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Exodus 14:10–16 NKJV

And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

“There is Better on The Other Side”

There is a quote I recently heard by Dr. Craig Oliver - he said “What was and what is, isn’t all there is.” In other words he is saying, My past and present reality isn’t life’s finality.

When I think on these words, several thoughts come to mind. The first is far too often we let what has happened to cast shade on what could be or what would be. We live so imprisoned by pains from our past that we place periods in our lives, where God has placed a comma. We declare things final when God isn’t finished yet.

More than that it causes me to revisit how we view present problems. We tend to look at situations , especially painful or difficult ones, with a sense of hopelessness or condemnation. For some reason our faith gets parked in the face of the fight and we give up and give out before God shows out. We judge and condemn ourselves and others not realizing that this is merely a part of the process of becoming who you were destined to be.

You see, for some reason, we expect God to make us better. To grow us up. To make us whole - all without us seeing the ugly, brokenness, the darkness that often looms inside. We want God to fix what we don’t want to face. This is where faith is discomforting. It is here where we discover that change, purpose, promise comes with the pain - Growing Pains . . . Development Pains . . .

It is in this present where we are getting closer to God. We are getting closer to the promise. We are about to crossover. And, God is saying there is some stuff in you, you can take with you, to where you’re going. Recently, I heard from Pastor Hannah, he said often times we’re ready for the stage but God isn’t done working behind the scenes.

Sometimes the present is not as much an obstacle as it is an opportunity to deal with some imperfections in private so you won’t be exposed in public. Family, as a church of Real People, with Real Issues, serving a Real God - this is where God has had me lately.

I’ve always know I was called. I’ve always known I was meant to be a Change-Agent. I’ve seen God at work in my life. I know what God has shown me and where God wants to take me . . . no - US. But, I’m like Paul - I’m the least of all saints. I’m not quite there yet. But I press toward the mark for the prize of the High Call in Jesus Christ; and as I press, as I strive, there are some things that God is working out of me, to better me, to prepare me for the stage He is has in store for me . . .

Family don’t be upset at the process. Don’t let the pass hold you back. Don’t you stop at the problems you face. Keep pressing and know

What was and what is isn’t all there is

shout and declare

My Past and present reality isn’t my life’s finality . . .

THERE IS BETTER ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!

As we move deeper into the message for the morning, there are a few things shows us today as God reveals to us, what He has for us in His Holy Word.

The first is this:

1. There is always the Past Behind Me

Exodus 14:10-12

Exodus 14:10–12 NKJV

And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

A. Don’t let fear fog your future

Check out verse 10 . . . “So, they were afraid.”

When they saw the Egyptians behind them and realized they were being pursued, they allowed fear to make them forget why there were there.

The Lord had brought them out of Egypt and had them in process to better ahead. But, the were so focused on their past that it precluded their vision of the future.

Family, let me be clear. Your past is going to pursue you. There is some stuff that does not want to let you go. There are some past experiences. Some past relationships. Some past bad habits - that will call your name. They will text you . They will email you. They will inbox you. They will DM you and want to hold you hostage to the way things used to be.

Sometimes the past is talking from the outside. But other time, its crying out from the inside. There are still some enemies in the inner me that tries to hold prevent the new you fro coming to fruition.

But, family no matter how loud the cry, how hard the habitude to break don’t be fogged by fear.

Also family,

B. Don’t be enslaved by the Familiar

Read the text, they had the nerve to tell Moses . . . Why’d you bring us out here to die in the wilderness, because there were no graved in Egypt??? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone???

See, The Lord delivered them in one day out of Egypt but it took 40 years to deliver Egypt out of them.

They had become so comfortable, so familiar with what was that they had a hard time embracing what was to be. They were living far beneath God’s preferable future for their lives and were willing to settle just to avoid the fight.

Family, sometimes the fight isn’t physical. Sometimes the fight is mental.

Moses, why did you bother us? We were okay be slaves in Egypt.

We were just fine pretending to be perfect.

We were just fine not changing or maturing

We were just fine never leaving my neighborhood

We were just fine being unforgiving

We were just fine allowing the infestation of our issues.

I like that me . . . I know that me. . .

See, family, sometimes its not a physical past we’re worried about. The past here can be a revelational metaphor for so much.

Sometimes we’re afraid of letting go of things we can control

Sometimes we’re afraid of letting go of the way we were taught

Sometimes we’re afraid of letting go . . .

But,

C. Don’t Give up in the midst of Discomfort

Leaving the past can be uneasy. Letting go of a way of thinking can be discomforting. I mean look at the Israelites. Their momentary discomfort was causing them to dare to give up. But, we have to remember, the wilderness was never the destination.

The destination was always on the other side.

When things become difficult or discomforting we have to remember that this place is not a period in my life, this pursuit of my past isn’t it, its merely a comma in the call God has on my life.

There is Better on the Other Side.

1. There’s the Past Behind Me

then,

2. There’s the Problem in Front of Me

Exodus

Exodus 14:13–14 NKJV

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

A. Don’t let problems blind your possibility

Verse 13 in Moses’ response to the murmurs of the people - and all he says is “Don’t be afraid, see the salvation of The Lord.”

I get it they were nervous, they were afraid because not only was the past in pursuit but, they were facing a present problem - a sea they had no idea how to cross.

Family, I get it. Sometimes in life, its like God - You worked so wonderfully and delivered me out of that to bring me here. You fixed that issue in my life just to make me face another one????

I know, you be like God I just forgave him or her for this and know this happens. I can still see some stuff from the past just a while ago and no I have to deal with this.

The road to destiny places us in situations to see God’s salvation. He reminds us that on this journey there will be new trials. New tribulations. New obstacles. But, we must never be blind to the possibility ahead in God;s salvation.

B. If you face it God can Fix It

Moses reminds the Israelites in saying the Egyptians you see today, you will see no more. Why? The Lord will fight . . .

We can’t miss the revelation here, if we turn and face our present problems, The Lord has committed Himself to handle it. Remember, the only reason they are here, is because God led them here.

If we say, we are a child of God. If we believe we are following His Word and His Way - then if He brought you to it, we must believe He’ll bring us through it.

The Lord won’t guard us from what we have to face but He will guide us through it.

Expound . . .

There are times where we have to make the decision to stand still and just watch the salvation of the Lord. We have to let God do His handy work.

And, it is in this season where we have to learn to,

C. Stop Talking so Much

Verse 14 says, The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Translation, God will fight the battle for you. And you, keep your mouths shut!

There are times where its best just t be quite. We need to stop calling folks, sending text messages, telling everybody about our problems. Sometimes we have to stop, be still, be quiet and let The Lord work.

Not only that, we have to watch who’s in our ear or who’s advice we’re seeking. The Israelites were fearful, they were in pain and all they were doing was crying out to other people just like them. We have to be careful where we bleed. Sometimes we talk to much to people - who are excited that someone else is joining them on the short bus.

Family sometimes we have to be quite and let God show us who to talk to. Allow God to send objective sound counsel. Let The Holy Spirit talk and guide.

Just Be quit and see the salvation of THE LORD . . .

There is Better on the Other Side!

There the Past Behind Me

There’s the Problem in Front of Me

3. There’s the Promise Ahead of Me

Exodus 14:15–16 NKJV

And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Exodus 14:

A. We have to keep it moving

The Lord tells Moses in verse 14 “Hey, why are you crying to me? Talk to them, the Israelites and tell them get moving. Go forward.”

The time had come for the Israelites to move forward. It was time to progress.

Family, you’ve been here too long. It’s time to move forward. God is working out of you what He doesn’t want in you. Move forward

He’s healing the issue - Move Forward

He’s restoring the marriage - Move Forward

He’s creating the opportunity - Move Forward

How do we know because The Lord told Moses, use what’s in your hand and lift your rod, stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it.

B. The Lord will make a way

See, The Lord gave Moses a rod to life in times of trouble. But, we have our own rod. We have our own resource. We have THE WORD!!

We can lift THE Word over the issues we face. The Word will make a way!!!

But one thing we can all shout and sing on today, is the fact that

WE WILL MAKE IT TO THE OTHER SIDE!!!!

Look at verse 16, The Lord says . . .

And the children of Israel shall go on dry land through the midst of the sea . ..

Family, you will make it to the OTHER SIDE!!!