Today’s New Covenant nugget is from Exodus 14:10-11
As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?
After Israel left Egypt, Pharaoh and his armies decided to pursue them and put them to death. Moses and Israel had just enjoyed a mighty victory, and after Passover, they were set free from their slavery in Egypt and left with all of the gold and silver and wealth of Egypt… not a feeble one among them. Now, with Egypt pursuing them with all of their military might, Israel started to panic.
In their panic the people said, “Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!”
When people of God like you and me step out in faith, it makes the devil mad. He immediately tries to intimidate by surrounding God’s people of faith with circumstantial impasses that require miracles... thank God that He specializes in miracles. The reality is however, if we do not keep our eyes on Jesus and stay in the Word, we will panic just like Israel did.
Moses gave the people the Word of the Lord… “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
We know the rest of the story, Moses lifted his staff in faith and the sea parted, Israel passed through on dry ground, and then the sea swallowed up and killed Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt… the test became a testimony.
When we step out in faith, in ministry, financially, in relationships and in other ways according to the Word, it is going to make the devil mad and he will try to intimidate us and defeat us by surrounding us with impossible circumstances. When that happens, do not panic… keep your eyes on Jesus, get the Word in your heart and in your mouth, and then step out again.
In Moses’ case, God used a stick… He used what Moses had… the Lord will use what you have in your hand as He did with Moses. Step out with the Lord and with what you have in your hand, and get ready for a miracle!
What do you have in your hand right now? With the little boy, it was five loaves and two fish, with David it was five stones and a slingshot and with Moses it was a stick… little becomes much when you place it in the Master’s hand. Maybe the Lord would have you give and offering, maybe He would have you take a cooked meal to a struggling family, maybe He would have you go mow somebody’s lawn… let the Lord direct you to do something with what you have in your hand, and then, expect a miracle!
No matter how challenging things may seem right now… our God is bigger than every challenge, our God is a giant slayer, a God who parts the sea, a God who makes rivers in the desert… our God is a miracle working God, and He is on your side working everything together for your good right now!
Blessings on you, Nick
