Deliverance: You Need Help
Exodus 13:6-10 the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a 7 day long period of time marked at the beginning and the end by an annual Sabbath. Today, we have come to the end of the 7 days.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is not a singular event like the day of Trumpets, Atonement, or even the Passover itself. It’s a period of time that stretches out over an entire week. It signifies a step in God’s astounding plan. A plan to bring you into the glory of His family, life everlasting, and so much more.
7 is a biblical symbol of completeness:
- Our transformation into the likeness of Christ must/will be complete
- The process takes a lifetime
Passover reminds us that we have accepted the blood of Christ. His death paid the penalty for the sins of our past. But Christ does not remain dead… during the Days of Unleavened Bread… having fulfilled the prophesied 3 days and 3 nights in the grave… Christ was raised to life by the power of the Father.
Jesus Christ is alive and active right now. Working on your behalf to deliver you from the power of death!
… to save you from Satan, your accuser and adversary
… to save you from this world which threatens to overwhelm and choke out your faith
… to save you from your own destructive habits, urges, and shortcomings
… to save you from you own thoughts, which must submit themselves to Him
What a waste it would be to take the Passover but not go forth into the Days of Unleavened Bread… to go forth into the fullness of all God wants for you. It would be like taking the blood of Christ but then continuing on in sin… never changing, never overcoming, never experiencing the renewal of our minds in Christ Jesus.
Many people believe and teach just that… rejecting God’s law, ejecting the only trustworthy moral compass available to humanity, leaving those who listen to them adrift in the world … with nothing to rely on but feelings and emotion.
Lessons During Unleavened Bread
We have all learned lessons during this 7 days of Unleavened Bread. [tell story of dessert at restaurant].
For some its finding a box of crackers in a forgotten nook… a slice of bread under a couch cushion. When we find it we get rid of it and move on. We should also take a moment to reflect on how did I miss that and how can I apply it to the thoughts and actions in my daily life? What have I missed? Where have I not looked.
It’s a life-long process… We continue to do so until it is complete.
We Cannot Succeed Without Help
Israel goes forth out of Egypt [on the 15th day]. They head out from Succoth and camp a the edge of the desert. They are happy… feeling good… they pass by the mourning Egyptians with a high hand!
But, God has a lesson about deliverance to teach. So He purposely leads them into a place where they are boxed in… a canyon with walls of rock on both sides. On one end is the huge expanse of sea. On the other… the way in.
Exodus 14:5 God stirs up Pharaoh. He and his advisors suddenly realize they have just let several million slaves go off into the wilderness. It’ll be an economic disaster… who will do all that work?
Get the army suited up! Get the fastest chariots ready! We’re going after them… to bring ‘em back.
Pharaoh appears at the entrance to the canyon… and Israel is trapped.
Exodus 14:10-12 they had been bold and high spirited on the way out. But, as soon as they saw Pharaoh and his army they lost their courage and confidence. Surely they thought… its impossible to escape Pharaoh… he’s too powerful… what was I thinking… I should have stayed where I was.
You probably have moments like that. Especially those who are young in the faith. Thinking, I’ll never be good enough. I’ll never be able to escape the temptations of Satan… the pulls of the world are just too strong… I can’t stop doing forbidden things even though I want to… my thoughts so easily spin off into dark and ungodly places.
Your own strength to overcome is insufficient. You need help.
Exodus 14:13-22 He will fight for you.
Christ is alive… He is at the right hand of the throne of God.
Satan is constantly accusing you before God. Undermining, testing, seeking your destruction. But Christ is your advocate… He takes your side, interceding on your behalf.
You cannot defeat Satan of your own power. But Christ can…
- He can cleanse you
- He can sanctify you
- He can deliver you
… He will never leave you.
You cannot keep God’s law and follow righteousness by your own power.
But, Christ living in you can. The Holy Spirit within you can make it happen. We will talk about this more as we head toward the next Holy Day… Pentecost.
John 7:37-39 The walls of water on either side of Israel as they fled through the sea are like the living waters of God’s Holy Spirit… creating a that straight and narrow path for us… guiding us in all truth and protecting us in it. This is the work of the Christ in you through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Which you receive after baptism through the laying on of hands.
Romans 6:1-18
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