Exodus 14:15-31
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 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. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”
How do you get out of a desperate situation to get to your destination?
1. No Shortcuts
Exodus 13
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
– God did not make the people take the short cut.
– There is not short cut in following the Lord
– Discipleship has not shortcuts
– The process of change cannot be done by shortcut
– God is with us even when we have to take the longer path
Exodus 13
20 After leaving Sukkoth they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. 21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
o God is ahead of us.
o He will provide the light to guide us
2. Narrow Road
Exodus 14
10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were 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? 12 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!”
– The Lord led the Israelites to a situation where the Egyptians chased after them, and they were afraid that they questioned Moses about bringing them to the desert to die.
We may experience “narrow road” situations in our life that we are not comfortable with, but God is actually using these narrow roads, uncomfortable situations to lead us to our true destination. Let us open our eyes to see beyond the narrow roads that we encounter in order to reach the destination that God is leading us to. Trust in the Lord even during the difficult times we experience in life.
3. Move forward
Exodus 14
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 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.
• GOD commanded Moses to:
– Fear not – overcome your fears
– Stand still – relax – the Lord is in control
– Move one – go forward
– Pick up your staff and raise your hands over the sea – just do as the Lord says – obey the Lord’s command, and He will do the rest for you. Look beyond the “water” before you. Look beyond the difficulties and you will find your destination. The person who has faith, trusts in the Lord, can overcome any challenge set before him.
taken from preaching by
Ptr Rey Francisco
CEC Crossworld
