- Exodus
15: 22-27
The devil's greatest tool in
stopping a good work is not envy, jealousy, hate, or greed. It is discouragement! Satan uses this tool to
wedge through our spiritual armor. Lack
of numbers, unrealized vision, or improper expectations can cause us to get
discouraged and quit! Many are continuing
to play the notes without the music, serve without reward, labor without love,
and battle without victory.
Our passage for study shows
it can even happen to God’s people. Every great work of God is followed by the
attack of Satan. Our passage for today sharing the discouragement of the people
follows a rousing hymn of praise for the deliverance and victory God had just
provided.
Exodus 15:22-27 (22)Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea,
and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the
wilderness and found no water. (23)When
they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were
bitter; therefore it was named Marah.
(24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we
drink?" (25)Then he cried out to
the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and
the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and
there He tested them. (26)And He said,
"If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do
what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His
statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the
Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer." (27)Then they came to Elim where there were
twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside
the waters.
God can use discouragement if we understand it the way
that He works.
First, EXPECT IT!
What can we learn from Moses
about discouragement? The people he led
had a vision and a commitment then turned aside to idols and murmuring. In this passage we see great deliverance
followed by thirst and then bitter water and major complaining. Here is an
age-old truth...one great experience in life tends to make people experts with
strong opinions. He would say, “If you
try a great work, you better expect times of discouragement.”
Secondly, EXPECT GOD TO USE IT!
We Defend Against Discouragement By Remembering...
We Defend Against Discouragement By Remembering...
· The Greatest
Successes Of Life Are Often Followed By Failure. v.22-23
The biggest mistake the
Israelites made was feeling that the Egyptians were their only problem. Sometimes our confidence becomes pride and we
cease to recognize our need of God. God does not only let us fail, but may even
negotiate our failure because He can only teach us some things this
way. Jesus said to Peter when he got a
bit cocky, "Satan has desired to sift you and you are going to fail the
test."
Why would God lead us through bitter experiences?
1. To Prove us
-v.25
God
does not test our faith in the glorious situations (such a church stage) of
life but with the bitter water found in everyday living.
2. To Purify us
-v.26
God
calls us to follow or be treated like the Egyptians. He wants to purify and strengthen our faith and
will accomplish His purpose whether it be by cooperation or chastening.
3. To Prepare
us - James
1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. God is preparing us for greater ministry. He is strengthening us for a larger task.
Discouragement fails to
achieve the purpose of God in the midst of the disappointments and frustrations
of life. The loss of courage is often
the loss of vision and purpose and can be costly for any life. Exercise faith in the face of bitter water.
Scripture to Claim
Let us not lose
heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Galatians 6:9
