Deuteronomy 31:8
And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
Moses spoke these words to Joshua, and experienced workers are still to guide younger workers in the same way to advance the work. God himself goes before his people, remains with them, and will not fail or forsake them, so they need not fear or be dismayed. Going before means leading and guiding, calling his people to move forward with faith, hope, and courage, trusting him to supply light and power as it is used.
God guides and strengthens those who look to him as their counselor. The one who goes before is Jesus, present in every hard place, so his people can cling to him with confidence. To those troubled by darkness and discouragement this is his personal call to look to him and trust his faithful help.
Victory over the enemy depends on the Lord going before his people. No one can stand against the enemy by human strength alone. Safety requires hiding in God and having the Holy Spirit present with them. Going before also includes preparing ways, resources, and success for his workers, even moving unbelievers to provide needed supplies at low cost, as shown in Edson White's work.