I have found that a great number of people who begin to walk with God, do not understand most of the process of God that occurs in their lives. I have had people ask, “Why is this terrible thing happening to me?” I have also had people ask, “Why is it that every time I begin to have hope and experiences with God, everything dries up or gets hard in my life? The first question I ask is, “Have you asked the Lord to show you what He’s doing?” They look at me and stare like a deer in headlights, then answer, “No, I never thought to do that! I have just been asking God to deliver me from it, or I just complained.” I totally understand how it feels, for I have been there myself in life. However, after all the trials I have been through, I have come to realize that trials are for my “good”. For they are the doorways into the Kingdom of God. The Bible says that we enter into the Kingdom of God through much tribulation. (Acts 14:22) Nevertheless, if we don’t understand the ways of God’s life, we will find ourselves lost, and turn away from the door that is hidden right in front of our eyes.
Moses and Pharaoh
There are great examples of Moses, Pharaoh, and God’s people that can maybe help us understand the walk of God, and even with those who freshly come into God’s Kingdom through excepting Jesus within their lives. We must remember that the spirit or mentality of this world, is not like the Spirit of God. It’s against God’s ways. If someone comes to Christ, and receives salvation and freedom, the enemy of this world rallies together to do its best to stop it. Pharaoh’s strategy is a parallel that Satan still uses today to keep people under his control and away from the cross. Here are a few that may help:
Heaping Burdens
When Moses walked into Egypt and offered freedom to God’s people by saying to Pharaoh, “Let my people go” Pharaoh responded by increasing burdens on God’s people. The Lord responded by bringing plagues upon Egypt. This is still true today, as soon as one comes into God’s kingdom and experiences the salvation of the Lord, their lives later seem to get harder. This is the spirit of the world trying to heap burdens on us to make us think God’s words or the experience we had with God is false. This strategy began to work against God’s people, and they began to get discouraged, and wanted to stone Moses. This happens with believers that have walked with for a while and those who have just experienced God. As soon as we hear a promise from God, the enemy makes our lives even seemingly worse. We must remember this tactic of the enemy, so that we do not get discouraged and stop believing in the Lord’s word.
Being a Christian and a Sinner
Because Moses and the people again remained determined, Pharoah’s next tactic was to say, “Go and sacrifice to your God in the land.” (Exodus 8:25) When Satan sees that we are determined to follow the Lord, he will try to make us believe that we can serve the Lord, though we remain under his bondage to this world. This is like many believing that we can maintain our former sins but be forgiven as long as we go to church occasionally or say that we are believers. Moses was not deceived, neither should we. We cannot compromise. We must remember that we were not set free by the permission of Satan, not in our own strength, but by the power of God.
This also shows that the enemy tries to convince many Christians that we can serve the Lord, and still be of the world. But the Lord has said to us, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom.12:1-2)
Don’t Go too Far
After Pharaoh tried to compromise Moses did not give in. Pharoah then said that they could go into the wilderness and make sacrifices, but they could not go far away. Sound familiar? (Exodus 8:28) This is an example of when one begins to break free from the world to serve the Lord, he/she hears from many sources the dangers of “going too far” with religion or Jesus. However, true believers will not let the world dictate how far they go with the Lord. This also is a way to get believers to think they can go “so far” with the Lord. They believe there is limits. This brings about discouragement toward their promises, and abilities to accomplish what God has promised. We must keep our eyes on the promises of God less we be distracted by a lesser purpose.
Leave your Heart in the World and Follow God
After even greater demonstrations of the Lord’s power, Pharaoh again proposed a compromise. He said that they could go serve the Lord, without prerequisites on how far they could go, yet they had to let their flocks and herds be detained, then your little ones can go with you. (Exodus 10:24) Satan’s last attempt to get us to “compromise”, is to have us leave something in Egypt, because he knows where our treasures are, our hearts will be also. However, we must not leave anything behind, like Moses proclaimed, “Not a hoof will be left behind.” We can’t afford to go back to the world where some of our treasure is. We must take it all to the Lord.
Copy Cat
After the people remained determined to believe in the message of Moses, Pharoah (Satan) then next strategy was to duplicate the miracles of God. This is only to convince those following God, (Moses) to think that what they experienced was nothing special, causing great doubt in their salvation, or the promises God that has given to them. This type of tactic is meant to bring discouragement, then, disorientation to the mind. Once this happens, many fall away from the Lord, and back into the arms of the world.
When we are relentlessly determined to follow the Lord no matter what Satan throws at us, we will spoil and destroy not only his plans, but also His kingdom that has ruled over our lives and family. We will then be used to help others we meet on the path of life. Today, look at your surroundings through the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Afterward, thank Him for giving you an opportunity to not only know the Lord in a different way, but also an opportunity to walk in more overcoming authority. Also, after you have come through your trial with His help, ask Him to give you the authority over what you just overcame. You will use it to help others in the near future.