Expect Opposition
Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” - (Exodus 5:22–23)
Sometimes we think that when we are in the will of God, it always will be smooth sailing. But I have found that the opposite is usually the case. When I am in the will of God, I brace myself for opposition. I almost see it as a confirmation that I am doing the will of God. In fact, if there is no opposition, I start to wonder what I am doing wrong.
When God sent Moses back to Egypt after 40 years in the desert, Moses probably was hoping that he could walk in, say what he had to say to Pharaoh, and hear him reply, “No problem. Go for it. Everything is good.”
But that isn’t what happened. Rather, Pharaoh answered, “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2).
Then Pharaoh made things worse. He told the Israelite foremen that obviously the people had too much time on their hands because they had this guy Moses coming in and asking for their release. He instructed them to no longer give them straw to hold their bricks together. They would have to get their own straw but still make their quota of bricks.
When the leaders of Israel found out, they said to Moses, “May the Lord judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!” (verse 21). Effectively it was a complete disaster.
Don’t be discouraged if you have tried to serve the Lord or do something for His glory and discovered that people are not supporting you—or are even harassing you. That is exactly what happened to Moses.
Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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