Filtering Your Frustration

Intro / Antithesis

A young boy once asked his father , Daddy, how do wars begin?

“Well, take the First World War” said the father. That got started when Germany invaded Belgium. Immediately his wife interrupted him, tell the boy the truth, it began because somebody was murdered. The husband drew himself up with an air of superiority and snapped back, “are you answering the question or am I? Turning her back upon him in a huff, the wife walked out of the room and slammed the door as hard as she could. When the dishes stopped rattling in the cupboard, an uneasy silence followed, broken at length by the son when he said, Daddy you don’t have to tell me anymore; I know now!

And I wanna suggest that like in this story all of us in here get angry sometimes. Some more than others.

But I wanna suggest that at the root of Anger lies ......

frustration - which means to be irritated, agitated, annoyed...you become- moody,,short, sarcastic & semantic

And if your not careful how you handle, or how you deal with your frustration ....it can lead to anger that will cause you to say something………

or do something that you will ultimately regret

And I wanna talk to you for a few moment out of this passage about the importance of knowing how to filter your frustrations in a world that has seemingly turned into the okay coral or the wild Wild West … it’s important to know how to filter your frustrations

Because in this text Moses suffers a great loss for not handling properly,, not dealing with and not filtering his frustrations

And we all get frustrated ..

Whether it’s in marriage

In ministry

Raising our children

Our jobs

Some of you get frustrated in traffic

The price of food right now will frustrate you

The cost of health care and copay’s will frustrate you

taxes & inflation

What will really frustrate you is the fact that we got homelessness

Mental health crisis

And our own poverty issues right here in the U.S.

And yet and still we lent Ukrainian 54 Billion Dollars

America can I hold something

But I think one of the most frustrating things still to date is the on going gun violence that plagues not openly our black communities but its becoming prevalent everywhere

Nonetheless there are variations of frustrations

And your frustrations can lead to Anger which can lead to you doing something or saying something you will later regret

As is the case in our text with Moses. Here in Numbers 20:1-13

And before we delv into the text

I wanna suggest that the big Question in our text today is HOW???

How did Moses get to this point of frustration

Can i suggest …that …

A closer look at Moses’ character will help you better understand why I raise this question.

Look aT Numbers 12 verse number 3 …this kinda blew me away in reference to our discussion

In Numbers 12:3 the Bible gives us major insight into Moses’ character.

In Numbers 12:3 the Bible says that when Merium and Aaron opposed Moses, the Bible paints a distinct picture of Moses, calling him the most humble man on the face of the earth at the time.

and later on we gonna see that Moses blows it which is totally opposite of his character

Can I raise the question: what would people say about you if they were to sum up your character?

Would they say he’s spiritual she’s genuine she’s faithful … or would they say … never mind….

But but but… how ….does Moses get to this point of extreme frustration?

One of the reasons was that he was called to suffer

There’s some stuff you just gonna have to realize that you’ve been called to, it’s assigned to you. And it ain’t always pretty but Gods trusting you with trouble,….and it’s tied to where your headed.

Can I give you a glimpse of what GOD told me …

you would really appreciate your here and now ….

if you only knew what your there and then was going to look like

He’s only taking you through….. to get you to

Do me a favor and Tell your neighbor …..

YOU CAN HANDLE IT!!!

disappointment

set back

tragedy

YOU CAN HANDLE IT!

cause if you only knew what tomorrow looked like

You were called to it so you can handle it

but Moses blows it in Numbers 20

Let me prove it too you....Psalms 106:32 summarizes Moses’ failure in Numbers 20

Psalm 106:32 (NIV): 32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the Lord,

and trouble came to Moses because of them;

So they complain … MOSES responds, … BUT HE RESPONDS IN ANGER

HE HAS A MOMENT WHERBY HE LETS HIS FLESH GET THE BEST OF HIM

can i raise the question ...HAVE YOU EVER HAD A MOMENT

AND SEE MOSES GOT HISTRY WITH THE NATION OF ISREAL

You do know Moses gave up the luxury of Pharos palace to be amongst and deliver his slave relatives in Egypt

And Moses BECAME Israel’s deliverer, Pastor, prophet and leader

AND THEY WERE RECENTLY SLAVES IN EGYPT

And God uses MOSES ,….. to bring them out

Whoo GOD...

He blows it in chapter 20 because of Israels Constant Complaining

and he’s the same guy that God used to be a blessing to their life

don’t act like you never had people who God was using you to be a blessing to

turn around…and

YOU REMEMBER IN the book of Exodus that GOD USED MOSES TO ADMINISTER THE GRACE OF DELIVERANCE

AND JUST BEFORE GOD FINALIZED THE DEAL

HE TOLD MOSES IN EXODUS 11 VS. 1 IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN God says when i do this next move, that which is holding my people back has gotta let them go

Exodus 11:1 He says when I do this next move..... that which was holding my people back

is gonna have to let them go

YOU REMEMBER GOD RELEASED 9 PLAGUES ,… AND PHAROAH THOUGH IT WAS A JOKE

BUT GOD TOLD MOSES WHEN I Do THIS NEXT MOVE

tell your neighbor watch out for the next move...

HE SAYS ..THAT WHICH WAS HOLDING THEM BACK,.... ITS GONNA HAVE TO LET THEM GO

AND YOU BETTER SHOUT FOR THE NEXT MOVE OF GOD THAT’S ABOUT TO HIT THIS PLACE

in your life

in your family

in your health

in your finances

God says when i release this next move.... whatever’s holding you back

tell your neighbor whatever’s holding yo back

it’s gonna have to ....

tell somebody i see doors opening that no man can close

i see doors closing that no man can open

WHATEVER WAS HOLDING YOU BACK ITS GONNA HAVE TO LET YOU GO

I speak debt cancelation

I speak healing I speak deliverance

I speak SUPERNATURAL BREAKTHROUGHS

Whatever was holding you back this year.....

God says

Ohh GOD ….

but wait a minute in verse 2 he says something totally abstract

in Exodus 11:1 God says I’m about to seal the deal

But in vs 2 God tells Moses to tell The men and women to borrow articles of silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors

Wait a minute LET ME INTERPRET THE TEXT

GOD SAYS BORROW SILVER AND GOLD FROM YOUR OPPRESSORS

CAN I TELL YOU WHAT GOD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU BEFORE I GET TO OUR TEXT IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 20

HE SAID NOT OLNY IS HE GETTING READY TO RELEASE YOU

BUT HE SAID YOU COMING OUT BETTER...

THAT’S WHY I’M NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DIAGNOSES

THAT’S WHY I’M NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY SAID

BECAUSE WHATEVER WAS HOLDING ME BACK

GOD SAID , .. HE GOING TO RELEASE ME

AND I’M COMING OUT BETTER...

TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR I’M COMING OUT BETTER

MY MIND GONNA BE REGULATED

IMMA HAVE A DIFFERENT ANOINTING

A DIFFERENT PEACE

A DIFFERENT JOY

TELL SOMEBODY I’M COMING OUT BETTER

I’M COMING OUT BETTER ( 3 X’S

WHO BELIEV’S IT FOR YOUR LIFE

YOU BETTER RSVP BECAUSE IM HAVING A COMING OUT PARTY

AND IM COMING OUT BETTER

I GOTTA GO TO THE TEXT …

SO HERE WE ARE IN NUMBERS CHAPTER 20

AND UMMM

YOU JUST WITNESSED THE NATIONS EMANCIPATION

It’s been 2 years since the Exodus and Israel’s been in the wilderness BY NOW

God RELEASES THEM AND THEY CAME OUT BETTER

SOMEBODY SHOUT FOR BETTER

And so it’s in the wilderness where God begins the work of spiritual deliverance

BUT ITS ALSO A PLACE OF TESTING…

And from the time Israel leaves EGYPT until now… Israel complained to Moses 14 times

PETER MATHEW 18 (7 X’S )

ITS 1 THING IF 14 DIFFERENT PEOPLE OFFEND YOU

BUT WHEN THE SAME PERSON

OR THE KSAME GROUP …KEEP TAKING MY KINDNESS

TAKING ME FOR A SLOUCH

Proverbs 21:19 says better to live in the desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife

Israel is a nagging bride

and quite frankly Moses now at this point is like God , this your wife

The 1st 5 times they complain God doesn’t do nothing then after that God pulls out his belt and deals with Israel’s complaining

BUT THEY STILL DON’T SEEM TO LEARN

But ever time they complained they did so to Moses begrudging him

And by the time we get to Numbers 20 vs 1-6 the text says that Israel is now situated at Kadesh Barnea which is the southern border of the promise land

THERE AT THE BRINK OFF THEIR BLESSING

CAN I PAUSE PARENTHETICALLY TO TELL YOU WHY YOU CAN’T LOOSE IT IN THIS SEASON, IS BECAUSE YOU TOO CLOSE TO PROMISE

IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW CLOSE YOU WERE..

vs 1. When they get to this location Merium Moses sister dies

vs. 2-5 they start complaining

Moses is mourning and THEY Mouthing

vs. 6 Moses goes in the tent of meeting to seek the presense of GOD for direction AND CONSOLATION

and the text says glory showed up

vs 7-8

Numbers 20:7–8 (LEB): 7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff and summon the community, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give water. Bring out for them water from the rock, and let the community and their livestock drink.” Why does God tell Moses to pick up the staff?

God says Moses ima deal with Israel

Ima deal with the problem

But you gotta first let me deal with you

see we sometimes think prayer is a vehicle for us to dump our mess and go into the presence of GOD likehe don’t see you....

He said imma deal with that ,...but let’s start with you

tell your neighbor it starts with you

God tells him get the staff in your hand and go speak to the rock

Plan sounds good to Moses because he gonna tweet it a little bit

Moses picks up the staff, because in his mind… he tired of talking anyway

you ever get to the place where you tired of talking

and can i suggest that this is the place , where you gotta filter your frustrations

And the way you do that #1 I want to suggest is you gotta BREATHE ( i got this from Dr. Jazz a few months ago when I sat in her class on mental health ) and can I suggest IT WORKS…..

IT’S IN THE TEXT

Points

Breathe

Psalm 46:10 (NIV): 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth

AND WHAT THIS TEXT SUGGEST IS ..

CALM DOWN,

DON’T LOOSE IT

TAKE A DEEP BREATH , IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT

cause at the moment Moses leaves the people to go into the tent of meeting before the presence of GOD,

he’s a ticking Tom Bomb … waiting to explode

HE GOES TO GOD SEEKING REFUGE

AND CONSOLATION

AND GOD TELLS HIM, GET THE STAFF IN YOUR HAND ,,…. AND GO..SPEAK TO THE ROCK

NOW YOU GOTTA PEEP THE MOVE

BECAUSE WHAT GOD DOES IN THIS MOMENT, IS… HE DEFUSED THE BOMB OF MOSES’ EMOTIONS THAT’S READY TO GO OFF AT ANY MONENT

BUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK MOSES HAS TO ENGAGE THE PROCESS

BECAUSE WEHEN HE GOES INTO THE PRESENSE OF GOD REMEMBER HE’S TICKED

AND HERE’S WHERE GOD WANTS TO DO A SOFT RESET ON MOSES’S EMOTIONAL STATUS

YOU’LL UNDERSTAND IT BETTER FROM A GFCI OUTLET

one of the contractors working on my house helped me to undersand this

GFCI STANDS FOR:

GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER

contractors typically put them in bathrooms or kitchens or or your wash room or anywhere where you have water or is prone to moisture

THE WAY IT WORKS..

has few functionalities

few safety features

ONE OF WHICH

IT WILL STOP YOU FROM BEING ELECTRICUTED

IT HAS THE ABILTY TO SHUTT OFF WHEN WATER OR MOISTURE GETS IN

IT HAS THIS CENSOR ON THE INSIDE THAT MONITORS HOW MUCH POWER IS FLOWING THROUG THE GROUND WIRE AND THE HOT WIRE

AND WHENEVER THERES TOO MUCH ENERGY, IT WILL TRIP THE OUTLET AND SHUT IT OFF

IT WONT AFFECT THE REST OF THE ELCTRICTY IN THE HOUSE

AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS HIT THE RESET BUTTON TO TURN IT BACK ON

HOW MANY KNOW WE HAVE A BUILT IN GFCI … AND ITS CALL THE HOLY GHOST

SOMEBODY OUT TO THANK GOD FOR THE HOLY GHOST ...

THAT WHENEVER I GOT TOO MUCH NEGATIVE ENERGY FLOWING THROUGH ME…

THE HOLY GHOST REMINDS ME OF MY POURPOSE

REMINDS ME OF HIS WORD

BUT ULTIMATELY HE REMINDS ME TO CALM DOWN TAKE A DEEP BREATH

TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR TO CALM DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH

WHEN YOU START SYING STUFF LIKE .. WHAT WE NOT GOING TO DO..

YOU NEED TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH

WHEN YOUR VOICE GETS ELEVATED …

YOU NEED TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH

TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR CALM DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH

WHEN CHILDREN GETTING ON YOUR NERVES

GRANDCHILDREN

AND SPOUSE

BOSS

DON’T FUSS THEM OUT

BUT CALM DOWN AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH

HE SAYS MOSES… JUST BREATH

GET THE STAFF IN YOUR HAND TAKE A DEEP BREATH … AND SPEAK TO THE ROCK

2. Believe

MOSES HAS TO BELIEVE ITS GONNA WORK IN HIS FAVOR.

IT’S RIGHT THERE IN VS. 8 speak to the rock and it will give you water

the problem is moses frustrated

moses got too cute for this ....

GET THE STAFF IN YOUR HAND TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND SPEAK TO THE ROCK

3. God don’t allow me to get bitter but make me better

Hebrews 12:15 (NIV): 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.