Backing out of Egypt

^{Exodus 13:17} And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: ¹⁸ But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁹ And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel , saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. ²⁰ And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. ²¹ And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: ²² He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Israel had been in bondage in Egypt for four hundred years.

They didn’t start out as captives, but refugees.
Another king arose who knew not Joseph and made slaves of Israelites.
Pharaoh was the only king they knew.
Egyptian culture dominated their lives.
They ate Egyptian food, wore Egyptian clothes, shopped Egyptian stores, saw Egyptian cities.
Egypt defined Israel ’s life, livelihood and thinking.

Israel hated their captors.

The Egyptians were hard taskmasters.
They were cruel and unreasonable.
Exodus 1:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. ²⁴ And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ And God looked upon the children of Israel , and God had respect unto them .

After a series of miracles, Israel found themselves on the way out of Egypt .

Israel left Egypt by faith, not by sight.

They had not seen miracles of provision, only miracles of judgment.
The Egyptian army was at full strength when Israel marched out.
Pharaoh was still in power when they marched out.
The blood was still wet on the doorposts and lintels when they marched out.

Why did they leave?

They left because they didn’t want to be slaves any longer.
They left because they now had a leader who would lead them out.
They left because it was the right thing to do.
Egypt is a type of sin.
If you are in sin’s bondage, you were made for better things.
If you are in sin’s bondage, you have a leader who will lead you out.

After they left for the right reasons, God began to do marvelous things for them.

The Red Sea opened up for them.
Egypt ’s army was defeated.
The pillar of fire and the cloud lead them.
The rock that gave them water to drink followed them.
The manna fell in the wilderness.
The clothes wore like iron.
None of these things happened until they forsook Egypt .

You cannot wait until you see your way clear before you leave your Egypt of sin.

There comes a time when you need to defy your Pharaoh.
There comes a time when you need to walk out on the devil.
You need to do the right thing, trusting that God will do the right thing.

But, the moment you leave Egypt , the mind games begin.

Fear.

^{Exodus 14:10} And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. ¹¹ And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt , hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt ? ¹² Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt , saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Loss.

^{Exodus 16:2} And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: ³ And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Anger.

^{Exodus 17:3} And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? ⁴ And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

Doubt.

¹ And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

The problem was that although the people were out of Egypt , Egypt was not out of the people.
God will set you free through the new birth experience.
Repentance
Baptism in Jesus’ name.
Holy Ghost infilling.

But, to be set free from your Egypt of sin, you need more than just a feeling of remorse, a physical baptism and an experience with God.

^{Hebrews 11:24} By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; ²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; ²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. ²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸ Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land : which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Look what Moses did:
Chose.
Esteemed.
Forsook.
Endured.
Kept.
Passed.

As long as you think like the world, you will rebel against the Spirit of God in your life. You need a mental emancipation from the thinking of this world.

I don’t need the habits of the world.
I don’t need the security of the world.
I don’t need the affirmation of the world.
I don’t need the fellowship of the world.
When God declares you free, you need to declare that you are free!

^{John 8:36} If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

You need for God to put a new mind in you.

⁵  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸ And being found in fashion^a as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Brother Pugh’s message to the General Board. “We have too much “con” and not enough “tran?”

This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

They’re all expecting me and that’s one thing I know.
My Savior pardoned me and now I onward go.
I know He’ll take me through, though I am weak and poor.

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Just up in Glory Land we’ll live eternally.
The Saints on every hand are shouting victory.
Their song of sweetest praise drifts back from Heaven’s shore
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

When you declare your freedom from Egypt , you will discover the providence of God.
You want miracles in your life? Get Egypt ’s thinking out of your mind.
You want joy? Be set free from Egypt .

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