“When you go out to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them for the Lord your God is with you who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
– Deuteronomy 20:1
Deuteronomy 20:1 is a great verse as God’s people prepare to enter into the promised land and they know that battles await and God says to them, “You’re going to see horses and chariots and armies that are larger than your own and you’re going to be intimidated and overwhelmed. And you’re going to think there’s no way, but do not be afraid. Why? Because the Lord your God is with you.” And then he reminds them, “The Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt,” miraculously through plague after plague after plague, through a Red Sea that he split in half. If God is with you, nothing can stand against you.
Don’t Have Fear, God Is Always With You
Remember, the Lord your God is with you and you have nothing to fear.
And there was obviously clear application for God’s people in the Book of Deuteronomy and Joshua as they enter in the promised land, but I want you to think about this reality in your life today. I don’t know what you’re walking through. I don’t know what challenges you are facing. I don’t know what you are tempted to be afraid of right now.
Deuteronomy 20:1 Praises God For His Presence With Us In Every Situation
And even as I say that, God is just speaking to my own heart in a fresh way. Remember, the Lord your God is with you and you have nothing to fear. When you just receive that word from him, if God is for you, nothing can stand against you. So we pray, God, in every situation, our greatest need is you. Our greatest need is you, and not for you to be on our side, but for us to be on your side. We want to be where you are. We want to stand on your word. We want to live as a reflection of your character. We want to walk in obedience to you. We want to experience your blessing.
And when we are with you, we know we have nothing to fear. We have no reason for discouragement for the Lord our God is with us. So, God, we praise you for your presence with us. We praise you for your promise of strength and courage and help and mercy for all who trust in you. And I pray that reality over every single person listening to this right now in the middle of whatever they are facing. May they know your presence with them and may they look to you and lean on you knowing that our greatest need in any and every situation is you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
