Mindsets Addressed by GOD

Mindsets Addressed by GOD

Exodus 14: ²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” ²⁷ And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. ²⁸ Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. ²⁹ But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

 

³⁰ So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹ Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.

 

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When GOD took the wheels off of their chariots, the Egyptians were filled with fear and tried to turn around from their pursuit of the children of Israel. They may have gotten close to them but fear made them turn around. Moses held up his hand again and the sea returned to its full depth.

 

My Observations:

• GOD wiped out the last thing the Egyptians had, namely a mindset of power.
• The Egyptian mindset of believing in humans as gods was wiped out by GOD.
• The children of Israel heard Moses before the plagues, saw the miracles that would be performed, saw the actual plagues happen, but did not believe until they saw the Egyptian army killed by the Red Sea.

 

Mindsets can help our free will or attack it. The children of Israel were so used to being slaves, that they could not see GOD for who HE was. They cried for help and GOD came. They watched GOD take down Egypt. They left. But it wasn’t until the sea swallowed up the army that they believed in the LORD and they believed in Moses. We treat GOD the same.

 

Our limiting beliefs can limit what GOD can do in our lives. HE does not force HIMSELF on us, rather stands back and knocks on our hearts. If we let HIM in, then HE can do amazing things. GOD allowed Pharaoh to think he was a god. GOD hardened Pharaoh’s heart by simply letting him think he was in charge. All of Egypt fell because GOD saw that his heart would not change. GOD did just as HE promised.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about how HE wiped out the Egyptian army?
• How many times has GOD rescued you and yet you may still be operating with limiting beliefs of HIM?
• Is there a limiting belief that makes you tentative that GOD can do what HE said HE would do?

I Have Enough

 I Have Enough

Genesis 33: ⁸ Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?”

And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

⁹ But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”

 

¹⁰ And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. ¹¹ Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it.

 

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Esau asked Jacob about all the stuff that was placed before him. Jacob had set aside herds and breeders so the herds would remain plentiful. It took some doing, but Jacob convinced Esau to take the gift.

 

My Observations:

• Esau had grown to be a mighty leader and had no need for more of what he could get.
• Jacob had grown to be a very influential leader and had not need of what he had plenty of.
• Esau and Jacob had both grown up beyond the stuff they had.

 

Esau wanted to kill Jacob for stealing his birthright and the blessing from Isaac. But he realized his lifestyle may have caused his own problems. Esau tried to change by going to Ishmael and marrying someone from his family instead of marrying another Hittite woman. This was the start of Esau’s growth.

 

Jacob served a greedy uncle who could only think about free labor. For twenty years, Jacob changed little by little. Jacob saw the LORD and wrestled with HIM. Jacob grew stronger in his belief in GOD’s power. He had plenty and gave Esau a gift, probably asking for forgiveness.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about the gift exchange between Jacob and Esau?
• Do you feel you are lacking or have plenty?
• Will you ask GOD to show you what real plentifulness looks like?

Plentiful Thinking

Plentiful Thinking

Genesis 26: ¹⁹ Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. ²⁰ But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. ²¹ Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. ²² And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

 

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Moving back to Gerar from Negev was not easy for Isaac. He had people and herds that needed a lot of water. He moved back to the land Abraham finally settled in, but the people were thieves.

 

My Observations:

• Isaac’s herdsmen did all the work and the people of Gerar sat back until the work was done, then stole what was done.
• Isaac’s herdsmen did more work and the people of Gerar sat back again until the work was done then stole what was done again.
• Isaac’s herdsmen did even more work, but this time no one stole the work, because there was plenty.

 

Quarrel was the first well. Enmity (Hostile) was the second well, but the third well was named Spaciousness. Isaac seemed to be praising GOD for plenty versus complaining that the people around him were evil. Same goes for you and me.

 

We may get in the mindset that this box is ours. Then someone comes along and steals the box and we go to GOD with a complaint. At least that’s how I feel. But Isaac did not complain because he knew he had plenty. His mindset was that of “Take it” because GOD will provide plenty for me! He knew he would be fruitful in the land.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD mentions the well incidents to Moses?
• Do you feel you lack something when GOD has plenty?
• Can you change your mindset to that of “Plenty” because you are related to GOD and HE has everything?