The Bible teaches that God desires to be with humanity in a deep, personal and intimate way. The theme of God’s presence with His people runs throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Here are some key things the Bible reveals about what it means that God is with us:
God is always present through His Spirit
After Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to be present with and in believers forever (John 14:16-17). God’s Spirit lives in every Christian, guiding, convicting, empowering, and producing His fruit in them (Romans 8:9, Galatians 5:22-23). This means God is always with His people through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is God with us
One of the prophetic names for the coming Messiah was “Immanuel”, meaning “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23). This points to the incarnation of Jesus as the ultimate expression of God’s presence. Jesus is the perfect image and fullness of God in bodily form (Colossians 1:15, 2:9). In becoming one of us through the incarnation, Jesus powerfully demonstrated that God is with us.
God promises to be present with His people
All throughout Scripture, God promises His continuous presence with His people. After delivering Israel from Egypt, God promises Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). Before Jesus ascends, He assures His disciples, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God’s emphatic promises to be with His people are an incredible source of comfort, confidence and strength.
God dwells among His people
A key aspect of God being with us is that He dwells and tabernacles with His people. In the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelt in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 40:34-38, 1 Kings 8:10-11). Now, God dwells in the bodies of believers both individually and corporately as the church (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 2:21-22). Amazingly, the day will come when God will dwell face-to-face with His people in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21:3).
God will never leave or forsake His people
One of God’s most comforting promises is that He will never abandon His people. Deuteronomy 31:6 declares, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” God does not always spare His people from hardship and suffering, but He promises to walk through it with them and never withdraw His presence.
God’s presence brings great blessing
God’s presence with His people brings tremendous blessing and favor. When Moses pleads for God’s presence, God responds, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14). David longs to dwell in God’s house to “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” and be sheltered and satisfied by His presence (Psalm 27:4). As believers walk closely with God, His presence is the greatest gift imaginable.
God desires deep intimacy with His people
Throughout Scripture, God demonstrates that He is not some distant deity but a God who desires deep intimacy and friendship with His people. In Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). In John 15, Jesus calls his disciples friends and not servants. He makes it clear that He wants His people to abide in close relationship with Him.
God’s presence requires holiness and obedience
For people to enjoy the blessing of God’s presence, they must live in holiness and obedience. After Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf, God refuses to go with them lest He destroy them (Exodus 33:3). Repeatedly in Scripture, those who long for God’s presence are called to repentance, spiritual renewal and living uprightly (Psalm 15, 24:3-6, Hebrews 12:14). Closeness with God requires clean hands and a pure heart.
God’s presence requires faith and seeking Him
For people to experience God’s powerful presence, they must have faith and passionately seek Him. The writer of Hebrews states, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Enjoying God’s presence requires resolutely drawing near to Him in dependent faith.
God’s presence brings transformation
As people draw close to God, His presence works to transform them. Moses’ face shone with the glory of God’s presence (Exodus 34:29). The more believers behold God’s glory in Scripture, prayer and worship, the more they are changed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). God’s presence sanctifies His people and makes them shine with His glory.
God’s presence provides guidance and direction
A key way God expresses His presence with His people is by providing wisdom, guidance and direction. Psalm 73:24 declares, “You guide me with your counsel.” Jesus promises that the Spirit of truth “will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13). As believers walk closely with God, He leads them step-by-step.
God’s presence brings joy, peace and comfort
Being with God brings tremendous joy, peace and comfort amidst the trials of life. David finds in God a joy that far surpasses earthly pleasures (Psalm 16:11). Isaiah promises, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). Believers throughout the ages have found incredible comfort and strength in God’s presence.
God desires His presence among all peoples
While Israel enjoyed the privilege of God’s presence under the Old Covenant, Jesus made it clear that God desires people of all nations to know Him. Jesus calls believers to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), and promises to be with them as they fulfill this mission (Matthew 28:18-20). God wants His presence known among people of every tribe, tongue and nation.
The knowledge of God’s presence anchors our souls
In times of hardship and suffering, the knowledge that God is with us serves to anchor our souls. Habakkuk declares his trust that though the crops fail and flocks perish, yet he will rejoice in God his Savior (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Believers can have joy in suffering because they know God is with them and will sustain them.
God’s presence should continually be sought
Since God’s presence brings such abundant blessing, believers should continually seek after it. The Psalms are filled with David’s cries to know God and His presence more deeply (Psalms 27, 63). Jesus tells us to keep asking, seeking and knocking to enjoy greater measures of God’s presence and power (Matthew 7:7-8). All believers must continually seek to grow in intimacy with God.
God’s presence requires single-hearted devotion
For people to fully enjoy God’s presence, He requires their single-hearted devotion. God refused to tolerate Israel’s idolatry because He is a jealous God who wants His people’s undivided hearts (Exodus 20:5). Jesus repeatedly warns that no one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Experiencing God’s powerful presence requires loving Him above all else.
God’s presence requires surrender and yielding
People cannot enjoy closeness with God while living according to their own plans and agendas. Surrendering control to God is key to experiencing His presence. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” As believers yield their wills fully to Christ, they will know His presence in greater measure.
God’s presence requires faith in Christ
The only way sinful people can know God’s presence is through faith in Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). God’s manifest presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies, which foreshadowed that now only through Christ’s sacrifice can believers have intimate access to God.
God’s presence will one day be fully realized
While Christians now only know God’s presence in part, the day is coming when they will experience it fully. When Christ returns, He will usher believers into face-to-face communion with God for eternity (1 Corinthians 13:12). The glorious truth that the sin which separates people from God will be no more means God’s presence will one day be perfectly experienced forever.
The incredible promise that God is with His people encompasses many profound theological truths. As believers seek to understand and experience God’s presence more deeply by applying these truths, they will be incredibly strengthened and satisfied. The knowledge that the God of the universe is intimately with His people changes everything.