God brought Eve “to be with” Adam.
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (Genesis 3:12)
Being with another means more than being in their physical presence. To be with another speaks of being in union or fellowship with them.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1,2)
When the Lord is with us His favor and blessing is upon us.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. (Genesis 39:2,3)
The wrong people can be attracted to the blessing of God upon our life. They want to be with us for the wrong reasons.
And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. (Genesis 39:10)
God’s presence with His people makes them distinct from all other people.
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. (Exodus 33:14-16)
True success in any endeavor requires that God is with us.
If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. (Numbers 14:8,9)
When the Lord is not with us we are bound for failure.
And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill. (Deuteronomy 1:42,43)
The blessing of the Lord’s provision and protection are ours when the Lord is with us.
For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. (Deuteronomy 2:7)
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 20:1)
David saw many afflictions in his life, but the blessing of the Lord was also evident upon him because God was with him.
And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. (2 Samuel 5:10)
God’s blessing upon us causes some to rejoice with us, and others to fear and envy us.
And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. (1 Samuel 18:12)
And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him. (1 Samuel 18:14)
And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. (1 Samuel 18:28,29)
Despite the “evil” (i.e. trouble) David faced he was able to overcome fear because the Lord was with him.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me … (Psalm 23:4)
Those “with God” are foolish when they envy the temporary prosperity of the wicked, and focus on their own passing afflictions.
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. (Psalm 73:22-24)
We can be with someone outwardly, but not inwardly. Fellowship involves sharing the same perspective with another. It involves loving and hating the same things.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. (Eccles. 9:9)
See life with the wife whom thou hast loved, all the days of the life of thy vanity, that He hath given to thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity, for it is thy portion in life, even of thy labour that thou art labouring at under the sun. (Eccles. 9:9 Young’s Literal Translation)
Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards. (Song of Solomon 4:8)
God is with us while we are with Him.
And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. (2 Chronicles 15:1,2)
There are conditions to dwelling with God.
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. (Psa. 101:6)
Judas was with Jesus; but was he truly with Him?
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach (Mark 3:14)
There were those who were not with Jesus, but they were for Him, and with Him in spirit.
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. (Luke 9:49,50)
Jesus knew those who were truly with Him, and those who were not.
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. (Matthew 12:30)
Jesus knew the time would come when His disciples would be scattered and no longer be physically with Him; but He would gather them to Himself again. He also knew that Father would still be with Him and He would not be alone.
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (John 16:32)
Jesus taught us that pleasing God is the condition for Him being with us.
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29)
We are deceived if we think God is with us when walk in the darkness of sin.
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (1 John 1:5,6)
God distilled walking with Him into three requirements.
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)
If we desire God to be with us we must be as He is: righteous, merciful, and humble.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)