And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians (what is your “Egyptian?”) than that we should die in the wilderness (Ever feel like that?).”
Exodus 14:10-12
Who or what in your life is your “Pharaoh?”
Please read the rest of Exodus chapter 14 (Below the salutation) to see the supernatural victory God brought the Israelites.
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Life or death – Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. This is life! It’s simple, right?. What is death? Anger, fear, worry, bitterness, unforgiveness, greed, insecurity, confusion, jealousy. Basically, the works of the flesh that God wants to free us from. (Galatians 5:19-21; Deuteronomy 30:19)
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Man makes things difficult and hard. For example, man’s latest thoughts on genders (currently, many more than two) makes it super complex and confusing. I can’t even imagine the legalities that will come from so much confusion. How many genders are there? God made it simple. There are two, man and woman (Genesis 1:27). That’s it! God always makes things simple because He knows we are just flesh and blood.
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Satan is opposed to us doing the Word. He opposes “doers.” Most people are terrified of this and never become doers of the Word. Satan will use any tactic he can to prevent us from becoming doers of the Word, from becoming who God intends for us to be.
It’s really simple. We’re either doers of the Word, or we’re not. We’re on one side of the fence or the other. We want to inspire you to be a doer of the Word (James 1:22-25).
Both God and Satan know that this is our ONLY time to “believe.” Will we? (Revelation 21:8)
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David in the Bible – Like I often feel in trials, David could have responded with,”Why did I have to be asked to be all alone with the sheep? Why be a shepherd? Why did I have to be attacked by a lion and a bear? Why me? Why didn’t the other shepherds have to go through this? Poor me.” We can often be tempted to think this way. The reason God lets us face lions and bears is to train us for what He’s calling us to do. He has a plan and will show us His great might and victory. Had David responded the way we often do, would he have been ready to face Goliath? (1 Samuel 17:34-36)
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Looking for signs and wonders? Looking for heavenly dust and supernatural experiences? Looking for “The Power?”
“Do” the Word. Love your spouse. Forgive others who wrong you. Stop striving and ask God to lead you. Give to the poor. Love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemy, experience God working everything together for your good, thank Him in all things, etc.
If you “do” the Word, you will see the power of God manifested in real ways you may never have imagined, your faith in God will grow, and you’ll have His real joy.
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The battle is the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15 and others). Because the battle is the Lord’s, we have nothing to fear. Nothing. The battle is the Lord’s means that He works all things together for our good. We do our part. We follow His lead. We believe and trust in Him and He does the things behind the scenes that lead us into victory. His work may mean closing one door and opening another. He asks only that we keep believing through it all – Believing Romans 8:28 makes believing and trusting Him so MUCH easier. This is the exciting, fun, full of surprises and adventurous life in the Spirit. Nothing like it.
God bless,
Mark
The Red Sea Crossing
14 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’ 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.
5 Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” 6 So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. 7 Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. 8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness. 9 So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. 11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? 12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold[c] your peace.”
15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. 18 Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
19 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. 20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
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.”
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.
Exodus Chapter 14