PRAYER - "When Expectations Backfire"
Moses did what God told him to do. He and Aaron presented themselves to Pharaoh and delivered the message God gave him. But instead of freeing Israel, Pharaoh punished them harsher. God often allows our enemies to rage before He smites them. It may look like our prayers and obedient actions have totally backfired, but they haven't. Moses complained, but God assured him that judgment was coming for Pharaoh.
Exodus 5:22 - "And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?"
PRINCIPALS - "Twelve Tribes"
Joseph was the first of the tribal elders to Egypt. The eleven brothers came later, in God's time, with their father. The Levites, as priests, did not inherit lands, leaving eleven. Joseph would be replaced by his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Hence, the number remained twelve. Twelve seems to be the number of divine government. Israel had twelve tribes. The church had twelve apostles. The city of Heaven has twelve foundations and twelve gates.
Exodus 1:2-5 - "Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. ...Joseph."
PRINCIPLES - "Firstborn"
God instructed Moses to inform Pharaoh that Israel was God's firstborn. If Pharaoh would not free Israel, God would destroy Pharaoh's firstborn. God claimed Abraham's firstborn - "thine ONLY SON Isaac" (as if Ishmael had never been born). When Esau and Jacob were born, Esau despised his role as firstborn, so God claimed Jacob as his firstborn. This is not saying that Israel was God's first son, "because ALL the firstborn are mine," Numbers 3:13.
Exodus 4:22 - "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn."
PROPHECIES - "God Meant It Unto Good"
Jacob was dead. The family took him to Hebron and buried him in the cave at Machpelah. The brothers were afraid that Joseph would now avenge himself of their former sins. They appealed to him for mercy. Joseph assured them that he knew God was working for all their good in that horrific experience. We should remember that in our trials.
Genesis 50:20 - "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."
God Is Healing Our Land
Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid.
– Romans 3:3-4
That's right. Then, if we believers would back up the prayers we've been praying for this nation with words of faith instead of doubt and discouragement, we'd soon begin to see spiritual resurrection in the United States.
God promised us that if we, His people, would humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He would heal our land. And let me tell you, there are prayer warriors all over this country (I hope you're one of them) who are doing what that promise requires.
But, even so, you don't hear many people saying, "This is great! God is healing the land." You don't hear people speaking out by faith the promise of God. Instead, you hear them saying, "Oh my, oh my, did you hear what those terrorists are doing?" or some other destructive thing they've seen on television.
Listen, we need to stop preaching what the terrorists are doing and start telling what God is doing! God said He is healing this land.
We must start speaking about this country by faith instead of going around spouting bad news all the time. Of course, that will sound odd to most people. Some of them may even think we've slipped a few cogs. But that's nothing new.
Let me tell you something: One handful of believers who are listening to, trusting in, and speaking out the good news of God are more powerful than all the devils on earth. One handful of believers is more powerful than a whole army of unbelieving doomsayers. The unbelief of the doomsayers will not make the faith of God of no effect!
That's why we have learned to turn a deaf ear to the bad news and just start praising and thanking God for His deliverance. Every word of praise we speak releases faith in our heart.
Get determined right now. Take a firm stand with us that things are changing in this country. Settle it in your heart as you pray. Speak it out. Call it forth. God is healing the land!
Words. Use them right and they'll move mountains. Use them wrong and they can cause your entire life to go up in smoke. |
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