Mensa Otabil - God Is With You (10/11/2025)
First Kings chapter 8, verse 57: May the Lord our God be with us as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us. This was part of Solomon’s prayer as he dedicated the temple in Jerusalem. For many years they had been building this temple, desiring to build it, and then finally completing it. Solomon dedicates the temple, but he did not see the temple as God; he saw it as representing God’s presence. So he prayed, «Lord, as we see this temple and come to worship here, let us be reminded that You are with us. We cannot replace God with buildings, with things, or even with men of God. God is God all by Himself, and the buildings we worship in just remind us of His presence.»
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the same assurance that He is going to be with us through the Holy Spirit. Yet, even with that assurance, sometimes we lose focus and our foundation when we are buffeted and kicked by difficulties. Many of us wake up in the morning with a lot of anxiety, especially if you live in a bustling capital like Accra or some of the other African capitals and cities where there is so much traffic and stress. You wake up and face life with stress, and all of a sudden, you forget that God is with you.
Many of us wake up with all kinds of questions: Will I get sick? Will I be okay? Will I be fired? Will my job be there? Will I be able to buy things for my kids? Will my car start this morning? And on and on we go through these anxieties. By the time you’re halfway through the morning, you’re so weary, so down. Remember, God is with you. It doesn’t mean there will be no trouble, but always remember God in the midst of all the anxieties, worries, and concerns. Remember that God is with you, and don’t poison your mind and heart with all kinds of worries and anxieties that drain your peace. Instead of having the peace of God, you have fear.
Remember, just as faith releases the power of God, fear releases all kinds of negative forces in our lives. When you face life with fear and anxiety, nothing goes right; even things that were working out can turn out badly. We have to walk by faith. You may say, «Pastor, that’s difficult.» I know it’s difficult; I struggle to walk by faith. Everybody struggles to walk by faith. The apostles of Jesus struggled to walk by faith, and the people of Israel struggled to walk by faith. But God expects us to walk by faith. In spite of our struggles, He says, «You have to trust Me. I am with you.»
Even if you don’t feel His presence, I assure you, He is with you. I just want to let you know that God is with you. He is a faithful God, and He is always with you. You may not feel His presence; you may not think He’s near, but He is always with you. It is His pledge to you, His commitment to you, and His covenant with you that He will not leave you. If you are His child, He is with you, no matter what you go through this week or for the many days ahead. Remember, God is with you. Today, we choose to live a faith-filled life instead of a life full of anxiety, worry, and uncertainty. God is with you.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I know You are with me. I reject the spirit of fear and embrace the spirit of faith. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»