Posted on by Christian Armetta · 2 Comments

Fighting With Faith

Exodus 14:10-14

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Spiritual-Warefare

You get exactly what you see! Human eyes downloading the impossible. We cannot be too quick to judge the Israelites! Why? I’ve been there too. Your greatest fear chasing you down, and it’s breathing down your neck. You turn around and your human eyes are filled with despair, turmoil, anger, resentment, sadness, regret, and doom…it’s over.

A worldview through the lens of the soul will lead you to filter through your human mind, will, and emotions. The enemy you hear marching around the corner travels across the synapse of fear. This, my friend, is bondage.

A worldview through the lens of the Holy Spirit inside of you will lead you to filter through power and truth. The enemy you hear marching around the corner is nothing but an opportunity for God Almighty to fight for you; you need only to be still.

~When your back is up against the wall and you are truly trapped, be still.

~When you are out of answers and the world feels heavy, let the Lord fight for you.

~When the enemy marches insight and you hear their drums, stand firm and watch a miracle unfold before you.

~When the impossible laughs in your face, don’t blink because the waters open up and you’ll walk untouched as your enemy drowns.

Dear believers, we are more like the Israelites in this passage than we think. Many of you are facing battles or decisions that seem impossible. Some of you are wiping the spit off your face from the enemy shouting at you even now. Still, there are those few who believe the lie that it would be easier to just “turn back.” Oh dear brother and sister…faith!

I pray that you feel empowered today, even now, as you read this message to stand still as you face your enemy; let the Lord fight for you, and expect the impossible! May you be filled with the Holy Spirit and submit all authority of your soul and flesh under His power and truth. Live with eyes wide open and filtered through a spiritual lens. See everything through the promises of God. Surrender your mind, will, and emotions daily to the authority of the mighty Savior who lives inside of you and be lead by the Spirit. Smile knowing your back is never up against a wall when the Lord is your Shepherd. He will make a way and He is even able to create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Therefore,  shout a hallelujah!…smile!…and sing!…in the the presence of your enemy knowing God has made a way where there is none! I am asking, even now, that you stand up, be still, and praise Him for making a way! Do you believe?

~Do you believe you will walk on dry land?

~Do you believe He will create rivers in the dry wasteland?

~Do you believe He can heal with just a word?

~Do you believe His name is that powerful?

~Do you believe your enemy will watch you prevail?

~Do you believe you will be delivered?

BE STILL…AND LET THE LORD FIGHT FOR YOU!

Challenge: It’s time for a spiritual adjustment! Spirit – Soul – Flesh. May you be filled, daily, with the Holy Spirit and submit to His control.

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

Posted on by Christian Armetta

Unwarranted Blessings

Exodus 17

Water from a Rock

17 The whole Israelite community left the Desert of Sin. They traveled from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim. But there was no water there for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses. They said, “Give us water to drink.”

But Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why are you testing the Lord?”

3 But the people were very thirsty for water. So they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Was it to kill us, our children and our farm animals with thirst?”

4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to kill me with stones.”

5 The Lord said to Moses, “Go ahead of the people of Israel. And take some of the elders of Israel with you. Carry with you the walking stick that you used to strike the Nile River. Now go! 6 I will stand in front of you on a rock at Mount Sinai. Hit that rock with the stick, and water will come out of it. Then the people can drink.” Moses did these things as the elders of Israel watched. 7 Moses named that place Massah because the Israelites tested the Lord. They asked, “Is the Lord with us or not?” He also named it Meribah because they quarreled.

water from rock

“Oh those rebellious Israelites!” I look at this sentence and want to find a rock myself to crawl under. Why? Well, maybe because I’ve said this myself about one hundred times until I find myself acting just like them. You mean I was being judgmental? Sadly, probably so; however, I think it is more prideful. 

It is so easy to look at the collective lives of the Israelites, their journey, their purpose, and their lessons on this side of the Bible and impose our first world judgments. I’m here to tell you…this amazing story was not providentially entered into the Bible for your personal opinions or judgments but to learn how we, in fact, live parallel lives.

Just this week, I found myself grumbling and in a melancholy mood. Right the midst of this, God provided an opportunity for me to not only pray with a complete stranger but to also encourage her. You see, I was the Israelite; this stranger was the water from the rock.

Let me take you a little deeper. In the passage above, we cannot miss the fact that the Israelites traveled from place to place as the Lord commanded. Oh I see! They literally didn’t go to the next place unless the Lord told them to go.

[Don’t miss this!] So, if the Lord prepares the way, He will give you everything you need, but it might not be in the form you are used to seeing; it might not even be in the quantity you are used to receiving. Can we even say…it might not be in the same comfort you are used to living. But rest assured. He WILL provide if He tells you to go!

When the Israelites made it to their next destination, their flesh kicked in; they were thirsty. Who could blame them? However, it’s how they went about asking for water that makes this an unwarranted blessing. Instead of believing and demonstrating deep faith, they complained. Not only did they complain, but they even questioned Moses for taking them out of captivity in the first place.

The whole point of the story is that God was well prepared to satisfy their needs because the rocks were at the ready!! However, the Israelites were too far into their fleshly grumbling to even comprehend that God could possibly provide fresh water by means of rocks.

Dear friends, are you standing in the desert surrounded by awaiting rocks? To bring you back to my personal story, I found myself grumbling over being inconvenienced; I will tell you this is an ugly thorn from the root of pride. I had no idea that I was standing, no completely surrounded, by rocks just waiting to be split open by the Holy Spirit and to be poured out on me and a complete stranger.

When the Holy Spirit’s waters rushed out and poured over us during that prayer, I knew I was unworthy but thankful beyond words for grace that covers a multitude of sin. I was immediately reminded by God that He continues to use us despite our selfishness and pride. I am thankful that I remained available to the Holy Spirit.

Question: Where do you see yourself today?

  1. Are you in the desert grumbling unaware of the blessings surrounding you?
  2. What are you exactly thirsty for?
  3. Have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s waters rushing over you

Challenge: I know you’re thirsty! But stop grumbling and humbly ask God to give you His living water and to use you each and every day!

Thankful,

Christian Armetta