February 1 - How to Face Your Enemy

We all have enemies in our lives, some are bigger and some are smaller. Israel’s biggest enemy was not the wilderness but Pharaoh, King of Egypt. He was in hot pursuit of the Israelites, catching up on them any time, so close that the people of Israel saw them marching after them. On the other side, there was a natural geographical barrier, the Red Sea. How could a million people cross it without bridges or boats? The conclusion was obvious: they were about to die.

How many times have you been in such a situation, between a rock and a hard place with no way of escape? Of course your natural reaction would be that of fear, like the Israelites who feared greatly. When we are in fear, we are insecure and wrong words have often come out of our mouths. We blame others for the situations we are in and compare the time prior to our troubles with the present predicament. However, the greatest danger for the Israelites and for us is to do something stupid, like running in all directions without seeking God’s help and deliverance.

Moses gave his people good advice on how to face their greatest enemy: fear. First, they must be calm and overcome their own fear. Fear often paralyzes us and throws us into disarray. If we let fear dominate us in time of crisis, the battle has already been lost. Sometimes it is not the power of the enemy (which is nothing in comparison to the power of God) but the way we react to the enemy we dread most. “Fear not” has been on the lips of our Lord as He calmed the souls of His disciples. Yes, you can choose not to fear; you can control yourself; you can overcome fear or the Lord would not have said so.

The second advice was to stand firm. The Lord had led them so far and He would not abandon them at this critical moment. To run away or to go back to Egypt was not an option for the Israelites. To go ahead was not an option either. When there is nowhere to turn to, it is best to stand firm where you are. Stand firm means to stand on the promises of God, since God has promised to protect and take you to the Promised Land, He will do it. In times of difficulty, it is essential to stand firm on His promises.

The third advice from Moses was to see the salvation of the Lord that He would work for them that day. God was about to move and act, they needed to be patient enough to see it through. When one is impatient, it is hard to wait. One minute seems like an hour and an hour seems like eternity. Ask God for a heart of faith to trust in His hand to fight for you. You have only to be silent and salvation will surely come to you. Are you in such a situation? Take Moses’ advices now.