The Promise of His Presence

 Scripture:

“Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Paul says here in the closing of his second letter to the Corinthians to be joyful, grow and become mature, encourage each other and live in harmony and peace, then God will be with you. He promises God’s presence when we operate in joy, maturity, encouragement, harmony, and peace. Most of these are found in the listing of the fruit of the Spirit, but we are promised God’s presence when we walk in these things.

Application:

We must ask ourselves, am I joyful? Am I growing to maturity? Am I an encourager? Do I live in harmony and peace? These things will cause God to be with us. He didn’t say fasting and prayer, and destroying the flesh, although these are good and necessary. He didn’t tell us to conduct spiritual warfare in this passage against the enemy. He told us walk in joy, maturity, encouragement, harmony, and peace.

Prayer:

Father, help me to keep life and ministry simple. Let me be real to the core. Let Your joy fill my life. Let Your love fill my life. Mature me and help me to grow in my walk with You every day. Help me to be a peace keeper and a harmony builder. I long for Your presence. Let me be an example of how Jesus lived on this earth.

Forever Yours,

Jeff