Missions Paul

There are times that God wants us to confront our fears and our enemies. It means to speak to them and even declare over our situations what the will of God is. We may even have to repeatedly do this. Perhaps daily.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” Exodus‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭

For this to happen we need to know what God has said to us. Since the days of the garden in Eden the enemy has wanted to hold God’s people in bondage so that they are trapped from worship. The battle has always been worship.

God sends Moses back to say the same thing to the same enemy.

Perhaps this is what God wants you to do today?

He does not walk in with his own words.

This is what the Lord says. He carries a word that is not his own.

Before we can declare, we must first hear.

This is the order every time. 

Revelation comes before confrontation. We need to know what God has said. 

We declare His will over the situation. We say, plainly, without apology: this is what the Lord says.

All the time we remind ourselves of the reason for the fight. It is not merely for freedom as an end in itself, but for freedom that leads into worship. 

Worship was always the goal. Freedom to worship.

Let His people go, so that they may worship Him.

As we get to Exodus 8, we have definitely entered the heart of the battle for freedom.

A battle for worship on the battlefield of a heart, Pharaoh’s heart.

Worship has always been a battle of the heart.

Look closer at this heart as you perhaps read the whole chapter in one go.

It says yes to God and no in the same breath. “Pray to the Lord… I will let the people go” (v.8). “I will let you go” (v.28). Words of surrender. But watch what follows in v. 15: when relief came, he hardened his heart. Verse 19: his heart was hardened; he would not listen. Verse 32: he hardened his heart yet again.

Yes, with the mouth. No, with the life.

That’s not repentance. That’s negotiation.

Look closer still.

This is a heart that will not listen (v.15, 19). A heart not even moved by the miraculous — the magicians themselves said “this is the finger of God,” and still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (v.19, 23). Many have witnessed miracles but don’t move from their position.

This is a heart that wants compromise. “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land” (v.25). Keep one foot in Egypt. This is a heart that wants to stay in control. “I will let you go… only you must not go very far away” (v.28). Freedom on Pharaoh’s terms is never freedom.

Pharaoh’s heart is not only from ancient Egypt. It’s here in 2026.

So what breaks it? Not another plague. Not even another miracle.

Surrender is what breaks it.

The full surrender Pharaoh refused to give, Christ gave completely. He did not negotiate with the Father. He did not ask to stay close to Egypt. He emptied Himself, obedient even to death (Philippians 2:8) — and in that surrender, the way to true worship was opened for us.

Yes, with the mouth is not enough. God is asking for the heart.

Will you surrender?

“Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.” Exodus 7:25

The river Egypt worshipped and depended on was unusable in every way.

We are told it lasted for seven days.

Pharaoh had a week to reconsider. Sometimes God allows circumstances to capture our attention. We all get moments to examine our hearts and realign our lives with His will.

The seven days remind us that God’s timing is perfect. Throughout Scripture, seven often speaks of completeness. Before the next plague came, God allowed time for His warning to accomplish its purpose. But Pharaoh let seven days pass and changed nothing.

Don’t let yours pass the same way.

• God’s patience is an expression of His mercy.
• Never ignore His voice or resist His correction.
• Cultivate a humble heart that responds quickly when He speaks.
• Use every opportunity to draw nearer to Him.
• Trust His perfect timing, even in seasons of waiting.

 The question is not whether God speaks; it is whether we will respond while there is still time.

Every morning Pharaoh followed the same routine in walking by the river Nile. Whether this was an act of worship, as the Nile was a religious place for the Egyptians or maybe it was as mundane as a place for him to bathe, whatever it was, God would meet him in his every day life. He still does.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’ ” The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.” Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt. But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river.” Exodus‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬-‭24‬ 

God doesn’t confront Pharaoh in a neutral place. He confronts him at the altar of his own confidence, at the River Nile.

So the Nile turns to blood and the source of life becomes a source of death. 

He doesn’t ask what it means that the Lord can turn a river to blood. He turns and walks back into his palace,  excuse his own magicians are able to replicate a version of the events. 

That’s the real plague underneath the plague. A heart that can watch judgment fall and feel nothing.

Unyielding hearts aren’t unique to Pharaoh’s. God can turn our rivers to blood, disturb our security, and we can still walk back into our palaces unchanged.

The Egyptians dug along the Nile, searching for water anywhere except where God had already spoken. A hard heart works harder to avoid the message than it would take to simply obey it.

Ever shown someone undeniable proof and watched them explain it away anyway? Ever wondered why the clearest evidence in the world still doesn’t change some minds? We like to think seeing is believing but that’s not true.

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.” So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬-‭13‬ 

Pharaoh’s magicians could copy the miracle but they couldn’t stop Aaron’s staff swallowing theirs.

Yet Pharaoh watched his best men’s staffs disappear into Aaron’s and his heart stayed hard anyway.

Proof doesn’t guarantee belief. Pharaoh had already decided not to see.

Some people don’t need more evidence. They just need to be willing to look.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Pharaoh watched it happen and felt nothing move in him.

That’s the warning tucked inside this sign. Miracles don’t force belief. Pharaoh had already decided not to see, so no amount of proof could reach him.

Some people aren’t short on evidence. They’re short on willingness. Only grace can soften that hardness.

We know exactly what should rule us out. God, it seems, works from a different pattern altogether.

“Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, he said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.” But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?” “Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.” Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭28‬ – 7: 7

Moses is like a stuck record. He has already reminded God that he cannot speak well in the previous chapter. God repeats Himself and points to Aaron who will be his mouthpiece. Interestingly He doesn’t offer to heal Moses’ stutter. Surely He could have done that but He doesn’t. Yet that doesn’t discount Moses from the mission and this is our encouragement. We know our weaknesses more than anyone and we know what discounts us from the mission of God. But God seems to have another pattern for who He uses. 

God tells Moses it will not be easy because Pharaoh will not listen. 

Even when we obey God, it doesn’t mean we will not experience tough times. 

These men were not in the prime of life. We are told of their age. Sometimes we can feel not ready because we are too old as well as being too young. Moses obeyed, falteringly and aged and someone else has to do the talking. He was not the exception to the rule for this is generally the rule. 

Obedience was never a guarantee of an easy life.

We can feel unready for many reasons; too young, too old, too broken and sinful. Moses obeyed anyway, falteringly, aged, with someone else doing the talking for him. 

So if you’re waiting to feel qualified before you obey, you’ll wait forever. 

You’re too old and maybe too slow but go anyway. 

The story stops and we are reading one of those passages that are quite boring – the genealogies, we find them throughout the Bible and we often skip them. Before Moses and Aaron stand before Pharaoh, before the plagues fall and the sea splits, God gives us a family tree. 

You may feel very ordinary today, if you do, this should encourage you. 

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. These were the heads of their families: The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben. The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon. These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. The sons of Gershon, by clans, were Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi according to their records. Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years. The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zikri. The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri. Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. The sons of Korah were: Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans. Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan. It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.” Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬-‭27‬ 

Perhaps before God moves Israel out of Egypt, He wants us to see exactly who Moses and Aaron are. 

Their family are far from perfect but they have been held together, even through slavery, for generations. 

Even those who will lead a rebellion are mentioned, like Korah. 

God doesn’t edit out the ones who will later resist Him. 

But it is the last verses that catches my attention. “…It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.”

This Moses, son of Amram, brother of Aaron, descendant of Levi, part of a family God had been shaping since before the Egypt years. He was as real as anyone.

Before God does the extraordinary, He roots it in the ordinary. Before the plagues, before the sea splits, He shows us a family tree, flawed, named, ordinary people whom God has been preparing all along.

Your name is in a story too. His story.

You may not feel special and that is why God is and will use you.

God doesn’t build His story on the extraordinary alone. He builds it on ordinary families, shaped over generations before anyone knew what they were being shaped for and importantly, broken and sinful people.

You don’t have to feel special to be used by God, you just have to be His.

Moses had the best news anyone in Egypt had heard in four hundred years. Yet when Moses preached freedom no one listened. 

Sometimes people struggle to accept the promises of God, not because they are not true, but they haven’t seen Him move, His silence has silenced them. 

“Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.” But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭

See what happened:-

1. Moses brought good news. 
2. Freedom was coming. 
3. God had spoken. 
4. The Israelites didn’t hear a word of it.

Why?

a. Discouragement. 

They had heard the message but when your circumstances haven’t changed for a while it is possible that your heart is numbed to the promises of God. Discouragement has become the norm for you.

Moses stood there with a word from God, and it bounced off people too discouraged to receive it.

 b. Difficult circumstances.

Obedience doesn’t wait for discouragement to lift or for feelings to change.

Moses is sent straight back into the same response from Pharaoh.

God doesn’t change the circumstances before He sends Moses back into them. Obedience doesn’t wait for things to become easier. 

c. Doubt.

Moses starts rehearsing the failure. “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh?” He’s taking yesterday’s discouragement and using it to calculate tomorrow’s impossibility. Obedience will beat this doubt. You never out-think doubt, you can only out-walk it.

d. Negative rumination.

At some point we all have known the impact of this. We go over the same conversation, we draw up the same conclusion and each time we go lower into the pit of despair. This is what rumination does. It replays the same conversation and situation. 

How do we get out of this?

We will soon see how Moses wasn’t asked to feel differently about the Israelites. Some assignments don’t wait for us to feel more confident. In fact often we are being asked to trust despite a lack of confidence in our ability. 

Good news falling on deaf ears.

Moses had the best news anyone in Egypt had heard in four hundred years. Yet when Moses preached freedom no one listened. 

Sometimes people struggle to accept the promises of God, not because they are not true, but they haven’t seen Him move, His silence has silenced them. 

“Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.” But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭

See what happened:-

1. Moses brought good news. 
2. Freedom was coming. 
3. God had spoken. 
4. The Israelites didn’t hear a word of it.

Why?

a. Discouragement. 

They had heard the message but when your circumstances haven’t changed for a while it is possible that your heart is numbed to the promises of God. Discouragement has become the norm for you.

Moses stood there with a word from God, and it bounced off people too discouraged to receive it.

 b. Difficult circumstances.

Obedience doesn’t wait for discouragement to lift or for feelings to change.

Moses is sent straight back into the same response from Pharaoh.

God doesn’t change the circumstances before He sends Moses back into them. Obedience doesn’t wait for things to become easier. 

c. Doubt.

Moses starts rehearsing the failure. “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh?” He’s taking yesterday’s discouragement and using it to calculate tomorrow’s impossibility. Obedience will beat this doubt. You never out-think doubt, you can only out-walk it.

d. Negative rumination.

At some point we all have known the impact of this. We go over the same conversation, we draw up the same conclusion and each time we go lower into the pit of despair. This is what rumination does. It replays the same conversation and situation. 

How do we get out of this?

We will soon see how Moses wasn’t asked to feel differently about the Israelites. Some assignments don’t wait for us to feel more confident. In fact often we are being asked to trust despite a lack of confidence in our ability. 

If God is your Lord and Master then it means you have to receive His promise and believe.  

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’ Exodus‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭

Because He is Lord you have to believe:

1. He will bring you out of that circumstance.
2. He will free you from what traps you.
3. He will redeem you.
4. He will take you as His.
5. He will be your God.
6. He will bring you into a new place.
7. He will give you what He promised. 

Because He is Lord.

No conditions. Not even if you don’t feel much has changed yet. Israel was still in Egypt as slaves when He said it. Israel didn’t feel free. 

He’s not waiting on you to feel free before He acts. He’s not waiting on you to believe it perfectly.

Just an answer to a simple question. 

Is He Lord?!

All my life I have had a fascination with the story of other people. Especially how they have overcome against the odds. I have met incredible people of many cultures. I have also learnt so much from people I have never met and I have often wanted to travel back in time to ask them some questions.

Moses has spent 40 years in Midian looking after sheep. That may have seemed a long time to him, it does me. God was waiting all that time and then steps in with the assumption that Moses would consider having Him as his God, as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, his family line had.

“Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.” Exodus‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God is bigger than your own experience of him. That’s the message to Moses. Abraham knew the God of promise. Isaac as the God who provides. Jacob as the God who wrestles and doesn’t let go. Moses is about to need all three. The God of the fathers is the God of the moment, because he was never confined to the moment that came before.

Moses’ response was to his face. He was not going to treat this sacred moment as ordinary. 

Whatever God is doing in your life, a recognition of who has walked this path before us is crucial to understand that He will never ask us to do what others haven’t also been asked to do. The mission is a shared one across history. 

Before Moses can lead a nation out of slavery, he first has to cover his face before the God who was with his fathers and who was, all along, with him too.

The God who called him was not confined to the present even to the newest supernatural sign of the burning bush. He is the God of the fathers and the God of the moment.

Whatever is happening today know that He has already walked with those before you. He was with them and He is never far from you either.