When God sent Moses to deliver His people from Pharaoh, there were eight landmarks in Moses’ quest for freedom as he engaged Pharaoh.
Today, I like us to learn how these landmarks reflect Satan’s devices against our ultimate freedom.
1. GET TO YOUR LABOR (EXOD. 5:4)
On the first instance when Moses approached Pharaoh, the response was:
And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.” (Exod.5.2, NKJV)
This was a response of blatant disregard for the authority of God, gross rebellion against Him and complete ignorance of His power to save. Pharaoh simply rubbished the request.
When they tried to explain, Pharaoh almost screams in the text;
Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” (Exod.5.4, NKJV)
At this stage, the Israelites are tortured and burdened even more.
Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” (Exod. 5:9, ESV)
This is the stage where the darkness gets darker, the devil becomes scarier, the addiction becomes stronger. Every promise of God looks like a lie. You are at the mercy of Satan, sin and sorrow again after seeing a glimpse of hope in Christ. Hang in there! God’s not done.
2. I WILL LET THEM GO (EXOD. 8:8)
After the plague of frogs, Pharaoh admits for the first time that the Israelites can leave their servitude to serve the LORD their God. Even though Pharoah’s magicians were also able to cause frogs to come into Egypt after Aaron stretch his staff to cause many frogs to cover the whole land of Egypt, Pharaoh could not ask his magicians to solve the situation. They displayed some power to cause harm but no power to reverse the plague of God.
Here, Pharaoh accepts for the first time that these people can leave Egypt momentarily.
At this stage, a window opens to the people in sin, bound to addictions and chronic situations. They see that they can get better though they may not be totally well.
Satan suggests that he can loosen his grip on them. The fornicator fornicates less often. The addict begins to control their addiction. The condition of sickness gets better. There comes that moment where it seems they don’t need anything radical to get saved. “I can manage”, they say, “it’s getting better.” Meanwhile, they are still in Egypt and in servitude. They only receive news of an intention of the oppressor to free them.
Beloved, although Satan softens his grip, we must demand full freedom. Freedom from sin, sickness, sorrow, addictions, poverty, abuse, foolishness, failure – full freedom!!! Let us be free indeed! In Jesus’ name.
3. Go SACRIFICE to your God WITHIN the country (EXOD. 8:25)
The second plague of frogs didn’t seal the deal. The third plague of gnats only revealed the finger of God, not yet his victorious right hand. The fourth which was the plague of flies made Pharaoh make yet another compromise; that the Israelites can sacrifice to their God but they should do it within Egypt.
Satan doesn’t mind having you sacrifice some time to God as long as your whole life is under his control. Satan doesn’t mind if you give some money to God, as long as he controls your finances. He doesn’t mind if you say a prayer once a while, as long as he has enslaved you to sin and is master over your life. Satan can allow some space in your life for religion. But he doesn’t want to lose you altogether. He doesn’t mind that you have some partial part-time religious arrangements and engagements. But he is against your total freedom, your total commitment to God.
Don’t settle for that! Push for total freedom, in the name of Jesus! Push!
4. You Can Go Out, But NOT VERY FAR (EXOD. 8:28)
I speak to someone who has been allowed by Satan to go out but not go far. I declare in the name of Jesus our Deliverer, be gone for good. Go out in full. Go the full length. Shine in full strength, in Jesus’ name.
The Bible says Moses insisted that the Israelites could only sacrifice to Yahweh outside Egypt because what they would sacrifice was detestable to Egyptians. Indeed, God and Satan have nothing in common, salvation and sin cannot share the same person, freedom and addiction cannot be your portion at the same time. Why do you agree to Satan’s lie and mix things that cannot be mixed? How can you sacrifice to God in Egypt? Don’t you know that the sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart? Don’t you know that God wants all of you and not pieces? Don’t you know that light has no fellowship with darkness? Moses insisted.
Then, Pharaoh permitted them to go but not go too far.
Satan wants to have a hold on you even after you’ve gone. Satan wants to be able to call you back into sin and addiction, bondage and darkness. Satan wants to have you around. Satan wants you to be a call away. My brother, my sister, refuse. Refuse the middle ground!
Even as we continue next week, I like to agree with you in prayer that we will receive all the deliverance that God has for us, not less, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.