The Presence of God is never far from us. In every decision and every endeavour those who belong to God, have him as our forever companion. This we know theoretically but it’s when we are amid decisions and missions, we get to experience how important presence is.
All we truly need is His presence and it does not require us to search for it. The confidence you obtain because of God’s presence during your decision-making or on the cusp of a new mission makes the difference between walking alone and being led. Most people are afraid to do something new or different. Many of us have anxiety when moving into unchartered territory, but anxiety with God's presence results in progress. Fear, with God’s presence, equals advancement. With God, you’ll have your way-maker, issue-solver, and strength-giver on every journey and every phase of life.
God was with Joseph; he was successful. Those statements represent a truth known by Joseph as he endured betrayal by his brothers, character defamation by Potiphar’s wife, and oppression in prison. God’s presence makes the difference. However, it only makes a difference for those who have it and rely on it. Reliance is not a head concept but is demonstrated in your words and more so, in your actions.
God’s presence was with his Disciples. After the accession of Jesus to heaven, that’s when the real work started for the Disciples or rather that’s when the test of reliance on God’s presence began. No longer was a physical man with them, but the presence of the promised Holy Spirit was now their companion. The same Spirit that would empower those 'greater works' that Jesus spoke of.
I have come to understand that the greater works we are called to do are not just limited to powerful and miraculous works, but they also mean person-specific work. Your work is your God-given commission and greater than anyone else’s (even Jesus) because you have a task for the people, culture, geography, and generation assigned to you. The volume of our combined individual works for all of life here on earth will be greater than Jesus’s work in His 33-year ministry.
We must remember that one of the Holy Spirit’s purposes is to guide us in the right way and then we’d be more eager to rely on him. My challenge with this reliance is that sometimes I feel I just can’t tell what is me and what’s from Him. In those times, I test my desires against His word, previous ways He's led me, and solid counsel. Whatever your methodology of discovery may be I always encourage Christians to test whether their desires, decisions, and missions are deposited by God or came from elsewhere.
After many hours, days, or months of analysis paralysis, at some point you ought to say, ‘God you are with me and your presence is in me, leading and directing me. Even if I am wrong or this is the wrong path or decision, because your presence never leaves me, you’ll get me back on track. Once I have studied, prayed, and sought godly counsel, the demonstration of my reliance on Christ is in my action. Don't excuse perpetual inaction.
Noah wasn’t afraid of ridicule from his peers or even if he was, he withstood it, because the ark was completed and mankind was saved. When God's presence intimated ‘I am with you’, that was all Noah needed.
Moses was a prince, coward, and mighty leader in his life’s story. Even when his emotions or dispositions changed and his circumstances transformed from a basket on the Nile, to royal living and wilderness desperation, God’s presence was with him. Sometimes, I ask God to make the answer to some situations obvious for me like He did for Moses in the burning bush but He's made it abundantly clear just as He did with Moses, that he is with us by the Holy Spirit in us.
I want you to know as I remind myself, that Christians who have God and who know God, are led by Him and are never left by Him. He is with you in your righteous acts and your fleshly stumbles. He is with you in confident moments and He is with you in the valley of doubt and indecision.
Truth be told, there are many aspects of life where I wonder how unbelievers make it, how I coped in my pre-Jesus days and made it through without that reliance on God and the things that only He and His Presence can provide. I know though that all the strength and endurance we muster are from God whether it is acknowledged or not.
New missions and decisions are two of those scenarios where I just know we’d be in a cycle of confusion and chaos without Him.
God’s presence is all the confidence we need to move. Don’t be afraid, rely on His presence and move.
Love Ya!
Krystal Baynes-Hoseinee
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