Have you ever began to help someone and thought "what did I get myself into?" Helping people get delivered from the enemy is not for the lighthearted. The enemy will not go down without a fight. If we are going to help someone we must be willing to be in it for the long haul. It is good to start off well but winning teams are those that can finish well. We must count the cost before we begin something, it is dishonoring to make promises and not follow through on them.
Moses went before Pharaoh and demanded that he let the children of Israel go. Pharaoh's response was, "who do you think you are," instead of granting Moses command he increased the labor upon the Jews to an impossible degree with severe punishment that followed if they didn't meet the quota.
Have you ever prayed and matters got worse? The enemy does fight back, he doesn't back down, victory is ours, but it takes consistent faith through persistent prayer. I've seen boxing matches that had to be fixed, for the winner was so clear, yet the decision was contrary. We are in a fixed fight, all we have to do is make it to the end of 12 rounds and not bow out, and victory is ours.
The enemy will turn up the heat of difficulty, with the hope of discrediting us among our peers, where we become the blame target, that through discouragement we may drop out. We must be trained in the art of spiritual warfare or we will not be able to stand. We need to be able to handle adversity, keeping our eyes on God's promises, with the understanding that a long battle is sometimes necessary for the full effect of God's greatness to be seen. We must realize the domino effect of our decisions, for if a leader gives up, the people that look up to them will do the same. Leaders decisions may be questioned but if they can remain steadfast and unmovable like Moses was with Pharaoh, loyal support will take place.
God's ways are not our ways, neither His will our will, it is okay to question Him, as long as we are willing to listen and learn. The long showdown with Pharaoh was necessary, for each plague represented an object of Egyptian worship, and it was the necessary agent for the people to know that "He is Lord."
We cannot allow the voice of the majority to sway us from the voice of God. Godly strength is seen when we are not moved by anyone or anything, but Him. We must understand those in need of deliverance are weak from years of bondage, they need us to stand strong like Moses in the face of the enemy and demand that he let God's people go. Persistent, Holy Spirit driven prayer, spoken with authority, cannot be denied.
Have you ever witnessed a sales person trying to sell something who you knew didn't believe in what they were selling? It lacks authority, it is timid, not believable. The enemy may strongly oppose us but if we believe we have the victory, then nothing will persuade us, and we will speak authoritatively, demanding what God promised until we get it.
Have you ever settled for less than what was best, or sold something for below it's worth value? It never satisfies! God does not compromise, what He has promised, He will deliver, as long as we refuse the enemy's pleas and bargains. There is no partial deliverance, it is either all the way or no way. We must see our deliverance and those we are delivering through.
Pharaoh got so tired of Moses that he didn't want to see him again. We should be so persistent in prayer, so bold in action, that when Satan sees us coming, he runs. We don't need to give Satan hardly any regard, he is a defeated foe. As long as we are abiding in Christ he cannot do anything. This does not mean to take him lightly, we must remain on guard, for he is waiting just for a moment where our shield is down, and he will run back in.
The children of Israel were finally allowed to get out of Egypt but it was short lived for Pharaoh said forget this, I'm going after them again. Panic set in but Moses full of faith led the children of Israel through the Red Sea as complete deliverance finally came.
Next week we will learn that it is one thing to experience deliverance from the place of Egypt (salvation), it is another thing to be delivered from the Egypt within (the process of discipleship).
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