Don't Go Back to Egypt

"...Were it not better for us to return to Egypt?"-(Numbers 14:3)
The words issued from the mouths and hearts of rebellious Israelites freed from their 400 year bondage represent a grave danger in the life of a child of God. The danger is looking back in conditioned, romanticized remembrance of the very situation we pray and ask God to deliver us from, only to regress. This is a situation that the Lord would not have us repeat. If God delivers us from sin, and transforms us into "new creations" we are not to even look back. Jesus tells the man who asks to first go back and say goodbye to his family before following Him "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."-(Luke 9:62)
God shows us the importance of not even glancing back toward that which we have been delivered from through the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when Lot's wife chooses to look back at what they were leaving: "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."-(Genesis 19:26) Why does this happen? How is it possible that we can have such incredible, supernatural events split the fabric of time and space through the very hand of God to deliver, heal, save or redeem us, and our reaction is often to turn back to that from which we have been removed?

My beloved bride are tremendously blessed to have witnessed firsthand many incredible supernatural healings. I remember fairly recently at one of our meetings with Pastor Benny Hinn, a woman who had a painful, crippling condition for more than 20 years. That day was her day for a miracle. She came in faith to the meeting, and God most certainly met her there, and healed her. It was incredible to see the joy in her countenance when she gave her testimony of what the Lord had done for her. Tears of glorious appreciation and sincere awe that the King of Kings would deliver her out of her bodily affliction captivated her persona. She literally "jumped for joy". As the line of testimonies continued on, the woman walked of her own strength down from the platform and proceeded to pass the line of discarded walkers, wheelchairs and crutches, and in hesitation, stopped to fetch her old wheelchair from the apron of the stage. And then, after looking thoughtfully at it for a moment, sat back down in it and triggered the controls to begin wheeling back to her seat. I was baffled. She was absolutely healed. Not only did we and the rest of the ministry team witness it, but the entire gathering of over 9,000 did as well. Pastor Benny was taken aback. He interrupted those who were being interviewed for their healing and called her out. "What on earth are you doing?" No response. "Why is that woman back in her wheelchair?" She kept on motoring along... I prayerfully asked God the same question, and immediately heard in my spirit: "She is going back to Egypt".

As incredulous as it may be, that is the plight of so many who receive long-awaited deliverances, healings, breakthroughs and supernatural provisions from the Lord. Which leads me once again to the familiar and imperative 'Why?'- Why would anyone who has suffered any plight that only the Lord could remove return to it? "Like a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool returns to their folly."-(Proverbs 26:11) But is it concious folly when one returns to their condition of imprisonment? I believe that when some return to certain sins, particularly sins of the flesh that create short-term seasonal pleasure, it is strictly out of addictive bondage to that pleasure. But the same principle exists on the opposite end of logic. Take for instance those who have spent enough time in prison to become institutionalized. They may see the light of freedom again, but oftentimes they long to return to the routine and (albeit inconceivable) comfort of the 6'x8' cell that they inhabited during their penalization. Another possibility for one's attempt to return to bondage is the comfort of victimized living. Rather than having to tend for oneself, there are those who either fear developing or re-developing self-sufficiency or simply wish to be served out of their condition, and therefore become "permanent victims". It is often fear... fear of the unknown, or fear of being uncomfortable that drives the reversion; And fear is a disease. In any case, the true reasoning is spiritually hindered, flesh-feeding (and in some cases), demonized oppression, but it all boils down to COMFORT.

There is a morbid comfort of the flesh found in the prison bars, the sick bed, the wheelchair or the addiction that literally holds some people captive. It is familiar, and therefore, (in a completely self-decaying capacity) it is a predictable magnetic force for return. "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."-(Matthew 26:41) It is in the weakness of our flesh that we can be defeated. It is in the frailty of the human condition that we revert to our captive state. Jesus identified that in the Garden of Gethsemane when he warned Peter, John and James as they were falling asleep to "Watch and Pray, so that you do not fall into temptation." Their spirits were willing, but their flesh was weak. Jesus knew that in order to conquer those situations where the flesh could turn back, it is imperative that we connect completely to the spirit man. Our flesh is incapable of holding onto deliverance, redemption, healing and the miraculous. But while the flesh inevitably fails, the spirit is eternally victorious through Christ. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts."-(Zechariah 4:6)

It is one of the adversary's greatest weapons of deception to manipulate us into thinking that we are responsible in the flesh or mind to hold onto the gifts and callings of the Lord. But that is a lie. What is more, that is a transparent confusion of the will of God for those under the covenant of Abraham, and as believers through Jesus Christ we also share the bounty of that same covenant. "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."-(Romans 11:29) Which leads us back to the wandering Israelites... How is it that they did not receive the Promised Land within the first generation that left the bondage and reproach of Egypt? Perhaps a better question would be- How is it that the children of Israel disregarded the immediate witness of the plagues over Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the utter destruction of the Horse and Riders of Egypt, the pillar of fire by night, and the cloud of smoke by day, the manna and the quail, the water from the rocks? How is it possible that even after crying out unto God for generations to send deliverance, in rebellion they moaned and complained that they wished to return to the same bondage they had been delivered from?

The answer is defined in one word: Faith. It takes FAITH to hold onto the promise, healing, deliverance or blessing. It takes the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen to receive that which God supernaturally grants us. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."-(Hebrews 11:6) It takes the faith of Joshua and Caleb to look into the Promised Land and while the other spys return with reports of negativity and fear of defeat and say "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it."-(Numbers 13:30)

There is a great lyric in the hymn "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" that goes: "I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back..." So as you go forth through the journey of this beautiful, wonderous faith- Do not turn back, and when you receive "IT", DON'T GO BACK TO EGYPT.

My Walk Just Transformed Into Running...

Reflecting on Philippians 3:10 today, I sought to uncover a deeper understanding of God's purpose in my life. Wanting to "know Christ and the power of his resurrection" is wonderful, albeit incomplete. I must desire to know His PLAN and thereby my purpose. If I seek His Kingdom and righteousness it is inherent that my call will be revealed. That is our heart for the labor of the ministry; to KNOW HIS VOICE.
While praying and meditating on this, I heard the Holy Spirit ask: "Is My 'WHAT' greater than your 'HOW'?" It absolutely floored me. I have tried in so many instances of ministry to relay or execute His plans for my life with focus on the Vision or Plan of Attack. I relate a formula given me by an excellent teacher of "Personal Mastery"- Brian Klemmer who teaches "Intention + Mechanism = Results". It has been an invaluable part of our style, approach and fruit. The formula is scripturally sound and there is no doubt in my spirit that God wants us to be pragmatic and plan out our course of attack.
But that Word from the Holy Spirit shook me. As simply posed as it was, it arrested me and took all of my thoughts captive. In a moment, I saw every major decision, good and bad from my salvation on in an instance. Then it struck me what separates the fully effective decisions from those that struggled to survive, or lacked the anointing... The God-given revelation of "WHAT" always weighed more than the "HOW". And Mr. Klemmer teaches that as a primary to the aforementioned formula. Your INTENTION is the "WHAT". My "WHAT", our "WHAT" is His assignment for us. When the Lord speaks to us, we must move, we must actively pursue His command. Delayed obedience is still disobedience... When we were in the midst of a major move early in ministry, we received a Word relating directly to obediently following His direction. A man of God preached: "If God tells you to go to New York, Get on a plane and go to New York. If you can't fly, get in a car and drive... If you can't drive, get on a train... If you can't take a train, get on a bike... If you can't ride a bike there, Run!! If you can't run, walk... If you can't walk, crawl... If you can't crawl, FALL!!! FALL IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE LORD TOLD YOU TO GO!" What a powerful understanding of obeying His call with immediacy!
While it is obviously important to "write out the vision and make it plain" it is of primary, paramount importance to first OBEY the move of God. If you delay when He says "GO!" in an effort to order your own steps, how is the Holy Spirit able to be the one who orders the path? This takes GREAT FAITH. It takes taxed, tested, seasoned and mature faith to do this, but it also takes the faith of a child... Mysteriously paradoxical, I know... But Jesus meant it when He said "If you do not receive the Kingdom as a child, you shall never enter it." Obedient children do what their Father tells them IMMEDIATELY.
My faith in Him is what is often being tested before the super meets the natural, thus confounding all of my best laid plans... Dr. Oral Roberts once wisely compared faith to one "climbing out on a tree limb with a hand-saw, cutting the limb he is standing on from the tree and watching the rest of the tree fall down, while the limb remained in the air." It doesn't make natural sense... but HIS "WHAT" never has to... His ways are not ours, His thoughts are higher than ours.
Something to ponder as you obediently move upon His call and assigning. He'll give you all that you need to accomplish His will for your life and your assignment. I have always said that He gives us information on a "Need to Know" basis... Sometimes, all we need to know is obedience, then He'll give us the rest.

Hide Thyself By The Brook Cherith...

In 1 Kings 17:3-6 the Lord tells Elijah to "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."

Elijah, whose prophetic ministry is perhaps the most viceral and most memorable amongst the major prophets in the Old Testament, is sent by God to a craggy, dry desolate secret location in biblical Samaria immediately after he prophesied and said unto Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."(1 Kings 17:1)
Miraculous... God sent the prophet to the wilderness where he was to be fed by ravens and have his thirst quenched of the brook. Several ingredients into this rich text strike me as miraculous; It was by the prophet's word that the drought began, it was by the word of the Lord that he was sent into protective exile, and it was by the power of God that in the midst of a terrible drought, Elijah remained quenched and fed by supernatural provision.

If you have been in the Word for any tenure of time, this is not revelation. I share this with you because of the immense personal revelation that the Lord has given within this chapter. Pastor Benny Hinn related Cherith to my wife and I as "the place of a cutting away", meaning that Cherith was a location of spiritual surgery and preparation for the prophet before going into the next season of his ministry to face the powers of Hell themselves.

God's purpose in putting you and I into "Cheriths" in the midst of our seasonally oriented lives is mysterious, but potent. I have been in Cherith many times so far in my walk. I have been in a place of asylum from the enemy, where God supernaturally feeds, provides and gives me rest all the while protecting and preparing me for the next season. I have personally found that these times have always involved a "cutting away" of some sort or another. The Lord uses these times to perform surgery on my core beliefs, my bad habits, my sin nature. Each time as the brook dries up, and the ravens stop coming I find that I/we are ready for the next push in the journey. After all, Elijah did not stay in Cherith. God had explicit and specific plans for him to fulfill. God led Elijah one step at a time, and on a "Need to Know" basis. He did not tell him to go to Cherith until he first delivered the message to Ahab. He did not tell him to go to Zarephath until the brook dried up at Cherith. God led Elijah by faith, one step at a time, and Elijah followed in faith.
While he was in Cherith, he was in the deepest place of communication with God. I like what John Trapp said of the prophet's exile: "Elijah could not be alone, so long as he had God and himself to converse with. A good man is never less alone, than when alone." And perhaps that is God's greater purpose for placing us in those "Cheriths" of our lives. Perhaps the most difficult seasons cannot be conquered without the Lord's excision of certain hinderances. I know that He speaks in a still, small voice to direct us. With all the noise and stimulae of the contemporary age, I imagine that God has a greater need for Cheriths in the life of His people; particularly when the enemy prowls about seeking whom he can devour at a frequency not seen since the likes of Sodom and Gomorah.

So, have you ever been in Cherith? If you have, or are, has it changed you? We would encourage you today to discern between God's call to "Hide thyself by the brook Cherith" and the enemy's accusation of "You will never get to the next season." And embrace the "brook" for the time appointed. It is our prayer that whatever season you are in, God uses each moment, whether Cherith or Zarephath, Gilgal or Jericho, to refine you and your walk.