The Power of Presence
Israel’s victories were never secured by strength or strategy, but by the light of God’s presence—a truth that still exposes the danger of self-reliance.
By Steve Wilkins
The Power of Presence
For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
For You favored them.
—Psalm 44:3
“…and the light of Your presence.”
AAAAuuuugggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! There is so much power in that phrase!
Yes, His hand and His arm were necessary—but the overcoming power was not merely in what God did, but in where God was. Victory flowed from His presence.
It is significant that Israel was never defeated in battle during their time in the wilderness while God’s presence dwelt among them—except for the one moment when He explicitly told them that He would not go with them. It was His presence that made the difference.
The Sons of Korah remind us in Psalm 44 that Israel’s victories—including the conquest of the Promised Land—were never the result of Israel’s strength. They were secured only because God’s presence went with them. Again and again, Scripture insists on this truth: left to themselves, the people were unable to take the land. Their place in the world was established by the hand—and the nearness—of God.
That lesson does not remain in Israel’s past.
When I consider the course of my own life, it becomes clear that whatever good has taken place has come through God’s direct intervention. By contrast, the painful seasons I have walked through so often trace back to moments when I chose my way instead of His.
A pattern emerges. When life grows difficult, I turn naturally to God. I depend on Him, and He carries me through. But when things ease—when life feels manageable—I quietly return to trusting my own wisdom. And inevitably, that self-reliance leads me back into another season of struggle.
I do not want to live that cycle anymore.
It is Your presence—not my effort, insight, or resolve—that secures my place within Your will.
A Closing Prayer
Gracious God,
Keep me near You.
When life is hard, draw me to depend on You.
When life is easy, keep me from drifting away.
Teach me to value Your presence above success, comfort, or control.
Let my life be shaped not by my strength, but by Your nearness.
Amen.