Today I would like to share the grace of God with you under the title, “For I Am with You.” As we live our lives, we have various fears. God said, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isa. 41:10) An uncertain future surrounds us. Wherever we look we can’t tell what our future will be. Therefore, we can’t help being restless and irritated with an uncertain future in our hearts. Luke 12:22 says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” Matthew 6:29-30 says, “Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” As our God clothes the flower of the field, He encourages us by saying that He will also clothe us who are created in His image and likeness. The fear and anxiety concerning our uncertain future robs us of joy and happiness in life. However, God is saying to us, “As you try to prepare for your future on your own, it makes you fearful. I take full charge of your future. Rely on Me!” 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” As God prepares everything we need in advance, He says that we need to commit it to Him as the Holy Spirit will guide us. When we meet God personally, we can overcome fear. As we realize and believe and rely on this God who becomes our Father God who takes good care of us, we can overcome all kinds of fear. When we look at David’s intence experience, he was attacked by a lion or a bear as he tended his father’s sheep; he relied on God and resisted them and cast them away or killed them all. 1 Samuel 17:34-35 says, “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.’” This appears in the scene of the confrontation between David and Goliath. When Israel and the Philistines confronted each other in war, the Israelites were in great fear because they were overwhelmed by the Philistine general Goliath, and David a mere seventeen year old boy boldly moved forward to fight for Israel. 1 Samuel 17:36-37 says, “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you." Even though God is alive, if we do not get acquainted with Him personally, we can’t depend on Him. Only when we experience the living Word of God, we can have a powerful faith. When we are depressed by worries and anxiety, restlessness and irritation and despair in the path of our lives, we should not depend on any other, other than God. Only when we rely on Jesus Christ and cry out to Him through prayer, He will be our Way. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, there will be a way in our hearts. When we depend on the Lord Jesus, He will open a way for us. No matter how difficult our situation may be when we meet Jesus we can overcome any fear and get victory. David said. “The battle is the Lord’s.” He had a strong conviction that he already won the battle. Deuteronomy 3:22 says, “Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you." 1 Samuel 17:47 says, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." Our whole life is already in God’s hands. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” Human beings can’t preside over their own lives. It is because God has perfect control over human life and death and fortune and misfortune. If God blesses us, even those slow walkers can win the race. Blessed weak people can also become winners. Even those who lack wisdom and intelligence can become affluent people. When we are afraid, we should trust in God. After David defeated Goliath, it was a meteoric rise to fame for him among the Israelites. However, as David became more popular, King Saul became jealous of him and tried to kill him. Thus David turned into a fugitive overnight. One day as David entered into the territory of the Philistines to escape from Saul’s hot pursuit, his life was at stake when his enemies recognized him. As his life was in danger, how desperate David was at that time! However, even in the critical moment when fear overwhelmed him, David determined to rely on God only. Psalm 56:3-4 says, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” When God is with us, mortal man can do nothing to us. Therefore, to overcome fear, we should rely on God. Only with experiential knowledge of God we can live a victorious life. Even if we look to God and hear many things about Him, we should experience Him personally to believe in Him. Therefore, some may ask what use the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues may have. But when we are baptized by the Holy Spirit and begin to speak in tongues, we can experience God and faith will follow us. When Jesus was crucified on the cross, His disciples all deserted Him. Even Peter turned his back against Jesus and went fishing. Christianity may have seemed to be demolished and on the verge of being broken up. However, when the day of Pentecost came, as the Holy Spirit came upon them, all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. As they experienced God this way, their faith began to bubble up! Once scattered disciples, now gathered together and preached Jesus Christ! With this living faith by vivid experience, the Early Church preached the gospel around the world even in that hard and difficult situation. Now you believe in Jesus so you must experience Him. Yoido Full Gospel Church has been known across Korea and around the world because of our united prayer calling “Lord!” three times and the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:2 says, “and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’" What kind of faith did they have? However, they were asked,“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “Yes, of course. We received the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues as the Spirit enables us.” “You have real faith.” We can be filled with the Holy Spirit even though we can’t speak in other tongues. But only through experience can we have powerful faith; even if the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are unable to know whether He comes or goes if we do not speak in other tongues. Therefore, speaking in other tongues is firmly required. I pray that you believe in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit and speak in other tongues as its evidence. Matthew 7:9-11 says, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” In this way we must experience God. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." God loves us enormously. The more we believe in God, the greater we overcome fear. God is Almighty God. However, nowadays, so many Christians do not believe that God is almighty and tremble with fear when they face troubles and problems. Pastor J.B. Philips said in his book, titled, “Your God is Too small,” “The size of your life depends on that of God you believe.” The smaller our faith is, the less our victory will be. “It will be done according to your faith!” No matter how small or great our faith may be, our knowledge of God must be experiential. The greater our experience of God is, the bigger our faith will be. When we move forward with faith in God, the power of God will manifest in our lives. Isaiah 43:1 says, “But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” Please repeat after me, “I am God’s.” Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” God is a good God. When we follow our good God, something good can’t help but happen to us! You know, Psalm 91:1-7 are wonderful and terrific. Let us read together. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.” Hallelujah! When we recognize God and accept Him in our deep hearts and confess Him with our mouths, great changes will come to our lives. If we live with God in our daily lives, God is with us. When we experience God’s presence by faith, our faith will be strengthened. Pray to God to experience Him vividly. After you experience faith, you will become much stronger and strengthened and bolder. You can say, “God is with me now!” We can live not just with mere words but with the practice of our faith in this life.