lord Jesus. God is faithful in all of His promises, and we can definitely trust Him to fulfill them.
God is always with us
In my experience I have always been confident once I learned the Word of God and how faithful He is. God knows our daily activities and what we are going through. He even knows what lies ahead, because He is an all knowing God. In the Book of Joshua 1:9 KJV it says: “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
God has commanded us to be strong and courageous in doing the purpose He has called us to do. He promised to be with us wherever we go. If we go back reading on verse 8 God instructed Joshua to obey God’s law and His commandments, and by doing so he “will be prosperous and successful.” Those who obey God’s Word and law will be prosperous and successful in that they possess the wisdom to live righteously and to achieve God’s goal for their lives.
The requirements for prosperity and success are:
- To be strong, courageous and diligent (Joshua 1:6-7).
- To make God’s Word your authoritative guide for all beliefs and actions.
- To study and meditate daily on God’s Word
- Determine to seek earnestly God’s presence throughout your life.
This message to Joshua provides us with a set of general principles for successful living; however, we must never conclude that God is bound to furnish material prosperity to everyone who follows these conditions. Such general principles are not absolute guarantees, for they are subject to God’s higher choices for each of us; sometimes he permits us to undergo suffering and adversity. But even when we go through suffering God in the Book of Isaiah 41:10 KJV says: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
New Testament believers have also become God’s chosen servants (Ephesians 1:3-12; 1 Peter 2:9). We can therefore claim the promises of these verses for ourselves. We must not fear other humans, because God is with us. He impart the grace and strength needed to face all of life’s circumstances. He also helps us through times of crises as our source of peace. God also sustains us and to be our advocate. We can rely on God to keep His promises. He will always be with us and will never forsake us.
God guides and protects His people
When we are weighed down by trials and shaken by the storms of life’s circumstances, we must remember that these are the very conditions that cause our Lord to have compassion on us and to draw near to us so that we may be spiritually strengthened. But God is faithful in His promises, in the Book of Psalm 54:17 KJV it says: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
Even though we suffer through trials and temptations at times, God’s presence is always with us to deliver us on time. We only need to trust Him completely. God allows suffering for us to draw near to God. And I can really testify to this, because in my own life, it was through sufferings that brought me to the presence of God.
Looking back in my past experiences I can see God’s presence so clearly. He delivered me from so many trials. And here is another scripture that I want to share with you and get a hold of, for it is a promise that never changes. In the Book of Isaiah 43:2 KJV it says: “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.”
All the blessings mentioned above apply even more to those who are God’s children through faith in Christ. God has created and redeemed us; we belong to Him, and He knows each one of us by name (Isaiah 43:1). When we pass through trouble and affliction, we will not be destroyed, for he is with us. We are precious and honored in His sight, objects of His great love (Isaiah 43:4).
God comforts His people
There is no question that we all go through sad times. Whether it is due to a loss of a loved one or heartbreaks in relationships, or something we did that causes us to be downcast, we have God’s presence to comfort us. I have been in many situations when no one else but God can really comfort me. There were times when I literally knelt before God’s presence, and asked for His comfort for no one else could do but Him. And all the time God gave me such comfort that I was able to move on from a hole of desperation.
When you are sad and lonely what do you do? Do you resort to something worldly that never gives a satisfying comfort? I have good news, go to God, embrace His presence without limitations. God is just waiting for you to surrender whatever you are dealing with right now. This is the only way that really works. I guarantee it, if you sincerely go to God, He will come to comfort you.
Matthew 5:4 KJV says: “Blessed are they mourn: for they shall be comforted.” To “mourn” is to grieve over our own weakness in relation to God’s standard of righteousness and His kingdom power. It is also to mourn over the things that grieve God, to have our feelings in sympathy with the feelings of God, and to be afflicted in our spirits over the sin, immorality and cruelty manifested in the world. Those who mourn are comforted by receiving from the Father “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Sometimes we go through the process of needing comfort, and once comforted we are then able to also help others to be comforted. We do not comfort them on our own but God through what He has done for us. God’s Word says in the Book of 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 KJV – “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abound by Christ.”
The word “comfort” (Greek word paraklesis) means to stand beside a person, encouraging and helping him or her in a time of trouble. God supremely fulfills this role, for He sends His children the Holy Spirit to comfort them. Paul has learned in his many troubles that no suffering, however severe, can separate believers from the care and compassion of their heavenly Father. God occasionally permits troubles in our lives in order that we, having experienced His comfort, may comfort others in their troubles.
Throughout Paul’s letter, he emphasizes that the Christian life includes both suffering (a sharing or partnership with Christ in suffering) and the comfort of Christ. That is, in this age Christ suffers with and for His people because of the tragedy of sin. Our suffering is not necessarily a suffering because of disobedience, but is often a suffering at the hands of Satan, the world and false believers as we share in the cause of Christ.
I remember in one of my experiences when my life was threatened by the illegal drug pushers, because I was telling their affiliates the Word of God. I was a threat of changing the minds of those young men who were involved with drugs. It was not an easy task, I had to risk my life, but I could not be silent. Satan was getting into my family circle and recruiting the young men in the family to deal illegal drugs. I knew it was not a fight against flesh and blood, but against the forces of evil. I learned to recognize who the real enemies are. Most of the time we look at people as our enemies when in reality it is the devil working through the lives of those who have not surrendered their lives to Christ yet.
In the Book of Psalm 23:4 KJV says: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” In times of danger, difficulty and even death, I fear no evil. Why? Because God is with me in every situation of life. The “rod” (a short club) is a weapon of defense or discipline, symbolizing God’s strength, power and authority. The “staff” (a long slender stick with a hook on one end) is used to draw a sheep close to the shepherd, guide it the right way or rescue it from trouble. God’s rod and staff reassure us of God’s love and guidance in our lives.
