Bitter circumstances:
The Egyptians worked the Israelites without mercy and made their lives bitter. Since overworking them didn’t seem to impact their growth they reached out to the midwives and told them to start killing all the baby boys that were born to the Hebrews. The midwives feared God and refused to obey the king’s orders. Because of this God blessed them with their own families. And God’s people continued to multiply, growing more powerful.
What will you do in bitter circumstances?
I’ve heard it said it only takes good people doing nothing for evil to prevail. Well, that certainly came into play here. The midwives risked their own safety, made a stand, and did what they knew to be right in the eyes of God. The world we live in is changing and getting crazier by the minute. We have no idea what the future holds for us. Eventually we too will be faced with decisions. Decisions that will cost us! They could cost us friends or relationships. But it could also cost us jobs, comfort, and maybe even our freedom, or our very lives. What will we do in these moments? It’s easy to say we trust and fear God. But what we do in these moments will really reveal what’s on the inside of us. Will we be brave enough to make the stands that are needed in our lives? Even if it cost us? Will we choose to fear God over man and our circumstances? We must be like Daniel (Daniel 1:8-16) and purpose in our hearts. We must be like Joshua (Joshua 24:15) and choose for ourselves who we will serve. Don’t wait until you are faced with difficult choices. Work these things out in your hearts today. This way when opposition comes, and it will come. You’ve already decided in your heart that you will not eat the king’s food and take what this world has to offer; and you’ve already chosen your path making no room for retreat because there’s no going back. We must press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:14)
Steps to making bitter circumstances better.
The word stronghold is mentioned in the Bible 50 times. It’s referred to as a fortress with difficult access. Strongholds are places where we find ourselves in captivity and bondage where we become slaves to things that we were never meant to be slaves to. As a believer we do not work to victory, we work from it. But, then why are so many of us held captive by these invisible prisons that we just can’t break free from? I don’t know where you are today, but chances are there is “something” you’re struggling with. I can tell you I personally have found myself in circumstances/struggles that were bigger than me. They were not something I could “will” myself out of. It wasn’t something I could muster up enough umph or strength to get through. It was too big for me! So, I needed something bigger than it. Friends, the answer is Jesus! There is no freedom without God. (Romans 6:15-23) We are all slaves to something, either a slave to sin, which ends in death. Or we can choose to surrender our lives over to God. When doing this he gives us life and life more abundantly. (John 10:10)
Prayer
Father, you are our strong tower, our refuge, and our strength! Hide us under your wings and protect us from the enemy. Break the chains and bust open the prison doors and set us free Father. You alone are our help in time of trouble. In you alone do we have hope. Do in us what we can not do within ourselves. Rescue us from the miry pits we have found ourselves in. Change our hearts and our minds to a line with you and your will for our lives. Give us the strength to choose you. Create in us a clean heart of God and renew in us a right spirit. Surround us with your heavenly armies and protect us. Hold us with your mighty right hand and all though we may stumble to not let us fall. Have mercy on us Father for we are but dust. Gather us into your fold and teach us how to obey you with all of our hearts, soul, mind and strength. Thank you for your love. Thank you for making a way for us to have a relationship with you. Thank you for how you give us chance after chance. Help us not to turn from you Father but instead to run into your loving arms. Set us free Father…set us Free! I ask all of this in the might name of Jesus - AMEN