We have heard the saying "Don't look back your not going that way" many times. It can be so easy for an individual to see another persons situation and be quick to analyze, and or judge someone else's life without ever having to have walked in their shoes. More often it can be difficult to fully trust the Lord in your life and trust where he is leading you. Our nature is to often look back and contemplate or dwell on our past surveying every detail of our experiences weather good or bad. Too often looking back and dwelling on our past can cause us to not move forward in what God has ahead of us. God calls us to move forward in life and press on towards what God has planned for us. Through struggles or hardships in life God can give you the ability to keep moving forward. Taking that step of faith and coming out of our comfort zone and forging ahead in what the Lord has for you can be a struggle and can very often be frightening to do. Philipians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. As the Israelites were leaving Egypt they had to face terrifying situations, through it all God instructed them through Moses to move on. In the midst of what looked impossible, God says Move On In the midst of concern, and worry God says Move On. In the midst of the sounds of terror all around and what looks like an impossibility, God says Move On . When the chariots are headed their way God says Move On. In the midst of looking to their left and to their right and the fear engulfing them from every angle, God says Move On, and Forge Ahead. The one thing we know for sure is that we have a heavenly father who is in full control of every situation in our lives. The Israelites has suffered tremendously under the Egyptian rule. Exodus 14:1-31 The Lord hardened Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, Who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops-pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pharaoh, opposite Baal Zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified. and cried to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Was it because there was no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, ' leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Isn't it sadly true that for so many when we are backed up against a wall and cannot see a way out of a horrible situation automatically we tend to want to freeze up and not move an inch out of our comfort zone. Way to often we tend to not take that step forward but instead we settle and be complacent right where we are. God created us to be continually growing, and moving forward in Christ. Many times God will call us out of our comfort zone to stretch us beyond our capacity in what we normally may not be comfortable with to cause us to rely on him and trust him to do what we cannot. Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. It can be so difficult to Stand firm in the midst of trials and tribulations that can be surrounding you and to standing firm is very often easier said than ever done. The Definition to Stand firm is to refuse to change a decision ,position, and is a military term for holding onto a position. The word "Stand " is translated from the Greek histemi, and its meaning is to continue, endure or persist." It can be so difficult to Stand firm in the midst of trials and tribulations that can be surrounding you and to stand firm is easier said than ever done. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will Fight for you; you need only to be still." The word still is a translation of the Hebrew word Rapa -meaning to slaken, let down or cease. Then the LORD said to Moses , "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to MOVE ON Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen." Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. The Egyptians Pursued them, and all the Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them in the sea. During the late watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Lets get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt." Then the Lord said to Moses stretch out your hand over the Sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and at day break the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it , and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horseman and the entire army of Pharaoh that has followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelite saw the mighty hand of the Lord. God is faithful in every situation we may find ourselves in and he will fight you. God's word says I will contend with those who contend with you. God will receive the Glory in all circumstances. What God promises he will surely bring to pass. The promise God made to the descendants of Abraham did not die along with Moses. That promised was then thrust into the hands of Joshua to forge ahead to possess that which was promised to them. The Hebrew translation of the Promise Land is ha'aretz hamuvtakhat which means The Land Flowing with Milk and honey. According to the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible/old testament. The phrase promise Land" expresses an image that would be related to a restored homeland for the Jewish people. The land of Canaan was an ancient region between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean. Canaan was known as fruitful land flowing with milk and honey. The Hebrew word for Egypt is mitzrayim, that means "narrow places." So God's promise was literally taking his people out from a place of the yoke of slavery, bondage,oppression, and restriction in Egypt into a land of freedom, liberty, and abundance. In Joshua 1:2 it reads "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the Land that I am about to give them-to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the dessert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates-all the Hittite country-to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be Strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. "Be Stong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua was told to be strong and courageous and do not be afraid many times. When God brings you to a place to obtain a victory, a promise and blessings in your life he will never leave you empty handed or abandoned. He will be with you upholding you, encouraging you, and strengthening you along your journey. The definition to be strong is to be able to withstand great force or pressure. In Greek, the "words be strong" can be translated to the word "endunamoo," which means "dunamins" or "inherent power." God will fill you with that strength and power needed from day to day and he will remove any and all fear as you rely on him and place your trust and faith in him. There may be a cost to possessing the promises God has for you. It's moving forward and forging ahead not being afraid of what you may see in front of you. It does not matter what Jericho you may face or other nations that may seem to be mightier than you in your life. It's taking that leap of faith and putting your feet to action and crossing that Jordan to enter in and gain that victory in your life. That Jordan in your life may have to be crossed, and you may look with disbelief and think that the situation ahead is to deep and wide for me. Walls built up may have to be torn down, and giants may have to be defeated. You may say "I can't get passed this situation in my life because it's just too big for me." But God calls us to continue to move forward and to have the faith to believe him to do great and mighty things in our life. You do not want to be stopped, halted, or put out from ever obtaining all God has promised for you because of your unbelief. Let's remember there were those who could not enter in because of their unbelief. You do not want to be one of those wondering in your own dessert of unbelief for years in your own life full of fear, unbelief, and hardness of heart that will ultimately result in you never obtaining, or reaching God's full potential, plan, and blessing, he has for you. But rest assured that if God has brought you to it, he will surely bring you through it. God calls us to continue to move forward and calls us to come up higher, to have faith ,and believe he can do great and mighty things in your life. Move On ,and Forge Ahead, winning that race, obtaining that prize, and gaining that Victory that Christ has already has won!! Knowing God will always be with you wherever you may go, and he will be your strength and source.!!!!
2 Comments
Thomas
1/31/2023 05:21:08 pm
Very encouraging!
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Deborah
2/1/2023 06:59:19 am
So glad you enjoyed the read!!
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AuthorDebbie is a pastor's wife who loves sharing devotionals that are relevant and real. Archives
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