GOD IS WITH US

Pastor Nathan had a great message today to start out the first Sunday of the new year beginning with this phrase….If God is not going, I’m not going, but if God is going, I’m going! In 2026, God is leading us to places we’ve never been before, and it will be critical that we learn to follow the Holy Spirit. For people to go forward in faith, they want the assurance that God is with them as we can see in the example left for us by Moses.

In Exodus, as God led the Israelites, they saw miracle after miracle from the parting of the Red Sea to eating manna from Heaven. When they left Egypt, they were rich with gold and silver, and yet they took that blessing and fashioned their own god in the form of the golden calf. Needless to say, God was not pleased. He instructed Moses to continue to lead the Israelites into the promised land, but He also told Moses He would not be going with them. Can you imagine how Moses must have felt?

“Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.” Exodus 33:15-18 One valuable lesson we can learn from this passage is that we all need God’s favor and the world needs to see God’s favor upon us. People will take notice of a life filled with God’s favor and Moses knew this. Moses needed to know God in a greater measure. Moses knew that God’s glory is what changes everything, thus he cried out “show me your glorious presence!” Moses was not disappointed! (Exodus 33:19-23)

As a church and in our personal lives, we desperately need the presence of God. It’s one thing to want God with you in things you want to do. It’s another to want Him with you in things that He wants you to do. When the children of Israel saw that God was with Moses, they were strengthened to continue on in their journey. (Exodus 14:31) Every believer needs a personal revelation that God is with them. In Joshua 3:7-13, Joshua found out that God was with him. When the priests stepped down into the Jordan River while carrying the Ark of the Lord, the waters heaped up. God was with Joshua just as He had been with Moses! “On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.” Joshua 4:14

God may ask us to do things we’ve never attempted before, but God never asks us to do anything alone. We must learn absolute dependence upon God. Pastor Nathan went on to share three quotes from Bishop David Oyedepo who is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Christian charismatic movement in Africa.

1. Wherever God cannot take me, may I never get there.
2. Whatever God cannot give me, may I never have it.
3. What God cannot do, may it remain undone.

In other words, God is the only one who can take us to higher places, give us greater things, and do what man deems impossible. Like Moses said, we are not going without you God!

As we look ahead to 2026, let us remember the words of I Thessalonians 5:24 (AMPC). “Faithful is He who is calling you [to Himself], and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].” The God who calls us is absolutely trustworthy. We cannot fail if God is with us! As we seek to build a strong church, may others echo the words spoken in Zechariah 8:23, “…We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” As a church, our inheritance is the harvest of souls, and the world needs to know that Jesus Christ is Lord. As we walk in His light and let His light so shine through us, we will know and the world will know with all surety that God is with us!