I am with You Always

by Terry Wane Benton

Perhaps no promise is more empowering than the assurance that we can handle anything because God promises to be with us. When the apostles, a rag-tag looking bunch of common men, were told to preach to all the world and start at Jerusalem, it had to be an intimidating sight for these men to see the crowd of Jews, many of whom had participated in the judgment and execution of Jesus just a few weeks earlier, gathered on the day of Pentecost.

That these men would testify to the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection in the face of this crowd is almost hard to believe. They testified with great credibility because God was with them as He had promised. They had the truth and God.

Paul writes from prison to persecuted Christians in Colossae. He urges them to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). Paul knew that he could handle prison and encourage the brethren because the Lord promised to be with him, and he wanted the brethren to remember that the promise is also for them.

Again, Paul wrote the Philippian brethren who were being persecuted. Again, he told them not to be anxious for anything. Take it to God in prayer while thanking God, and the peace of God “shall guard your hearts and minds”(Philippians 4:4-8), and again, testifying to his firm confidence in the Lord’s promise by saying “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Brethren, face your fears with confidence that you and the Lord will be able to handle each challenge of each day. What a difference it makes to trust that the Lord is with you and no Goliath (huge-looking obstacle) is nearly what fear would make it out to be. The Lord is with us when we are with Him. Go with God!