CRISIS OF BELIEF
Coming to a place where you have to make a decision about your faith.
Israel’s 8 Crisis’ of Belief
Exodus 14-18, Numbers 14:1-4, 20-23
INTRODUCTION: The Israelites have been living in Egypt ever since Joseph’s brothers came back to him during the famine. Pharoe loved the Israelites, but now there was a new Pharoe who placed the Israelites in bondage and slavery. God sent Moses to set them free. After the ten plagues the Israelites are set free. Though God had set them free, Israel and Moses came to several points in the wilderness wandering, between Egypt and the promised land, that they had to come to a crisis of belief. Believe in God or doubt He is able.
The wilderness can represent several issues of life. Today let’s envision the wilderness this way:
(a) Egypt = Bondage to Sin
(b) Wilderness = Time on Earth
(c) Promised Land = Heaven
As long as we are on the earth, even after we’ve been set free from bondage we still come to crisis’ of belief. There were eight specific crisis of belief for Israel. Let’s look at them and how they relate to us today.
I. GOD ABOUT TO DISPLAY HIS MIGHTY HAND -
BACKED AGAINST THE RED SEA 14:10-14
1. Pharoe’s Army Has Israel Backed Against The
Red Sea
2. They were terrified, God said if they would
trust him He would deliver.
3. Would they trust God and survive our doubt Him
and die. They were obedient and crossed Red
Sea.
4. They weren’t in bondage anymore, but weren’t
in the promised land yet. God desired to move
His Mighty Hand
5. As believers we aren’t in bondage anymore, we
aren’t in the promised land yet, God desires
to move!!
6. As Christians we come to a place that we are
against the Red Sea and we need to see Mighty
Hand Of God.
7. YOU ARE AT A CRISIS OF BELIEF - Today will you
trust God in your crisis. Will you trust Him
to move His mighty hand like He never has
before? Will you doubt Him and just continue
to struggle?
8. Will you trust God and survive or will you
doubt Him and die.
II. GOD MAKING BITTERNESS SWEET
- THE BITTER WATERS OF MARAH 15:22-26
1. First of all the Israelites had traveled
for three days without water. They were
tired!
2. They got to Marah and there was water, but
it was too bitter to drink!
3. When believers get tired, we get
discouraged -
4. GET DISCOURAGED AND WANT TO GIVE UP!
5. We all get tired, we all get discouraged,
and overwhelmed.
6. CRISIS OF BELIEF - When I’m tired,
discouraged and overwhelmed will I DOUBT
GOD, WILL I GIVE UP?!
7. BITTER EVENTS IN LIFE - ONLY GOD CAN MAKE
THEM SWEET
8. ROMANS 8:28 All things work for the good of
those who love Christ and are called
according to purpose.
III. GOD SHOWING HIS PROVISION IS BETTER THAN OUR PAST
- RAN OUT OF FOOD 16:2-4
1. THE TEMPTATION TO GRUMBLE AND BLAME OTHERS
2. THE DANGER OF COMPARING YOUR PAST IN
BONDAGE WITH THE GOODNESS OF FREEDOM
a) We sat around pots of meat, ate all the
food we wanted, now we’re gonna starve.
b) But they were in bondage and God was
setting you free.
c) Don’t look back and try to glorify your
past!! God’s provision is sweeter than past.
d) You may have had more money - your marriage
was falling apart, you were going to hell.
e) CRISIS OF BELIEF - WANNA GO BACK?!!!
f) YOU DON’T WANNA GO BACK, I PROMISE!
3. THE DOUBT OF GOD’S PROVISION - God takes
care of His children.
a) CRISIS OF BELIEF - As long as I am doing my
part will God do His and meet my needs?
IV. GOD TAKING US FROM SIN TO SIN TO GLORY TO GLORY - -ISRAEL’S DRY THIRST 17:1-6
1. From disbelief to disbelief, from sin to
sin, makes you dry. They had left the
desert of sin.
2. They were more than thirsty for water, they
were thirsty for God.
3. God was showing them through a physical act
that if they would only trust him -
- HE WOULD SATISFY THEIR EVERY THIRST
4. CRISIS OF BELIEF - We have to come to a
place where we understand we can’t live
from sin to sin.
5. When we live apart from God we get a thirst
for God.
6. CRISIS OF BELIEF - Have you ever been doing
the best you can for God and still get dry?
a) There are times we just don’t feel the
presence of God in our lives.
b) We feel our prayers don’t go above the
ceiling.
c) God desires to give water - DON’T GIVE UP!!!
V. GOD HELPING US FIND PEACE IN THE MIDST OF WARFARE - THE ATTACK OF AMELIKITES 17:8-13
1. While in the wilderness the Amalekites came
up and attacked the Israelites.
2. As long as Moses’ hands were in the air
they were winning. When he lowered them the
Amalekites winning.
3. Several applications:
a) Warfare in your life at any stage will wear
you out.
b) Warfare with family, friends, workmates,
church mates, neighbors - AVOID WARFARE
WHEN POSSIBLE - RESOLVE WARFARE WHEN
POSSIBLE.
c) When you are doing your best Satan sends
people to attack you. Whether you are a
minister, church leader, or lay person,
Satan sends people and demons to make you
spend mental effort in anguish over warfare
in your life. Whether it’s a person who
doesn’t like you, or a neighbor in dispute
it steals our joy.
d) God will overcome our true enemies -
NOT EVERYONE WE WAR WITH ARE ENEMIES, but
those who are God will deal with them.
YOU DO YOUR PART, GOD WILL DO HIS
e) The power of intercession- As long as Moses
was interceding Joshua was victorious.
Never underestimate to power of interceding
for others.
VI. GOD IN THE FAMILY -
MOSES’ HOUSE WAS OUT OF ORDER 18:1-2a
1. Moses’ family was out of order.
2. Moses had sent Zipporah to live with her
father.
3. WHY? Exodus 4:24-26 --- Zipporah wouldn’t
allow the circumcision of their children.
4. Rather than Moses do what was right in the
sight of God he did what Zipporah wanted.
5. TODAY’S HOUSE OUT OF ORDER
6. MEN IT IS YOUR JOB TO LEAD YOUR HOUSE
7. WIFES SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS
8. HUSBANDS TREAT YOUR WIFES WITH LOVE AND
HONOR
9. DON’T ALLOW OTHERS TO WEDGE YOU AND YOUR
SPOUSE - YOU ARE 1 - STICK TOGETHER
10. PROTECT YOUR FAMILY - CHILDREN - SPOUSE
11. INVEST IN YOUR FAMILY - SPEND TIME, DO
SPECIAL THINGS
12. CRISIS OF BELIEF - WILL YOU TAKE SERIOUSLY
GOD’S DESIGN FOR THE FAMILY?
VII. GOD USES EVERYONE -
LEADERSHIP OVERWORKED 18:13-21
1. Not just pastors but any leader can become
overworked.
2. In the Kingdom it takes everyone fulfilling
their calling so leaders don’t get burned
out.
a) Childrens Workers
b) Committees
c) Worship Team
d) Ministry Leaders
3. HAVE TO COME TO A CRISIS OF BELIEF THAT WE
CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN DO AND DO IT WELL -
HAVE TO BELIVE GOD CAN AND WILL USE ALL
PEOPLE - HAVE TO COME TO A BELIEF THAT GOD
CALLS EACH OF US TO A DISTINCT PURPOSE
4. THREE FOLD SPECTRUM:
- Do Nothing
- Do It All
- Do my part to the best of my ability
5. Sometimes people are overworked because
they feel like they have to do everything.
Sometimes they are overworked because there
are people who aren’t doing anything at all.
VIII. GOD’S JUDGEMENT -
THEIR FINAL DOUBT AT THE EDGE OF THE PROMISED
LAND (Numbers 14:1-4, 20-23)
1. THIS GENERATION FAILED IN THEIR CRISIS OF
BELIEF
2. THEY FINALLY DOUBTED SO MUCH THAT GOD
SAID, “OK, HAVE IT YOUR WAY!”
3. WHEN WE DOUBT AND DOUBT, WE FINALLY DOUBT
OURSELVES RIGHT OUT OF BELIEF THAT GOD CAN
DO ANYTHING MORE POWERFUL THAN EXIST.
4. EXPECT GOD TO DO THE UNEXPECTED
5. EXPECT GOD TO MOVE HIS MIGHTY HAND IN YOUR
TIME OF CRISIS
6. CRISIS OF BELIEF - DO I REALLY BELIEVE THAT
GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS? IS HE SO SERIOUS
THAT HE WOULD PUNISH ME?
CLOSE: WHERE ARE YOU TODAY IN YOUR BELIEF SYSTEM? DO
YOU TRUST GOD IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS? DO YOU
BELIEVE HE CAN DO SOMETHING POWERFUL IN YOUR
LIFE? DURING TODAY’S INVITATION - TRUST HIM.
