There's An East Wind Blowing

In the lesson this week, we will look in the book of Exodus and remember how The Almighty GOD delivered the Children of Israel out of the hands of the enemy when they were surrounded and pressed up against the great Red Sea.  It is my prayer that you will understand that the same GOD that delivered them is the same GOD that will deliver everyone who places their trust in HIM.  No matter what situation or circumstance you may find yourself in today…with GOD nothing is impossible…There's an East Wind Blowing for all those who have placed their faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST!

Handout: There's An East Wind Blowing

Today we will begin this lesson with the text from Exodus chapter 14.  I pray that The LORD will touch your heart and you will be open to The Holy SPIRIT and His voice as we see The LORD has in store for us.  Thank GOD for His Holy WORD!

Exodus 14:21-22 "21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left."

Many of you have read and heard the story of how GOD parted the Red Sea many times, but let's just go back and review and remember what brought the children of Israel to this point. 

In Exodus chapter 1 The Bible tells us that Jacob and his sons had moved to Egypt to be near his son Joseph who GOD had placed second in command over all of Egypt, they moved there to be near him and also because there had a great famine in the land and GOD had instructed Joseph in the years before the famine began so that he stored up food for all the people to last during the hard years.  The Bible says that while they were there, they were fruitful and that they multiplied greatly so that they filled the land of Egypt. 

Then there rose up a king who did not know Joseph and he realized how great this people were and so he decided to make slaves of them in fear that they would one day try to take over the land.  He also commanded the midwives to kill males born to the Hebrew women.  We know that they did not obey that command and Moses was hidden and GOD raised him up in the palace and then later sent him to deliver the people out of bondage.  Now, the people of Israel had been in bondage in the land of Egypt for 430 years.

Exodus 12:40-41 "40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.  41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt."

Reading on in the book of Exodus we find that GOD sent Moses to bring His people out of Egypt but Pharaoh was a hard man and he would not listen and so GOD sent plagues and eventually even death to the Egyptian first born males before Pharaoh finally let them go.  After they had gone out of the land, Pharaoh's heart was hardened once again and he changed his mind and decided to pursue after them to bring them back into bondage.  Just a note for good measure, remember that when The LORD delivers us from satan's grasp, he won't turn loose easily, but he will have to let go because greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world. 

1 John 4:3-4 "3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  4 Ye are of GOD, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world."

So Pharaoh wants the children of Israel back as slaves and decides to go after them…

Exodus 14:5-10  "5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:7 And he took six hundred   chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

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.

The children of Israel had been in bondage to the Egyptians for 430 years…The LORD had heard their cries and had sent HIS servant Moses to deliver them.  However, Pharaoh wasn't giving up easily.  He had been so stubborn and The LORD had sent plague after plague to show that HE meant business…Pharaoh still wouldn't heed to the Word of The LORD, so finally GOD had sent death in the land.  Then Pharaoh let the people go, but then after letting them go he decided to follow after them.  

They saw this vast army coming for them and they were afraid and they cried out to The LORD and Praise HIS Holy Name HE heard!

Now, the instruction GOD gave, probably wasn't what they were expecting.  They have cried out to GOD and now their leader began to speak to them about what to do.  Moses didn't advise them to sharpen their swords and get ready to fight as would be presumed, instead he gave them other instructions. 

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. 

15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.  17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

How odd it must have seemed for Moses to instruct these people to stand still.  Put yourself in that multitude for just a moment.  You're finally free, it seems too good to be true but here you are after being a slave your whole life.  Then suddenly you hear the sound of chariots behind you…the ground rumbles under the host of horses' feet pounding the earth fast in pursuit after you know how powerful this army is, and how powerful and merciless this Pharaoh, who in charge is and he is coming for you…he is coming fast for your children and your family.  The thought that you are about to die or the enemy is going to drag you back into slavery is the first one that crosses your mind and it's mind blowing because for the very first and only time in your whole life you are getting to experience what it's like to be free.  When I put myself in this multitude, I think the first instinct would be fear…and then the next instinct would be to go into a defense mode…get ready to fight…get your sword ready…but before you can draw your weapon you hear your leader, Moses, saying…Fear not…and what else did he just say, stand still?  Am I hearing him correctly?  Yes, he said, "stand still."

So immediately the devil is in your ear saying to your mind, you are doomed, you are never going to be free.  Why listen to this man Moses telling you to stand still that The LORD will fight for you…where was He for the 400 years you and your people were in slavery?  Why put your faith in HIM? 

So here you stand at a crossroad of decision.  What will you choose?  Will you place your trust in The LORD, or will you place your faith in satan and lean to your own understanding?  See, these people, had a choice to make, the same way you and I have a choice.  Where are you placing your faith?  We are all trusting something…it's either The LORD or the devil.  We may not like that, but it's the truth. You may say, no I am trusting myself…but you must understand that is exactly what satan wants you to do, to place your trust in your own abilities.  It doesn't matter to him what or who you are trusting as long as it's not THE LORD because he knows that The LORD is the only salvation.

Let's look at that portion of scripture again…

Exodus 14:13-14  "13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Moses told them Fear not.  Have you ever been in a situation where it seems the enemy has you surrounded…this vast army of Pharaoh they were in the back and on the sides in the rear…and ahead and on sides in front of them was the great Red Sea…they were surrounded.  A way of escape seemed impossible.  I used the word "seemed" for a reason, it seemed impossible when looking at the situation from a human standpoint, and from a human standpoint it was impossible…but what did Jesus say about impossibilities?  Let's look.

Matthew 19:26 "But JESUS beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with GOD all things are possible."



Nothing is impossible with GOD!  This is why we are instructed in Proverbs to trust HIM!

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in The LORD with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge HIM and HE Shall direct thy paths."

Moses was trusting The LORD that is how he was able to tell them to Fear not!

Sometimes when we are in a situation where we are surrounded, the first thing satan will do is to raise up that spirit of fear inside us.  Fear is a powerful force when we allow it to be.  It will cause us to be irrational and to make errors and to not trust the LORD.  Don't shrink back from fear.  It's an enemy war tactic.  This is what The WORD of GOD says about fear…

2 Timothy 1:7 "7 For GOD hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

When you are in a state of fear, understand that it is not from The LORD…The LORD gives us spirits of power, love and sound mind.  The Greek transliteration for that word sound mind is sōphronismos, it means soundness of mind for self -control.  We can control ourselves with fear comes into our minds.  One way to do that is to stop focusing on the feeling of fear and focus on The LORD and how powerful HE is…to trust HIM instead of focusing on what we can only see with our eyes, or what we feel.  When Moses told them to Fear not, and stand still, the two go together.  When fear comes upon us, we have to just stop!  Stand still and re-direct our focus on our Almighty GOD. 

Psalm 46:10- "Be still, and know that I am GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

In those times when our feelings are scaring us to death, fear is prevalent, and we just do not know what to do, Cry out to The LORD, then BE STILL.  Be still and know that HE is GOD!  That your situation may seem hopeless and impossible but nothing is impossible with GOD.  That is The WORD, a promise of JESUS CHRIST!  {Matthew 19:26}    

Stand still in front of your Red Sea and declare how BIG your GOD is!  Do it, and then stand there as you start to feel a breeze forming from the East!  PRAISE GOD!

So here is where we are, Moses has instructed the people as GOD has instructed him…Remember that these strategies which were perfect for the children of Israel, are still perfect for us today. 

1.  Fear Not - 2 Timothy 1:7 "7 For GOD hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2. Stand Still - Psalm 46:10- "Be still, and know that I am GOD: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."


The next thing Moses said to the people was after they did what he instructed them to do…to fear not and stand still, then they would see the Salvation of The LORD. 

Exodus 14:13 "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever."

There will NEVER be a time when you are fully trusting The LORD that He will not deliver you.  It may be in a different way than you expect, and it may not be in the time frame you wish for, but He will be right on time and HE will not fail!  HE will always do what is best.  Are you trusting Him?  Moses stand try our GOD, Fear not, stand still in complete trust and HE will fight this battle for us, and they did.  They stood still…they didn't know how HE was going to do it or what was about to happen but they were trusting!  Can you hear now as suddenly that breeze from the East is picking up…oh yes, There's an East wind blowing!

Matthew 8:27 "But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey HIM!"

So now the children of Israel have listened to these instructions and they are standing still and by their faith GOD gives Moses further instruction.  When we stand still and get control over our fears and make a decision by faith to trust The LORD, HE will begin to move in our situation.  Do this in your own circumstances today and begin to feel that wind on your face…There's an East wind blowing!

Moving forward in the scriptures…

Exodus 14:19-21 "19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided."

They had made up their minds to call out to GOD and then to Stand Still and trust HIM and HE began to move on their behalf.  I would love to have seen their faces and felt the emotions when suddenly the angle of GOD moved from the front of them and went behind between them and Pharaoh and the Egyptian army…I would also have liked to seen the faces of the soldiers in that Egyptian army!  Next, the sight to behold when that East wind picked up…it wasn't a breeze now it was a strong east wind…GOD was displaying HIS GREAT POWER!  Indeed what HE had said was coming to pass…in verse 17 and 18 we read what The LORD GOD declared…

"I will get Me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am The Lord,

What an amazing sight to see as Moses did as The LORD GOD commanded and he stretched forth his hand over that sea, his robe and his hair blowing in that Holy Ghost wind…and wander as those waters were shaken back from their resting place rising higher and higher, parting right smack down the middle because The voice of The LORD GOD commanded every drop of moisture to rise!  Then there visible,  a path of dry ground forming for the people of GOD to walk across to the other side while the angel of The LORD guarded them at the back.  Wow!  Our GOD is The Awesome GOD.

What are you dealing with today?  What situation are you in?  Does it seem impossible?  It's not a physical red sea…but spiritually it is just as vast…GOD can part those waters and give you a dry path to cross while HE guards you from behind…HE has your back!  Call out to HIM, fear not, stand still, and trust HIM with all your heart...HE is able, HE will not fail...Forever HE IS FAITHFUL!  Trust in what HE is doing on your behalf when you are crying out to HIM and trusting HIM in obedience by faith…There's an East wind blowing…soon you will be walking across and looking back on the other side in victory!  Don't give up…keep on keeping on.

Exodus 14:22 "22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
GOD is true to HIS promises, HE delivered HIS people and their enemies were destroyed.

Exodus 14:23-28 " 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.  24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them."

Why do you suppose GOD allow Pharaoh to pursue them?  Why not just wipe him out on the spot?  GOD could've easily do that…after all HE had sent the death angel into Egypt and had taken every first born who was not in a house with the blood applied upon the door.  HE could have just sent the death angel into the camp of the army of Pharaoh and taken them all out on the spot where they stood.  Why part the Red Sea?  I believe because HE wanted to show them HIS great power.  HE wanted to allow them to be part of the miracle and also to show that HE Is THE LORD to all the earth.  Israel knew when they saw this great miracle, and Pharaoh knew, the Egyptian army knew, and the Egyptians who were back home knew when the army never returned!  The LORD…HE IS GOD…ALL POWERFUL…HE will be given honor which HE so deserves.

Exodus 14:29-31  "29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses."

Israel knew that GOD was all powerful and that HE was The LORD but after that they KNEW it…there wasn't a doubt…they had a whole new understanding…and so did the Egyptians.  When you and I are surrounded by the enemy with no escape and we cry out to GOD and HE comes in and does something that blows our minds and delivers us…WE KNOW who HE is on a whole new level.  Praise HIS name…I'm thankful HE allows us to be part of HIS work, to see HIS power and experience first- hand who HE is! 

I will end with this thought.  Both sides, Israel who was on The LORD'S side in obedience to His will, they experienced HIS power, and so did the ones who were against The LORD, the enemy…they experienced HIS great power too.  They had a choice…so do you and I…We are going to see His power…HE will gain honor from you and I, we are HIS creation…which side are you on…will you be walking across on dry ground…or will you choose to fight against HIM and be drowned in the midst?

Trust Him today…Forever HE is FAITHFUL!

Dear Righteous, Father in Heaven…

I praise Your Great name.  Thank You for who You are.  For loving me and keeping me.  For allowing me to place my trust in You.  Thank You for being forever faithful.  Thank You for making a way of escape when there seems to be no way.  Thank You for making a way of escaping hell by dying on the cross for my sins and rising the third day from the grave.  Thank You for loving me.  Help me to always be what You would have me to be, and help me to live the life You have given me in obedience to Your will.  Change the things about me that You wish to change, and help me to conform to Your ways.  Help me to always trust You and to remember that fear does not come from You.  Help me to stand still when I am surrounded to trust fully in Your saving power.  Help me to always focus on You and to keep my eyes on You…I ask You to bless each and every person reading this or hearing this and to gain honor from it, to gain honor from everything that  I do for as long as I live…Thank You for everything You have done, for what You are doing, and for what You will do.  Your promises are true…I believe!  In JESUS name I pray…Amen.

~*cindygirl*~
February 1, 2015