Suggested Reading Exodus 1: 12
In our bible reading of today, the bible makes a statement that looks contradictory. It says the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they increased and spread. These guys were slaves in Egypt and the government of Egypt did everything they could to clamp down on them. The effect? Increase. Just imagine the frustration of Pharoah. He saw a people who in his opinion where growing at a rate that was causing concern. So, he decided to slow them down by oppressing them. The more he oppressed, the more the people increased not just arithmetically but geometrically. They actually multiplied. My dear reader, one unique quality of this God whom we worship is His ability to bring good out of bad. In a class all by Himself, there are times that God will prepare a table for you right in the presence of the people who had schemed to make sure that you have no food to eat in the first place. Look at the case of Jesus – God allowed satan scheme and scheme and even used the scheming of satan to bring salvation to many. What message am I trying to pass across to you? Some times, in spite of your prayers, things may not change physically. Yet, God will work through the situation to birth a glory that may never have been possible without the challenge. There is a dimension of glory that can only be seen in a context of oppression and suffering. No wonder the bible tells us to count it all joy when we go through diverse trials because the testing of our faith will end up producing and birthing something glorious. One of my favourite scriptures is Romans 8:28 – ‘we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.’ The enemy may mean it for evil but God can and will turn it around for your good. Never despair! No matter how much ground you think the enemy has gained in your life through oppression, know that yours is a God that can cause you to multiply in the thick of oppression. I want you to take a few minutes to think about one issue that the enemy is refusing to back down on. Now, I want you to begin to thank God for it because that thing that the enemy meant for evil, God is turning it around for your good!
Prayer:
Father in the name of Jesus. Thank you for your word. Thank you even for the things that we are going through that do not seem comfortable or positive right now. In faith Lord, we just want to thank you. Thank you because that which the enemy meant for evil is working out for our good. Thank you for testimonies that will come forth as a result of the things that we are crying about now. We trust you and our eyes are on you. Like Israel, may we continue to increase in spite of the workings of the enemy. Continue to take all the glory Almighty God in Jesus mighty name we have prayed.
