“The people of Israel had lived in Egypt for 430 years. In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the Lord’s forces left the land.” (Exodus 12:40 NLT)
God doesn’t provide deliverance from our captivity to sin to leave us the same. He didn’t provide freedom from the Egyptians for the children of Israel so they could continue to live and act like slaves. He had a new destination in mind. He had the “Promised Land” waiting for their taking. It’s no wonder they got bogged down in the desert, they had to learn how to live free. So do we!
As a rule, slaves don’t make good soldiers, so it’s no surprise that the adult generation who left Egypt had to die in the wilderness. If we’re ever going to be effective “soldiers” for Jesus, we’ve got to die to ourselves and learn how to live under the authority of a new King.
Yes, of course, we’re slaves who belong to King Jesus, but the irony is, His plan isn’t to keep us down but to raise us up. He wants to teach us how to live as free men and women, boys and girls who recognize the enemy and know how to defeat him and his devilish emissaries. We’re not staggering in the desert waiting to die, we’re attacking the enemy of our soul, taking new ground every day for Jesus.
As we walk on the fresh soil of this new year, may we believe with every fiber of our being that God has ordained this new beginning. And knowing that, let’s trust Him to bring victories on every level, in every dimension of our lives. But for that to happen we’ve got to change the way we think.
Slaves think sustenance and survival; children of King Jesus think bounty, abundance, and thriving in and through His holy presence working in and through our lives. This is not our home brothers and sisters; this is the war zone that will lead to our final destination.
Think of yourself as a lifeguard and the “pool” is brimming with drowning souls. It may seem hopeless, but what are your options? You can dive in and save a few, but if you enlist other swimmers to help, perhaps everyone in the pool can be saved.
What if each of us who know, and love Jesus adapted a new mindset for 2024? An attitude of dependence upon the Holy Spirit, but also an attitude of confidence that we’re God’s chosen vessel to carry out His holy will with every ounce of energy He provides.
There are 118 houses in my neighborhood. There are a few houses where someone is living alone, but many are families with 6-8 people. Let’s say for sake of illustration that there are 450 people living in my little neighborhood. How many should I plan to win to the Lord? This isn’t a trick question. I know for sure that a small percentage are already serving the Lord, so let’s say there are 400 lost men, women, boys, and girls living in my sphere of influence in the remaining homes.
Since I’m running out of space let me get to the point. I’m praying every person in every house will be ready to meet Jesus when He comes. But how? First, through prayer. Prayer is the work, then God works, so no one will be saved without prayer. But I can also enlist others who are saved to join me in prayer. Then, one by one I’ll invite to church, to a meal, to a conversation about Jesus – basically, whatever it takes to get Jesus on their mind.
Just as the children of Israel inched their way to a new life they couldn’t have imagined, I’m going to follow Jesus one step at a time as long as I have breath seeking with all that is within me to win just one more. How about you? How many will be in heaven because of your prayers and efforts? I pray many!
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 