Immanuel — God With You

And the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt (magnify) you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be WITH you.” Joshua‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬

When I landed on this scripture last week, emphasis was drawn to the word ‘with.’ Being a Christmas season, Matthew 1:23 was at the back of my mind. We have crammed the phrase of what Immanuel means … but have we mined the depths of it!?

Our theme scripture states that God was with Joshua as He was with Moses. If He split the red sea with Moses, it’s no wonder that He split the Jordan with Joshua. Different cast, same God! That meant there was no need wishing Moses was around! His God was!

And just as He said He’d magnify Joshua, may He magnify you! For that was the basis for the rest to know that God was with him. If God is indeed with you, you must have one or more scenarios that shook you as well, to fear Him more: testimonies that you tell while afraid which provoke even more criticism and questions.

That is what magnification is!

Besides that point, Him with you implies that just as He was with Abraham, He makes a covenant with you too. Or that He can! He fulfills His promise to you as well. If He ensured that Moses’ strength didn’t diminish nor his eyesight dim at 120, He can repeat that anti-aging with you!

It implies that just as He was a friend to David, He can be your friend too. Just as He was with Esther, He will force favor to gravitate towards you. Just as He was with Jacob, He will cause you to profit under any Laban system. You won’t be cheated! You will leave with more than what you came with.

Just as He breathed on the dry bones by Ezekiel, He does — any dead thing in your life … if only you prophesy to it!

Just like He was with Israel, He causes your enemies to fight themselves, and you? — you’ll only gather the loot and spoil! Just as He didn’t leave Lazarus in death, He won’t with you! Just as He granted grace to Peter and mercy to Paul — just as He made articles that touched them to heal, and their shadows to rebuke sickness, He does for you!

Same God, different cast!

It is true He is the same yesterday, today and forever! It is us to shift our meditations to realize that He who did all these marvelous things is the same and WITH us now! If He fought for the justice of the woman caught in adultery, what makes you think He can’t for you?

If He trusted Peter again after the cock crowed, what makes you think He won’t give you a second or third or fourth chance! O Immanuel: This God is with you!

If He was with the apostles and in their persecution — if He appeared to Saul and blinded him, and caused him to repent — He is with you, He will save those you are praying for to receive salvation!

O Immanuel: This God is with you! Both as company for the fragile and sad moments, and might for the showing off His power to this generation!

The maker of all you see and not … is WITH you! How can you fail? How can you be insignificant? How can you be hopeless? — Impossible! Sarah received that child! Even widows like Ruth got married again into even better covenants! That is God for you!

He was with Abraham, and told Him ‘blessing He’d bless Him. Multiplying He’d multiply Him.’ He told Abraham that He’d make His name great … and have we not read of Abraham’s greatness for millennia?! He made Moses and David great! All He was in covenant with had wells of greatness accompanying!

And He is WITH you! Ahhh … You inevitably have to be great! To the glory of His name!

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Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God WITH us.” Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭23‬

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭

Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord. Haggai‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬