“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today.” Exodus 14:13
Moses never appeared more convincing and courageous than when he voiced his powerful challenge to the fear-filled people of Israel. As the chariots of Pharaoh bore down on them, they cried out to God, but they poured their sarcasm onto their leader.
Moses rose to the occasion with a message of hope. Exiting the public stage, he found a private place, behind a rock, to cry out in panic to God.
Moses took a stand in public, but He didn't fail to take a knee in private. Prayer warriors engaged in spiritual warfare soon learn there is great danger in posing, without taking refuge in praying.
Wise leaders don't substitute public posing, for private praying. Moses was a wise man, indeed.
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are your crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.” v:15
Prayer warriors trust in God, not in themselves. Whatever comes their way, they engage in the process and the purpose of prayer.
The process of prayer involves bringing you face to face with God. Prayer often begins in breathless panic. Keep praying until there is a change in your breathing pattern.
Coming to the end of your rope is not a call to make more rope. Stop making rope. Start praying.
God's purpose for prayer is answered prayer. Gasping for breath in search of an answer to prayer honors God. Grasping to take credit for what God's answer to your prayer dishonors Him.
Prayer brings His Presence into the middle of your crisis. Don’t turn a crisis into a “selfie.” Step out of the limelight and give God's Spirit the elbow room He desires to answer your prayer, and then, give God all the glory.
Prayer is not an equal partnership. God does the heavy lifting. This cooperation is best described by the yoke relationship. The Teacher leads. The learner follows.
The synergy of prayer appears seamless, but there is always One who provides the greatest strength and the clearest direction.
Together great things are done, but there is only one Captain of the yoke. Prayer warriors do not seek to be in authority. They choose to be under the authority of The Captain.
“As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.” v. 16
“As for Me…I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army…then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored…” v. 18
“As for you” and “As for Me” describe the partnership of prayer perfectly. Moses came to God in panic. He was placed in a position of responsibility, and prayer provided him the power. This is the process and the purpose. He gave all of the honor and all of the glory to God.
“Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; the horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.”
Exodus 15:1-2
“Pray like it depends on God, work like it depends on you.”
This quote has been attributed to everyone from St. Augustine to John Wesley and even to Dave Ramsey. So, who knows?
The truth is prayer begins and ends with God. It was His idea, and any participation in it should be viewed as the privilege of a junior partner, not a managing director.
NOTE TO SELF: Standing on the promises of God is a great deal more effective when you are kneeling on the premises of your latest crisis. Praying before, during and after a crisis prepares you to honor God for His deliverance and His Presence. Moses may not have been honest to the people regarding all that was going on in his heart, but he was honest where it counted. He was honest to God. Answers to your prayers begin on your part with the humility and honesty. They end with honoring God for His part in answering your prayers.
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!