10 Hope-Filled Bible Verses About God Being With Us
The angel watches over us from her crooked perch atop the Christmas tree, and it takes everything within me not to climb on top of the TV stand to straighten her out. Could it be that Immanuel, God with us, smiles at our efforts to celebrate his birth? Today, we’ll explore 10 encouraging Bible verses about God being with us and learn to apply these truths to our everyday moments.
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For several years now, I’ve been pondering some of the last words ever recorded by John Wesley. Wesley looked back on his life and remarked, “The best of all is, God is with us.”
God with us.
Matthew 1:23 records the birth of Christ and reads, “And they shall call his name Immanuel, which means God with us.”
People are talking about Immanuel this time of year. They’re singing about him and holding candles while children wait to dive into piles of gifts wrapped in shining paper. He has come: Immanuel, God with us.
Bible Verses About God Being With Us
As I’ve pondered Immanuel throughout the past season, I’m struck by the fact that Matthew both begins and concludes his gospel with this concept of God with us.
Matthew mentions Isaiah’s prophecy that Jesus will be called Immanuel in the first chapter of his gospel.
Nearly 30 chapters later, he concludes with the final words spoken by Jesus before his ascension into heaven: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Matthew begins with an introduction to Immanuel, and he concludes with the promise that Immanuel is still with us.
Let’s look at 10 additional Bible verses about God being with us.
10 Bible Verses About God Being With Us
1. Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
When Jesus came to earth, God came to dwell among us. We are loved so deeply that our God left is heavenly throne to step into a human body and live among us. This is love.
2. Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God wants his peace to surround you. The key to experiencing his peace is to surrender your worries to him and talk to him about all things.
3. 1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
If you love God, he abides in you! The Living God comes and makes his dwelling within you. This is a wonderful promise.
4. John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
The greatest demonstration of love is for a parent to allow harm to come to his child on behalf of another person. God demonstrated his love for us when he allowed Jesus to die for us. The Holy Spirit now dwells in the heart of everyone who believes this and follows Jesus.
5. Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
This is a message for all of God’s children.
At times, we turn our backs on him. Meanwhile, Jesus pursues us. He wants a relationship with all of his children. Have you responded to him as he knocks at the door of your heart?
6. Revelation 21:3
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
One day, God will create a new earth. We will all dwell with him, face-to-face, for eternity.
7. Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
God is with you, and he wants to direct your life. Find his direction by asking him to help you trust him more, seeking his wisdom instead of relying on human understanding, and looking to him always. He will guide you.
8. Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
God’s presence is like a light for our paths. Trust that because God is with you, you don’t need to live in fear.
9. Deuteronomy 31:8
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
This verse is a wonderful promise. God will never leave you or forsake you.
I encourage you to memorize this verse and speak it when you feel alone and forsaken. God will never abandon you.
10. Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Are you facing a difficult situation in your life?
God is with you. He will help you cross the raging rivers of life and walk through every fire with you.
Let’s Apply These Bible Verses About God Being With Us to Our Lives
In a sermon on Immanuel, Timothy Keller justified spending an entire sermon on just one word in this way: “Some people have spent their entire lives on that word and have not considered it enough time.”
Something moved in my heart after sitting under this teaching and pondering these verses. I decided to make a list of the times and places I saw Immanuel, God with us, show up in my ordinary life.
I started by seeing him in sunrises, smiles from strangers, steaming mugs of coffee, and more.
As the weeks wore on, I realized he was there in the midst of the beauty, but he was also in the pain. He was there when we stood over the freshly shoveled earth after saying goodbye to the puppy we lost.
He was there when we refused to take offense that he permitted her death. Immanuel was there when the doctor handed us difficult news. He was there when we were down and out with the virus we couldn’t seem to shake.
I soon realized that watching for Immanuel changed everything. Here are a few of the shifts I discovered as I sought his face:
1. Realizing God is with us frees us from fear.
When we realize that Immanuel is always with us, we are set free to live without fear.
We don’t need to fear a bad prognosis, sudden disaster, or worst-case scenario because we trust that even if the worst-case scenario becomes reality, our Shepherd will stick with us through the valley.
2. Recognizing God’s presence helps us be more thankful and joyful.
As we watch for the Lord, he opens our eyes to the abundance of his gifts surrounding us (see James 1:17). We stop taking butterflies, fields of wildflowers, snowy winter mornings, and sunsets for granted.
Seeing God’s hand in all things opens our hearts to praise him and live with gratitude. Greater gratitude always yields greater joy.
3. Paying attention to God’s presence brings rest and peace.
When I forget that Immanuel is with me, I tend to take matters into my own hands. I try to control outcomes. I am anxious and strive for perfection.
However, as I learn to see God amid my struggles, I can rest in him. I trust that he will fulfill his promise to work all things for my good and his glory.
This sort of trust leads me to a sacred kind of rest. I rest in him as I trust that nothing will reach me without passing through his protective wings first.
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Quotes:
https://www.thoughtco.com/who-was-john-wesley-700975
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEvGGG297yg
