Knowing When

Exodus 12 : 40 - 41, Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years -- on that very same day -- it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. NKJV

Exodus 14 : 13 - 14, 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." NKJV

We're told in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is a time for every purpose under heaven.  I've watched synchronized swimmers with amazement and wonder, curious as to how they're able to be absolutely in sync with each other while their heads were under water. They understood the principle of purpose and timing, and this governed their every move. The team that perfects purpose with timing the best walks away with the highest honor.

Like the synchronized swimmers, Moses walked in perfect harmony with the timing and purpose of God. When God told him to march, Moses carried out God's plan to the letter. As they stood at the banks of the Red Sea and saw the Egyptian king and army closing in on them, Moses sought direction from the Lord.

You may not be in a fight for your very life today; you might not be in need of a deliverance from your adversary, but if you are, then learn how to walk in sync with the Lord. Moses had to seek the Lord's direction for each and every move that he was to take in the extraction of Israel from the land of bondage. He did so because they were in a spiritual battle over their freedom, and they were fulfilling a promise that God had made to their father, Abraham. 

Did you know that God has a plan for you, and a portion of that plan must be fulfilled through your obedience today? If you're fighting to hold onto your faith because Satan has you in his sights, as Pharaoh did when he pursued Israel to the Red Sea, then do what Moses did. Seek the Lord's will and allow Him to order your footsteps. 

There was a time when God instructed Moses to "STEP," and there was a time when God wanted Moses to "STAND." If you don't know when to step and when to stand, then you could move out-of-sync with the Lord and hinder your release from bondage or pursuit by your enemy.

Moses had learned how to walk-in-step with the Lord because he had gotten out-of-step with God earlier in his life. Moses didn't step, and he didn't stand; instead, he acted in his own power and struck an Egyptian. This act of murder prolonged the stay of Israel in Egypt for an additional 30 years. Once we get out of God's will, purpose, and timing, we can prolong or over- stay our season. This will lead to greater agony and affliction, as we can clearly see in Exodus 2. Are you in sync with the Lord's purpose and timing in your life today? If not, then turn from your own ways, as Moses had to do and listen to the voice of God, as Moses also did.

God will use every season of our lives for our good, if we will live each season of our life unto Him. (Romans 8 : 28) God knows we will experience both good and difficult seasons, but He doesn't want us to prolong our stay in either of them. While we're living this new life in Christ, God is at work in us changing us into the image of Christ. He's transforming us from former slaves of sin into liberated children of the Most High God.

Synchronizing My Steps With God's plan,
Pastor Asa Dockery