The Blessing of His Presence (4)

But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called youby your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I amthe LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” Isaiah 43.1-3

Beyond our strength
Christians are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our strength. This is the very reason why the faith of so many Christians is shallow, unreal, and lacking in fruit. We are not loving God, to the extent we love Him at all, even in our own strength – not, at least, so that we serve Him faithfully as conduits of blessing to the people in our Personal Mission Fields. And we fail to realize that there is strength in the presence of the Lord to enable us to go beyond our strength into greater degrees of strength, so that our love for God increases continually, filling our souls and everyday lives with the presence of Jesus Christ (Eph. 3.20).

So often, in the everyday situations of our lives, we fail to overcome the temptations, trials, and other tests that come our way, because we rest in our own strength rather than draw on the strength of the Lord which takes us beyond our strength and through our circumstances from the vantage point of His presence with us. Here’s what happens: We find ourselves confronted by some difficult or troubling situation – some problem at work or home, or some larger issue of culture or society. We apply all our intellectual, emotional, and physical strength to overcome this challenge, by words and deeds in some combination. But nothing changes. The situation continues. We begin to feel frustrated, angry, anxious, resentful, fearful, or depressed. Then we focus on these emotions, trying to overcome them by some means, but usually failing. These affections thus increase and multiply, exacerbating the situation which summoned them, and we go seeking some diversion or distraction to rekindle our sense of wellbeing, all the while failing to discover the overcoming strength of the Lord because we do not flee to His presence.

Our responses toward others, meanwhile, do not refract the overcoming joy and pleasure of the Lord, but too often leave others feeling confused, offended, unedified, and unblessed. Our strength to love God having failed us, the strength of God’s love does not reach those to whom He has sent us for blessing.

Strength like Jesus
If we could practice the presence of God with us at such times, we would know strength beyond our own strength, beyond any strength we’ve ever known before, so that the reality of Christ would glow and flow through us, even in difficult and trying situations. Jesus knew the joy of God’s presence even as He hanged on the cross, suffering in great physical anguish and spiritual distress (Heb. 12.1). The joy He knew there gave Him strength beyond His own strength, to endure and do the will of the Father, when His own will might have chosen a more comfortable path.

We see this clearly in Psalm 22. In the first half of the Psalm (vv. 1-21) the Savior rehearses His pain and suffering. Each stanza, however, ends with renewed focus on the Lord, and renewed resolve to trust in Him and hope for His just and righteous outcome. Then, in the second part of the Psalm (vv. 22-31), the suffering Savior engages in joyous worship and celebration, as He anticipates the blessing of God’s favor and of the world hearing the Good News of His salvation.

Outside-in strength
That kind of strength does not come from within us. It comes outside-in, from the Spirit and Word of God, doing within us exceedingly abundantly beyond anything we’ve ever known before, as we rest in the presence of the Lord and allow His overcoming strength to grow in and flow out from us (Eph. 3.20).

God is with us always, ready to lend His strength to help us overcome in our times of need. We access that strength as Jesus did, by setting our minds on the promises of God, opening our mouths in praise and thanksgiving, and taking whatever next step of faith will lead us beyond our own strength into the overcoming strength of the Lord. Thus, from within the presence of the Lord, we are stretched beyond ourselves into new thoughts and plans, new affections, and new next steps of faith, as He Who makes all things new makes His presence known through us.

Practicing the presence of the Lord can be a source of great overcoming strength, but not as long as we try to live our Christian lives in our own strength alone. Love God with all your strength; then, enter His presence and plead with Him for more strength to love, obey, and serve Him every day. When trials and challenges come, look to Jesus, forsake the easy and safe comfort of your storm-tossed vessel, and step out on the waves of promise in the overcoming strength that comes from being in the presence of the Lord.

For reflection
1.  How do you typically respond to trials, challenges, and provocations?

2.  What does it mean to love God with all our strength? Do you believe that more strength is available to you in the presence of the Lord? Explain.

3.  What does it mean for you to “step out on the waves of promise” as you work your Personal Mission Field?

Next steps – Transformation: What’s one thing you can do to increase and improve your practice of the Lord’s presence each day? Ask a friend to pray for you as you take up this improved discipline.

T. M. Moore

This is part 5 of a 5-part series, Living toward the Promises. You can download this week’s study as a free PDF, suitable for personal or group use, by clicking here. You can learn more about living toward the promises of God by ordering a copy of the book, I Will Be Your God, from our online store (click here).

We invite you to register for the free online course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview. In this course, we provide a sweeping panorama of how life in the Kingdom of God unfolds in an age in flight from God such as ours. Set your own schedule and study at your own pace. Learn more, and register for One in Twelve, by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.