Notes
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
Luke 4:18-19
How do we overcome the oppression in our life? It is to put faith in the one who came to lift that oppression. Oppression makes you think that you are ineffective in God’s assignment for you, and tells you to settle where you’re at or that God doesn’t want more out of your life.
Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey...”
Exodus 3:7-8a
The book of Exodus tells of the Israelite people, who had been enslaved for many generations in Egypt, being brought out of their oppression by God so they could learn to live in the promise.
Our assignment is to be fruitful, multiply, and permeate God’s presence throughout the earth, and the assignment doesn’t come without trouble. But God sees us in our trouble, in our oppression.
1) Do I Look for the Shortcut or Embrace the Way of God’s Direction?
“I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.”
“The elders of Israel will accept your message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, our God.’”
Exodus 3:17-18
Everyone in our society wants instant success. We want everything now, and our hearts are no different - to live in the abundant life, it takes a fight of faith. We have to build endurance so that when trouble comes, we are ready. God may take you on a path that doesn’t make sense, to develop your skill and your character, so that your faith can be prepared..
2) Do I Remember the Greatness of God or Do I Complain and Argue About the Wilderness I Am In?
Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?” While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.
Exodus 17:7-8
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Philippians 2:13-15
Before arriving in Rephidim, the people were arguing and complaining, and then in Rephidim, they continued. Their arguing and testing of God allowed the enemy to gain a foothold.
A resting space is not a place for you to settle down. Rest is given to us so we can refresh our spirits and be ready to be fruitful and multiply.
3) Do I Go With the Majority Vote or the Voice of God?
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”
Numbers 13:31-33
Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
Numbers 14:6-9
If we don’t believe God’s promise and step fully into it, if we don’t develop on the journey and rest properly, we are rebelling against the Lord, because we are settling. Jesus came to lift the spirit of oppression off of humanity. Let’s work together with the power of God in our lives, to help those who are still living under oppression.
Group Questions
- What practical ways can you build endurance and strengthen your faith to be prepared for challenges?
- What steps can you take to embrace God's direction in your life, even when the path doesn't seem clear or easy?
- How can you remind yourself of God's faithfulness and greatness when you find yourself complaining or arguing about your current circumstances?
- How can you use your resting times effectively to refresh and prepare for future tasks rather than becoming complacent?
Prayer
Thank you for your unwavering love and guidance. Help us to trust you even when the path ahead is difficult. Remind us of Your faithfulness and empower us to be a light to others.