Freedom from the Oppression of the Taskmasters
Study Text: Exodus 1: 8-14
Introduction:
- There came a new king who had no covenant with Joseph. God brought him up out of the pit, put him right in second in command, right under Pharaoh.
- Pharaoh said, “Take my kingdom,” and so forth. But Pharaoh died. And when Pharaoh died, Joseph’s favour began to die.
- And the Bible said, “There arose another king that knew not Joseph.” Had no regard for the relationship that the king or Pharaoh had had with Joseph.
- And so he wasn’t willing to just let the Israelites live peacefully in the land as they had come during the time of famine and so forth. He wanted to oppress them.
- Just like Pharaoh somehow had strange suspicion that he’d better do something to hold these people back. The enemy has that same inclination to want to hold you back from your promise, from your position, from your calling, from fulfilling what God has placed on your life.
- And so what Satan has done, is he has appointed over you taskmasters to oppress you and to burden you so heavy that you cannot be about the business that you’ve been called to.
- What horrible taskmasters Satan has appointed over us and those we love to oppress us and to burden us and to push us down to the point of giving up.
- We shall discuss the topic under three subheadings:
1. Organization of the Taskmasters
2. Operation of the Taskmasters
3. Overcoming the Taskmasters
1. Organization of the Taskmasters
- Eph 6:12: For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
- The taskmasters are organized into four major categories based on their level of authority in the kingdom of darkness.
i. The Principalities
- These principalities are ruling devil spirits possessing executive authority or governmental rule in the world.
- As shown in the scripture, this ruling power usually involves a particular nation, people or race.
- There are evil angels ruling the kingdoms of the world that oppose the truth of God, and of which Satan is the chief prince or ruler, of both the world system and its organization of demons, as noted in Matthew 12:24, the devil is called "Beelzebub" meaning lord of the dwelling, in which these wicked spirits are subject to and operate under Satan's dominion. They, like their chief prince, direct, control, rule and carry out the present darkness of this world.
- The book of Daniel gives us an excellent example of how these unseen spiritual entities fight to increase and maintain their realms of influence and control in order to hinder God's purposes. In addition, as previously stated, these princes are named after the nations or rather their principalities in which they rule. Dan 10: 10 - 12
ii. Powers
- In keeping with the context of this verse, this would include all high-ranking, evil supernatural powers that receive instruction from and report to the principalities.
iii. Rulers of Darkness of this World
- These are agents of darkness that live naturally among us, and control every activities in the dark world.
- They include the witches, wizards, necromancer, magicians and occultic people.
iv. Spiritual Wickedness in Heavenly Places
- Since Satan is the prince of the power of the air, these wicked spirits, in high places, are often understood to be the collective organization of all of Satan's devil spirits.
- These malevolent spirits work evil and mischief and operate in our atmosphere.
- They run errands for other categories and they operate as close to the very air we breathe, and reach to realms beyond.
- All kinds of spiritual filth are propagated, in these realms, for the purpose of humanity's deception and subsequent destruction.
- Prior to becoming a Christian we too walked according to the prince of the power of the air. Eph 2:2-3
2. Operation of the Taskmasters
1. Through Thoughts and Imaginations
- Demons want as much influence over you as possible. One of the greatest footholds they have is being able to plant thoughts in your mind and then trick you into taking credit for them.
- They’ve been successfully doing this to you your whole life, and unless you’ve become very good at discerning, they’re still doing it to you now.
2. Through Demonic Dreams
- There are few important points we need to know about demonic dreams
a. When you have a negative or warfare dream, it signifies either what has taken place, what is taking place or what your enemies are planning against your life.
- All of these cases require that you pray against what was revealed to you in your dream.
b. Just because you have a negative dream about someone doesn’t mean the negative thing you saw has to happen.
- For example, if you dreamt that somebody died. It doesn’t mean they have to die. God is just alerting you to the plans of the enemy so you can stand in the gap for the person you saw in the dream.
c. Not having dreams at all or always forgetting your dreams, or when your dreams usually come to pass in the opposite, is an attack against you.
- If the means God uses many times to reveal to you the enemy’s plan is blocked, how would you know what is going on against you so you can fight against it?
3. Through Third Party
- The taskmasters can carry out their operations through a third party, and this can be anybody close to you, known or unknown, believers or unbelievers.
- Their activities could only be detected by discernment of the Holy Spirit.
- The devil worked through Job’s wife to tell him to curse God and die. He also spoke through Peter to Jesus that Jesus should not die.
4. Through Audible voices
- The taskmasters oppresses so many people by making them to hear strange voices that causes fear and torments in their lives.
- Some have become lunatic through hearing some of these demonic strange voices.
5. Through Feelings
- Some people are oppressed through strange feelings that the devil caused around them.
- Some can have feelings of wearing rings, crowns etc, that they are not putting on physically.
- Some have feelings of having sex, of somebody touching them or walking around them.
6. Through a Demonic Object or Animals
- When you are in possession of any evil object or you are around an evil animal, you suffer oppression from the taskmasters.
- These objects may include jewelries, cloth, cosmetic materials that have been contaminated by demons.
7. Through exposure or Contact of evil
- Oppression of the taskmasters can come through a contact with satanic agents.
- These contacts can be through handshakes, kisses, a deliberate touch at any part of the body.
- Some physical parts of the body may be loss through these evil contacts and mostly something is lost spiritually, glory, virtues etc.
3. Overcoming the Taskmasters
- The operations of the taskmasters must be stopped for freedom to be enjoyed. When we consider how the Israelites overcome the physical taskmasters, we can glean understanding on what it takes for spiritual taskmasters could be overcome.
i. Covenant Relationship
- They are called the people of God. God asked Moses to announce to Pharaoh ‘’let my people go’’. For you to be free from the activities of the taskmasters, you have to be born again.
- This will give you a covenant relationship with God. As many as have received Him are given the power to become the sons of God. John 1: 11 – 12.
ii. Crying for a Release
- Until the Israelites cried out unto God, there was no divine intervention. Everyone that wants to be free must call upon God for freedom.
- The Bible says ‘whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.
iii. Commissioned Representative
- Moses was to announce to Pharaoh under the authority of God to release the people. God has given power to the elders of the Church by which they can confront the strong man over your life.
- The Bible instructed those that are sick to come to the elders of the Church to be prayed for, and promised their healings and forgiveness of their sins.
- As we believed God, we must also believe the grace of God upon His anointed servants that take spiritual oversight over our lives. 2 Chron. 20:20
iv. Confrontational Request
- The taskmasters will not be willing to release their subjects, they must be confronted.
- Moses has to challenge Pharaoh to let the people of God go. All the strong powers beyond the activities of the taskmasters must be confronted by the anointing of the Holy Ghost.
v. Certified Release
- Pharaoh and his kingdom was dealt with to the point that he has to certify the release of the Israelites.
- We do not need to beg the evil powers, but to torment them to the point that they will willingly surrender.
vi. Courageous Response
- We must receive our liberty with boldness and take action towards our total liberty immediately.
- The Israelites did not leave empty handed, they collected a lot of treasures from the people before living.
- We are entitled to possess all our possessions previously in the hands of the taskmasters after our deliverance. Obadiah 17.
Conclusion
- The devil has assigned taskmasters to oppress the believers in every area of their lives so that they will not fulfill the purpose of God.
- The believer is responsible to identify their oppression and to cry unto God by faith for their freedom.
- God will only hear the cry of His people. If you have not yet connected to Him you can take a decision to give your life to Christ now.
