Intro
- We all have doubts- Exodus 4:1-17 Overcoming Doubts: Trusting God’s Promises
- In this part of Exodus, we start moving towards Moses going to the Pharoah. Moses and God have another interaction, and Moses’ doubts and concerns about this process become clear.
- He says God- I don’t have Faith. I don’t believe. I don’t have what it takes. You wont do it.
- God gives him miracles to prove some things to Moses before he goes. These miracles will more than likely inspire Moses to do what he’s being asked and trust that God will show up.
1. Everyone Has Doubts (Exodus 4:1)
- V1 ““But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’
- The Doubt that Moses has is simple- What if they wont listen and they attack what I say.
- Moses doesn’t just have self doubt- he has doubt in God and his ability. Will he do it?
- I think most people have doubts at some point in their Christian walk. I think its normal to experience doubt and some points in your walk. Will he or wont he? Can he? Can I?
- Issues with marriage, kids, finances, work, health, etc. Doubts that God will work it out.
- It can be debilitating! Especially if you’re walking with God- It affects your faith.
- For me- I start to feel like I’m not a ‘good Christian’ because I’m doubting- I’m like “whats your problem Matt, why are you doubting God” But I’ve been there- doubting God in everything.
- I’ve seen God move time and time again. Big huge miraculous things. Provision, healing, protection, his mighty hand moving over and over. Something new? Now I remember nothing.
- The disciples walked with Jesus, saw everything, but still had doubts when he appeared to them after the resurrection- Ma 28:17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
- Luke 24:38: ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?'”
- These are dudes that walked with Jesus and then had doubts. You must be in good company!
- What does it mean to you
- Doubts are normal and don’t make you abnormal. You don’t want to live in doubt, but its ok
- If you’re here this am and having doubts- this message is for you. God can fix it. Be honest
- Why do people have doubts? 1. Unrepentant sin 2. Disfellowshipping themselves 3. Focusing on the wrong things 4. Not remembering the faithfulness of God 5. Not worshipping 6. Not doing things that build faith 7. Not reading the scriptures 8. Not worshipping. 9. No discipleship
- Take it seriously! Heb 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”
2. DOUBT- Will I Be Protected? (Exodus 4:2-5)
- This portion of Scripture describes what is happening, but doesn’t really explain the meaning of it. Why these miracles? And these miracles are not arbitrary. There is a specific reason for them.
- This first miracle READ Exodus 4:2-5 “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail”
- The purpose of this miracle is to show Moses that God has dominion and power over the animals. Moses is going to go to Pharoah and through the desert and he needs TRUST
- God says- let me show you what I can do with this rod- Don’t even been afraid of it!
- Who wouldn’t be afraid of a Serpent? Most of us wouldn’t grab it at all.
- What God identifies and establishes to Moses, which is a doubt that many have-
- Will I be protected? Not just from serpents, but from anything that would harm me
- No one wants to be hurt or attacked or suffer personal harm or pain. No one.
- God doesn’t want Moses to have doubt and he doesn’t want YOU to have doubts.
- What does it mean to you?
- God will protect you. It’s a promise of scripture. He protects his people.
- He protects you from the Evil one- 2 Thes 3:3. And delivers you from every evil work 2 Tim 4:18 He will preserve you from evil, preserve your soul, your going in and your going out. Right now and forever Psalm 121.
- I’m not saying that you should tempt evil and go places at stupid times or stupid places with stupid people. You can break one rule of stupid and be ok- 2 or 3. No (memos w faith wed)
- Faith- “who’s protecting you”?
- I got the angels of God-
- Psalm 91:11 “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalm 34:7 – “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” Romans 8:31 God is for us, who can be against us? Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Psalm 46:1:”God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Hebrews 13:6:”So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'”2 Cor 1:10:”who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us.”
- Believe in God’s protection! Don’t give into Doubts! He’s ALREADY protected you and will CONTINUE to protect you. Don’t let your circumstances steal this from you!
3. Will I Be Healed? (Exodus 4:6-8)
- The next miracle that God brings Moses through is one that displays God’s healing power
- READ Exodus 4:6-8. Seems like an odd miracle- but God is showing Moses (and us) that God can Heal! “behold it was restored like his other flesh”
- Bible people lived different lives than us- No drug stores- Just a hope in a God that healed
- So God is establishing to Moses, as you go where I have asked, and do what I have told you, your physical body can be healed. No animals or man will hurt you, nor will any disease
- These are truths found all through scripture.
- Psalm 103:2-3 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.”
- James 5:15 – “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
- We serve a God that heals bodies (recently seen Lupus and kidneys improving)
- Matthew 8:16-17:”When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.'” Exodus 15:26: For I am the Lord who heals you.
- What does it mean to you-
- God wants to, and can heal your body. Your physical body. Do not walk in fear. Do not have doubt. You can go to the Doctor. Take prescriptions. Its ok, but they have limits. God doesn’t
- Society has become so sickly. Pharma is big business. Set yourself up for success, by first having your body and diet in a place where God don’t have to work so hard. Don’t be manipulated.
- Pray the prayer of faith- Believe that God can will heal you. Trust in his healing hand!
- How? 1. Find, read and mediate on healing scriptures 2. Have the elders pray for you 3. Have others pray for you 4. Pray and fast. 5. Believe that he can and will heal you
- What if he doesn’t heal you? What if he does? Don’t have doubts! Just believe!
- He can heal you physically, but There’s no pill to fix a broken heart-
- Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- If you have a broken heart, God can heal you as well!
4. Will I Be Provided For? (Exodus 4:9)
- Egypt was a pagan heathen nation that did not follow YHWH. God sends Moses with a message for them- You think your prosperity is protected, but I can destroy it in an instant
- The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land
- This miracle will display to the Egyptian that the peace of the river can be turned in the bleeding destruction on dry ground. Water is Gold in the desert. There is no use for blood.
- Water is life- Blood is destruction. This is showing Moses who is in control, but also reassuring him- I am in control of Egypt’s provision, and your provision as well.
- Moses will need this truth when he gets to the wilderness. To trust in God’s provision for him.
- Provision is a normal doubt- You work and toil and are sustained, but often times the thought of “will it continue” creeps into your head.
- Then you become a faithless hoarder who can’t be generous and loving. You think everyone is out to get you, in competition with you, and that God wont provide for your needs!
- What does it mean to you?
- Have you settled in your heart that God is your provider? I don’t care if you’re the wage earner, or you’re married and you stay home, or if you’re single. You must relinquish control.
- Can you honestly say: Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want
- Or are you giving yourself over to doubts about your future and current endeavors?
- We’re supposed to work. Bible is clear. Work your tail off unto the Lord.
- I don’t have doubts when things are bad- They can only go up- its when things are good that I get the most doubtful- Will this continue? What if something Goes sideways?
- Matthew 6:31-33- “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
- That’s the answer right there- We must seek the kingdom of God in everything.
- Moses saw the Miracle- I’m guessing when He was in the desert, watching food fall from the sky day in and day out- there were probably fleeting moments when he doubted if God would.
- We’ll see later on- some hoarded food for the next day and God cursed them for it.
- We must rest in the truth of God’s word and not doubt his provision!
- Psalm 37:25 – “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” Philippians 4:19 – “And my God shall supply all your needs Genesis 22:14:”And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide Psalm 34:10:”The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Luke 12:24:”Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?”
5. Will I Be Able to Do It? (Exodus 4:10-13)
- “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say”
- We’re revisiting this theme because the Book of Exodus revisits it. Must mean that since Moses asked the question repeatedly, we need to be told repeatedly.
- I think people aren’t as confident as they seem and most people struggle with some conf. issues. In relationships, work, personal growth, spiritual growth.
- Often times the barrier is doubt- Will this even work? Why am I doing this? Do I have what it takes? And the devil in your head is always- nope, you’re worthless, you’ll fail, you’re no good
- I told you this before- you DON’T have what it takes. None of us do. But with HIM we do!
- Zechariah 4:6– “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
- Everything you do, we do has to be by his spirit. And its not some overwhelming super lightening crazy thing- Its just a quick thought of his power and it will come (swimming- want to quit- just 5 more, then I’ll quit- 5-5-5. Help me Lord- Did it.) I wasn’t fighting Goliath! Just swim!
- But I’ll tell you, that through the big steps in my life- I have leaned on the Holy Spirit over and over- Praying and asking for strength and provision and power and the HS SHOWED UP
- Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
- Exodus 15:2:”The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” Isaiah 40:29:”He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength.” Ephesians 3:16:”that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” Colossians 1:11:”strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”
- These scriptures affirm that God is the source of strength for His people, enabling them to carry out His will and fulfill His commands. Believers can rely on His power to accomplish what He asks of them.
- YOU WONT GO ALONE! (Exodus 4:14-17)
- “I will be with your mouth and with his mouth”
- Moses and Aaron just had to walk in obedience and then God stepped in and did the rest.
- God was faithful to Moses, raises up Joshua- Surprise! Joshua probably had doubts
- Joshua 1:5– “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.”
- This is a common theme! You need to be reminded of this as you’re walking out your faith
- When God says “I will never leave you or forsake you” he MEANS IT.
- Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
- And NOW in the NT Era- we have even MORE power in the Holy SPIRIT! A power to overcome and ALL things that come against us! We can walk in Victory! Because he lives in US
- John 14:16:”And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.”
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