Lay Hold of God's Presence

Lay hold of God’s presence

In verse 9, we read: “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I can just see this interchange between Joshua and the Lord. God says to Joshua, “Go and take the land I am giving you.” And Joshua asks, “How do I do that, Lord?”
“First, be strong and courageous and lay firmly hold of My promises.”
“Okay, Lord, now what?”
“Be strong and courageous. Lay hold of My patterns for life.”
“Got it, Lord. What else?”
“Be strong and of good courage, Joshua. And lay hold of...Me.”

No wonder Moses said, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” (Ex. 33:15). Israel had miracles. They had manna. But they cried out, “Lord, we want You. If we’ve got You, all the rest of this stuff takes care of itself.” Because it’s God who gives the promise and the ability to possess it. And His purpose is that you and I lay hold of tomorrow not merely for our own gratification but also that we, like Joshua, will then help other people find what God has for them: “To this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to give them.

I want to repeat a statement here... "Because it's God who gives the promise and the ability to possess it."

All of the promises in the Word of God, are ours to have. But do we realize that with that promise, God also gives us the ability to possess it. We are given a gift called "response." Do you respond to His promise, His pattern, but also to His presence. Do we come into His presence to respond to Him? I am not talking a hit and run realtionship with God, I am speaking of "TIME" spent in His presence.

Along with the word "response" I want to use the word "obedience." Have you ever considered that in His presence, we not only respond to Him, but we must be obedient to Him? Maybe we could state it this way, "We respond with obedient love." We are covered by the One Who loves us. There is nothing we face that He has not provided for us. We must come to Him, and recieve His promises, come recieving His Word, His pattern, and come recieving His presence...