When God stands between us and our circumstance!!
Once when Alabama was playing Auburn, Coach Bear Bryant sent in his 2nd string quarterback with instructions to run on every play and he had better not pass the ball. Alabama led by three points and only had to run the clock out to win. Three downs in a row Alabama was crushed. On the fourth down with a few seconds left and Alabama ahead the quarterback took the snap. Looking into the end zone he saw his receiver so open the temptation was too great. He threw the ball only to see it intercepted. Though he was the slowest player on the field the 2nd string quarterback ran down the interceptor and Alabama won the game. After the game coach Dye of Auburn said to Bear Bryant, “How could that boy run down my boy who was so much faster?” “Simple,” answered Bear, “Your boy was running to score a touchdown – my boy was running to keep me from killing him!”
Sometimes in our life, God will allow us to be hemmed into situations where it is humanly impossible for us to get ourselves out of. In other words, sometime in life we find ourselves in situations where we cannot go forward and we cannot go backward. Sometime we find ourselves employed on a job that we just do not want to go to because the boss is just impossible to work with and yet we cannot stay home because of all our bills are due. Some time we find ourselves hemmed into a relationship we know we cannot go forward with it and yet we do not have the strength to get out of it.
You see church God will sometime allow us to be hemmed into situations or circumstances so that He may be glorified. The Lord says in Psalm 50:15 “call upon me in your day of trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.” Church the Lord knows that unless we have difficult situations, then some of us would never pray. Unless God allow trouble to overcome us, some of us would never seek His face. So many people only come to church to ask God for a financial blessing because they are in hemmed into a situation where they are down to their last dime and all the bills are due. There are so many people the only time they come to church is when there is a death in the family, many parents the only time they pray for their children is when one is in trouble. It is sad but true the only way God can get our attention some time is when He allows situations and circumstances to overcome us.
Exodus 14:13-14
God had lead the children of Israel out of Egypt to the Red Sea. He harden the heart of Pharaoh so that he would chase after them. He could have lead them another way. He could have taken them out of Egypt straight to the promise land. He could have destroyed Pharaoh back in Egypt, but Noooooo. He chose not to, why? Because God will allow us to face situations so that he can demonstrate his power!!!
God knew Pharaoh had a plan to destroy the people. Just like the devil plans to hurt and destroy us today. But here is the good part. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU!!!
The children of Israel was in deep here. They were pushed back into a corner. They had mountains on one side, desert on the other, and an enemy at their back. I can tell you right now many of us right now have been in this same place. Problems at home, then when we get to work we are surrounded by chaos at work, friends turn out not to be who we thought they were….If God knew what was going with Israel then he knows what’s going on with us…Remember he said he will never leave us or forsake us…Jesus tells us in John 14 to “not let our hearts be troubled” Just like the Isarelites were Gods children so are we…just like God saving them from their Red Sea so will he for us when we reach our Red Sea….God had a plan for them and he has a plan for you right now if you only trust him.
"The moment we begin to tread upon the thin ice of our own abilities, we have traveled beyond the realm of God’s promised protection and provision." Bart J. Leger
The Bible says they began to fuss and grumble to Moses. Why did you bring us out to here so we can die in the wilderness. We were better off being in Egypt compared to this. So many Christians are the same way God will deliver you out and you jump right back. Just after 9/11, Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne, was interviewed by the Early Show on CBS. The interviewer asked, "How could God let something like this happen?" She answered, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, our government, and our lives, and being the gentleman that He is I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and protection if we demand that He leave us alone?"
You see The people were out of Egypt but Egypt was not out of them. To many people want to stay in the world eating, drinking, and being merry and serve the gods of this world rather serve the almighty God. However just as Moses says in 13…you shall see no more…I don’t what your Egyptians are today in your life…but I do know that Our God will fight your battles if you just be still and allow him.
The people forgot how God had delivered them from the hands of bondage. Delivered from slavery. We too forget how God has brought us out and delivered us so many times before. How he has guided and protected us. God didn’t bring us this far just to leave us out high and dry. We need to believe this morning that God will stand between us and our circumstances!!!!
Here is the deal church. God doesn’t need our help. He doesn’t need us to push him out of the way to handle our situation. He doesn’t need us to fight for ourselves. HE IS GOD!!! He doesn’t need us meddling in something he already has his hands around. Remember he is GOD and he is complete control.
When I was a kid growing up my family always had a garden. Whether it was mom and dads or my grandmas…we all worked it. Why, cause we all ate from it. But I remember having to work it and pull weeds out. My Grandmother would tell us to pull out the weeds slowly and careful…Why, so we would get in a hurry and destroy the plant that was growing. So we wouldn’t bring harm to the squash, to the watermelons, to the corn…You see the weeds is growing right up beside the blessing. And when we think we got this and reach down ourselves to take care of the problem…what happens? We mess everything up. Much like when we are in battles and trials, when we jump in front of GOD and do it ourselves we make matters worse. We gotta be still and let him handle our battles. God has the power and control to handle our situations. He is the GOD!!
Later on in chapter 14 then angel of the Lord moved from in front of them to behind. When we do what GOD tell us and move right doing what he says…that means he is moving to reposition himself to cover our backs. WOW think about it no matter what is going on in our lives we know without doubt no question at all…OUR GOD HAS OUR BACK!!!!
You see the devil will try to turn us back just like the children of Israel. He will do things to scare us. Put fear in our lives so we can cling back to the world we once had…one that we were comfortable in. Make us get back in our box. That’s why another reason God moves to the back…to protect us from going backwards. How many here right now, gets scared and wants to jump back into your old life? Wanna take off and run like the wind. Back to the old you. God places himself between you and the old you so you don’t return to your past. In other words God stands between us and our circumstances.
