Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.

I render this quote without address or translation. Does it sound familiar? It is copy and paste accurate. Do you know who said it and under what circumstance? Did you know who received the word? Does it apply to you? Is it meant for a person or a general assembly?

Why should that matter?

Sentiments are often repeated in the bible at different times to different people in context to circumstance. What preceded this line is vastly different in context of participants and circumstance when it is repeated later. How would you know which exact quote applies to your life in this moment? Perhaps a more familiar translation might help in revealing the previous scripture in those two scenarios.

Deuteronomy 31:7 (KJV)And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

John 14:26 (KJV)But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

While John 14:27 repeats the sentiments of Deuteronomy 31:8 but differences in context are between a promise made and a promise kept. Your ability to relate to both of these lines of scripture is dependent upon that promise.

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?

If not, you are relegated to Deuteronomy 31:7. If you have accepted Jesus then you are alive in John 14:26.

What is the difference in terms of spiritual application?

The difference is between following a man and following God.

Ezekiel 28:13-15 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

This is God’s first effort in creating. This is Satan, that anointed cherub, arch angel, one of the named. Take in all that was created for him. Then there was that vital declaration, he was perfect in his way from the moment of his conception.

Then he fell. There is no greater fall than for the one on top.

Now look at man.

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Dust, man was created from dust, not soil, not ground, dust. It is not good for growing anything. At least with soil a seed might grow, but no, from dust we came and to dust we shall return. That is just about the lowest form of creation. No perfection at conception there.

John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

Perfection is not achievable without love.