Saturday, December 15, 2012

Freedom From Pharaohs



Freedom from Pharaohs

I heard this phrase from a preacher recently: “Pharaoh’s bondage”, and was inspired to do some research into the Israelites bondage as slaves to the Egyptians for at least 400 years. This is according to Biblical history, and can be explored in the book of Exodus. Research on the Pharaohs of Egypt uncovers their history and the way they lived. They were powerful and lived as kings and queens. They were intelligent and kept mighty armies, who pillaged surrounding peoples and brought them into slavery.

The Israelites: God heard their cries and decided to set them free:

The Character and Purpose of God

 Exodus 6:1-5 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”  God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.  I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens.  Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

Through Jesus, God has established a covenant with all believers. Have you been crying out to be delivered or set free from worldly situations? You don’t have to imagine how powerful the bondage of sin is in your life, or in the lives of others. You see it every day, and you know that those who are held by worldly things are suffering just like you suffered. You know the powerful strongholds that were in your life, and maybe you are still struggling with one of Pharaoh’s armies, who bombards you daily with a barrage of negative thoughts, or enslaves you to unhealthy or destructive habits. Maybe they are thoughts of guilt that have kept you hidden in shame; or could it be unforgiveness, or anger that has kept you in chronic illness for years. No matter what category you put them in, they still belong to the “Pharaohs of Egypt”, satan’s minions, spirits of evil and wrong doing.

The time had come for Israel to be delivered from slavery. God appeared to Moses and reassured him of His character and purpose for Israel. God’s mighty hand would bring His people out from the bondage in Egypt! The people of Israel, and Moses learned a whole new aspect of God’s character. God said to Moses ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.’

Just like God appeared to Moses, He also appeared in bodily form in the person of Jesus the Christ. His miraculous birth has been told throughout the ages, and celebrated each year by those who believe that He is the Son of God. His appearance, death and resurrection, marks the end of sin’s dominion over mankind. Man, through Jesus, has been given the opportunity to again take His place as God’s ruler on the earth. Two thousand years ago Jesus said, and still says today, “all things are possible to him that believes”, even being born again of incorruptible seed, the Spirit of the Living God, is available to him who believes.

Has God spoken to you lately? Maybe He spoke to you in church or through a friend, or on your commute. What did he say? How did you respond? God says to you today, I am the Lord, and I have come to you through Jesus to set you free from bondage, for eternity.” Jesus says, “my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” “Come, follow me.”

The delivering God said: Exodus 6:6-8 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’” 

God said to them in promises:
Here they are –“I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians; I will free you from being slaves; I will redeem you;
I will take you as my own people; I will be your God; I will bring you into the land; I will give it to you as a possession.”

These promises are for us today as well. Through Jesus, we have been set free from the yoke of sin… slaves no more! Redemption is ours for the asking; we are His people and He is our God. By His Spirit we can live in the Kingdom of God if we choose to possess it. Praise God, no more Pharaohs to deal with forever and ever!!!

God’s character towards His people hasn’t changed. The seven promises are true for us also who have been saved from the penalty of sin, and God desires them to be true of us in regards to the power of sin. The Lord delivers us from the power of Egypt (the world) so that we may come into the Promised Land, the Kingdom of God, (all that He is for us). But, we do face an obstacle, and that is our own personal “Pharaohs of bondage”, who wants to keep us in slavery.

In the person and character of Pharaoh we see the attitude of Satan that is manifested towards the Israelites wanting to leave Egypt. Pharaoh’s attitude and stubbornness is very obvious. In the first meeting between Moses and Pharaoh.

Exodus 5:1-2 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.’” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”

From that point on, until the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, God performed miracle after miracle, bringing down plagues and destruction on Pharaoh’s Egypt until he was forced to set them free. The last miracle God performed during the Exodus from Egypt was the parting of the sea. Nothing of such magnitude had happened before to the nation of Israel.

He is the same God today as He was during the Exodus. He hasn’t lost any power over any circumstance, nor any authority over His ancient enemy, satan. He can and will deliver anyone who calls on Him. He is ready and willing to perform a miracle in your life, to set you free from any and all bondage. Nothing is impossible with God.

God Himself wanted to and did act in mighty ways to set His people free. He performed astounding miracles in order to establish the Israelites as His people. He has done the most astounding miracle of all through Jesus Christ. He sent His Son to die and to be resurrected for mankind, so the we all could be set free from the bondage of sin. Pharaoh, and all the Pharaohs combined have no more authority over you.

By choosing Jesus, you choose authority and power over Pharaoh’s power. He cannot hurt you anymore. The chains that held you have been broken, and now you are free! You have the power to resist and overcome anything the world may throw at you. Jesus has done it all. Jesus made it clear when he said this: Luke 10:19
“19 Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.”

Paul adds his understanding of what Jesus has done for us in Romans 8: 31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?](G)

32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]

34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

God in His great love for man sacrificed His own son so that His crown of His creation (man), could be again considered “son”, with all the privilege, power and authority that His Son Jesus has. Father God loves us, born again believers, just like He loves Jesus. There is nothing else! Nothing can compare! It is far above anything any man can imagine. God’s own doing, He did for us!!!

I hope that you take some time during this Christmas season to reflect on the true story of Christmas. From the birth of Christ Jesus to the “new birth” he brought to all mankind; the reconciliation of man to God. It is the greatest gift ever given. The only cost is the act of choosing God over Pharaoh; good over evil; freedom over bondage; peace over turmoil; eternal life over death. The cost is little, but the reward is greater than you can imagine.

Praise God!

I pray that you will seek God with your whole heart this Christmas season, and that Jesus himself will appear to you in the act of love and compassion. Father God, may all who read this note, find revelation of you, more and more and more, until love itself seeps out of every pore of their body; in every word spoken; in every act performed, and through the spiritual eyes of Christ Jesus. Rain down on all believers the power of the Holy Spirit until we are continuously filled every day; able to perform your purposes for our lives. Empower us with supernatural abilities to perform miracles for those who are in need. Prepare our hearts to share the love of Jesus whenever and wherever You choose. Through your great love, you set us free from Pharaoh, and we choose that freedom. Father we choose to follow you; we choose to be your representatives on this earth. We love you, and place these petitions before you with confidence and assurance that you have heard them, and they have already been answered.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen