Addressing Fear

Addressing Fear

Exodus 23: ²⁷ “I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸ And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. ²⁹ I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. ³⁰ Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land. ³¹ And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. ³² You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. ³³ They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

 

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GOD continued speaking to Moses. This time HE addressed fear.

 

My Observations:

• GOD knew the people feared the numerous groups of people who inhabited the promise land.
• GOD’s reputation of destroying Sodom and dismantling the Egyptian ways were not enough for the children of Israel.
• GOD would use something small, yet powerful to drive out their enemies, namely hornets.

 

Fear, confusion and hornets would be the weapons GOD would use to drive out the people. HE could have killed those who oppose HIS way, BUT GOD acts graciously. HE allowed them to live, but HE would drive them out. This promise would be forgotten by the children of Israel.

 

When they finally were ready to take the promised land, they would forget that the LORD would do the fighting. We do the same. When something seems large and daunting, we feel GOD cannot handle it. GOD used very small things to address the big things.

 

Strong armies were no match for hornets. HE would drive them out little by little. I believe GOD does the same for you and me. HE drives away the large problem, little by little until it is gone. Then HIS large promise can easily be fulfilled.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS promise?
• Has GOD put you in a situation where you have to depend on HIM clearing the way first?
• Can you address your fear by watching GOD work out the large promise HE made to you?

Song of Triumph Part 2 - Easy for GOD

 

Song of Triumph Part 2 - Easy for GOD

Exodus 15: ⁶ “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
⁷ And in the greatness of Your excellence
You have overthrown those who rose against You;
You sent forth Your wrath;
It consumed them like stubble.
⁸ And with the blast of Your nostrils
The waters were gathered together;
The floods stood upright like a heap;
The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.
⁹ The enemy said, ‘I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My desire shall be satisfied on them.
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.’
¹⁰ You blew with Your wind,
The sea covered them;
They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

 

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Moses continues to lead the children of Israel in song after they saw the Egyptians defeated by GOD. This stanza seems to pay tribute to how easy it was for GOD to take down the Egyptians.

 

My Observations:

• Moses used many human attributes like “right hand,” “nostrils,” and “heart” to invoke human understanding and excitement.
• Moses remembered how stubborn and cruel the Egyptians were and placed their futile attempts of being gods in the song.
• Moses points out how easy it was for GOD to overthrow the Egyptians.

 

Scripture uses the “right hand” as a statement of true, right and just. I believe Moses was speaking about GOD’s power and sovereignty. Would you blow up a balloon with your nose? No. Moses may have simply been excited and used the weakest form of wind a human can produce to show how strong GOD is.

 

The “heart” of things is usually the center, but in humans, it represents the connection to GOD. The enemy is anything or anyone who opposes GOD. In this case the Egyptians were going against a promise GOD made when HE said HE would make Abraham a great nation. By trying to be the nation above GOD’s decree, they became HIS enemy. Their “hearts” became hardened by their belief that they could be above GOD. It was easy for GOD to wipe them out, according to the song.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the song he sang regarding the greatness of GOD?
• Have you ever praised GOD for HIS might and HIS timing?
• Will you praise GOD even if your expectations are being met in a different way then you expect?

LORD Fights for Them

 

LORD Fights for Them

Exodus 14: ²⁴ Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. ²⁵ And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

 

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After Moses held up his rod, GOD parted the Red Sea. The children of Israel crossed on dry ground. The Egyptians tried to use the same path that GOD was using to protect HIS people. They pursued inside the parted sea only to find that GOD took their wheels off their chariots. They got scared.

 

My Observations:

• GOD saw the evil of the Egyptians.
• GOD fought the Egyptians in a way that was very calculated.
• The Egyptians recognized that it was GOD who was fighting against them.

 

Doing anything evil against the children of GOD was unacceptable to HIM. The pursuit to pull the children of Israel back into slavery was seen by GOD and HE used their positioning against them. HE allowed them to get close enough to the children of Israel before HE took their chariot wheels off.

 

GOD gave the children of Israel enough of a head start that they could cross the Red Sea in safety. But the Egyptians had troubles and decided to flee from their pursuit. They were in the middle of the Sea with broken chariots. They may have remembered the plagues and felt that it was no longer worth trying to fight against the children of Israel. GOD was setting them up for HIS final blow.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about what HE did to the chariots?
• Have you ever been pursued by an enemy or the Enemy?
• Can you rest assured knowing that GOD is fighting the battle you think you need to fight?

True Power

Luke 13: ³¹ On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.”

³² And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ ³³ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

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Threats from a bully ruined yet another day, only this time is frightened the entire school. Somehow, the rumor of another school coming to ours to start fights, was taken seriously. “How am I going to get home?” I thought to myself.

• There have been many humans who threaten other humans.
• There have been times when the powerful try to force their power on other humans.
• There have been situations that seem wildly out of hand.

There were church leaders who believed in JESUS, but feared for HIS life, for they did not truly know who HE was and is. They said “Flee, for Herod wants to kill YOU.” JESUS called Herod a fox and expressed HIS power as GOD. Why didn’t JESUS fear for HIS life?

• JESUS knew when HE was going to lay HIS life down for me.
• JESUS knew the date, time and location of HIS death, and still faced it for me.
• JESUS knew HE had all power, yet HE chose to lay it down for me.

Fire from heaven sounded like a great idea as a quick judgment on Herod’s threat. That’s probably what I would have done. BUT JESUS showed restraint, which is the true power. HE allowed HIS own creation to murder HIM even though HE committed no crime or sin. But what about the bullies I face.

On my walk home, I was scared but I believed I would be protected. The school let us out a few minutes early and I could feel a weight lifted from my fear. Daily it seems like there is a threat on my peace, BUT GOD is there to protect my soul with HIS true power.

• Are you down?
• Did humans threaten your plans and now you don’t know what to do?
• Can you give GOD more credit for loving you and believe HE is protecting you today?

Accepted Authority

Luke 10: ¹⁷ Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

¹⁸ And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.¹⁹ Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

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“Do you have an escort?” I said with a stern voice. I was an office clerk at the dorm and I was not supposed to allow anyone who did not belong into a particular part of the building. If they ignored me, then I could have them removed.

• Certain jobs gave me authority to do things.
• Certain positions allowed me to have authority to say yes or no.
• Certain titles gave me the authority over certain groups of people.

JESUS tells those who HE sent that HE has given them authority over “All the power of the enemy.” HE did this after they returned rejoicing over the amazing miracles they performed. HE then said the real reason to rejoice is because their names were written in heaven.

• GOD has given me the authority to speak about HIS kingdom with power.
• GOD has given me the authority to speak about JESUS as my savior.
• GOD has given me the authority to ask for “anything” in JESUS’s name.

At one time my faith did not believe in demons, miraculous healing or supernatural protection. I mean isn’t that sort of stuff only for the movies? BUT GOD says different. HIS power and authority are supreme. HE reigns over the physical world as much as the spiritual.

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that JESUS is the CHRIST and the LORD of all. GOD wants me to have faith in HIS power and authority through JESUS. The “anything” that I ask for should align to what HE desires. I accept the authority HE gives me.

• Do you believe GOD has power over your situation?
• Do you know with your heart that HE is in supreme control?
• Will you ask for what GOD wants you to have and do it in JESUS name?
• Will you rejoice that your name is written in heaven versus the special power HE has imparted on you?