When Your Back is Against the Wall
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Wrestling with this idea of what to do when our back is against the wall
I practice BJJ - martial art where the idea is for a smaller person to be able to defend themselves against a larger person
In the sport you practice arm bars, leg locks, etc.
You also practice choking people out.
I recently started coaching and one thing that we talk about is fighting and defending against bullies
One of the rules in the class that I teach is that they are not allowed to fight - if so, there are consequences
Two reasons that they can fight
Defending the vulnerable - when protecting others - can fight until able to get away
Back is against the wall - no where to go
One thing that I like about BJJ is a lot of the concepts are applicable to life situations
What do we do when our back is against the wall?
We are going to look at the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea
We read the background a bit ago, but we are going to read through the story a but deeper here as we go
17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”
You notice how God says that they are not ready for battle, but let’s look at what the Israelites think
18 So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’
3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’
5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”
8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.
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.
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.”
15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.
16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.
17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”
20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”
26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”
27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
Key Takeaways:
Beware of battles you think you can handle, but God knows otherwise!
God may allow/cause things to come against you so that He may be glorified!
Keep close to God when your back is against the wall!
Listen for the next step!
Don’t stop believing what God has said!
Continue to fear God!
Watch what God will do!
