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There is nothing as dangerous and unfulfilling in any move and in any endeavor as seeking to move without the presence of the Lord. The God Who alone is the Strength of Israel is the Strength of your life and His presence with you in any move you will have to make in life is the guarantee you have for victory. Those who understand this as the bedrock of victory will not make any move until they are sure of the presence of the Lord.
After the Israelites left Egypt; they found so much comfort in Horeb, but that was not the place divinely earmarked for them. God spoke to Moses and told him how that they had dwelt so long on Mount Horeb and it was time for them to make progress towards the Promised Land. Moses knew the importance of moving with the presence of the Lord. He knew there were going to be lots of challenges on the way; but, he wasn’t scared, because he knew that with the presence of the Lord, they were going to surmount every obstacle.
The only condition he put forth before the Lord, to necessitate their movement anchored on the presence on the Lord. He told the Lord – “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence” Exodus 33:15. Moses was not ready to move until he received an assurance of the presence of the Lord: The Lord told him – “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest”. It is not enough to make a move; in whose strength are you moving? Is it on the strength of self will or in the centre of God’s will? Is it in the premise of a promise made by a friend or an uncle somewhere or in the strength of the Word God gave to you?
Having an assurance of God’s presence with you is one and working to preserve the presence of the Lord with you is another thing altogether. Whatever God’s Word guarantees for you; God’s presence will be there to deliver it to you. The issue is not so much with the presence of the Lord; because, God’s presence is certain.
The big issue is in your readiness to preserve God’s presence in your life. The presence of the Lord will not dwell where sin reigns. Samson got up from the laps of a prostitute seeking to display God’s power, not knowing that the presence of the Lord had left him. Holiness is the key to preserving God’s presence; without it, you cannot see God at work.
