You need great faith to possess your promises & fulfil your purpose. So doubt and unbelief are two of our fiercest foes. We are going to discover today how to defeat both.
God promised to bring Israel out of slavery & into their promised land. The Lord did many amazing miracles to get His people out of Egypt. Then Pharaoh let the people go. They must have been overwhelmed with joy as they left the land of slavery! They were probably rejoicing & glorifying God as they went on their way. Exodus 14:8b says, “the children of Israel went out with boldness.” They thought the battle was over.
THOUGHT IT WAS OVER?
Have you ever been fighting for your breakthrough? It looked like the victory was here, but then something went horribly wrong? It can be devastating. That’s what happened to Israel. Exodus 14:9-10 describes what happened next: “The Egyptians pursued them, all the horses & chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen & his army… Israel lifted their eyes, & behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid…”
Suddenly their joy turned to terror. It was like a cruel punch in the guts. They were devastated. They cried to Moses, “Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? … It would have been better to serve the Egyptians than die…”
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DOUBT & UNBELIEF
Doubt is when we know the truth but we are wavering or wobbling. We may fight with fear but underneath, we still know it will be well. Unbelief is when we do not believe God will come through. Because we no longer believe, hopelessness sets in. We feel sorry for ourselves because we think we have been let down. We feel like giving up & walking away from the promises of God.
Unbelief often sets in when the battle has been long or there is a sudden setback. Shock & disappointment extinguish our faith. The Israelites were devastated by the sight of soldiers perusing them. Unbelief sank their spirits. They felt like giving up.
Unbelief is dangerous. Even Jesus could not do many miracles because of unbelief. (Matt 13:58) I have been knocked for six by unexpected set backs. Whenever I realise unbelief has taken hold, I know what I must do. Maybe you are now realising unbelief has crept into your heart. Let’s look at how we defeat it.
1. RESIST FEAR
Moses answered the people. He did not address their overwhelm or bewilderment. He dealt with the terror: “Do not be afraid.” We must resist all fear. It may be fear of failure, fear of shame, even fear of death. Look it in the eyes and then tell it you are not afraid.
2. RESET YOUR FAITH
Moses then gave the people the word of the Lord, “Stand still & see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.” Get God’s word on your situation. If you already have your bible promise, go back to it again. You need to reset your faith. Take your eyes off the problem & instead look at the greatness of your God.
Moses and the people were being chased by soldiers and had the sea in front of them. It looked hopeless but God was – and still is – able. The Lord always has a way to bring you your breakthrough. Your job is to believe, His part is to know how.
The people resisted fear, reset their faith and moved forward. God made a way where there was no way. He did a miracle never seen before. The Lord separated the sea and Israel walked across on dry ground.
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