When the Israelites were oppressed, distressed, abused, maltreated and mistreated during their slavery in Egypt, they prayed to God for his intervention. In response, God said to Moses in Exodus 3: 7-9, I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians… The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them.
God delivered the Israelites on key grounds, namely; they were his people; he had observed their misery; he had heard their cry; he knew their suffering; he had received their prayers; and he had seen their suffering. We must be God’s people in order to benefit from his deliverance, just as the Israelites were. In their distress, the Israelites repented and sought the face of God. Let us expound these points;
God delivers upon acknowledging him
God’s people are those who acknowledge him. The people of Israel did so in their distress. Jeremiah 29: 13-14 say when you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart. I will let you find me, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. Jesus said in Matthew 10: 32; Luke 12: 8, everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. All God wants us to do is to acknowledge him.
Scripture says in 2 Chronicles 7: 15, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. This is how we can reach God with our supplications. Isaiah 59: 1-2 wrote, See, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Rather, your iniquities have been barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
God delivers upon his observation
God does not deliver on hearsay but on his personal observation. God being omnipresent observes everything about us and thus knows our situation even before we pray. Job 28: 24 says, For he (God) looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything under the heavens. God sees beyond the ordinary eye, and his apparent delay to intervene is for our good. Deuteronomy 32: 4, the Rock, his work is perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God, without deceit, just and upright is he.
David wrote in Psalms 31: 20 in the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues. We read from Jeremiah 23: 24 who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? Says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? Says the LORD. God observes every minute detail of every event and upon that, he delivers us by his sovereign will.
God delivers upon our cry or prayer
God will also deliver us based on what he has heard from us in prayer. Christ Jesus said to his disciples in John 14: 13, I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. This assurance is also found in John 14: 14; 15: 16; 16: 23; 16: 24. Jesus wants to hear from us based on our own free will. The Israelites freely prayed to be delivered from slavery in Egypt, and God answered it.
God does not impose his will on us because he has given us our free will. Scripture says in Philippians 4: 6, do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Our request to God must be specific and made in honesty to God. Romans 10: 9 says if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
God delivers on what he knows
God delivers us based on what he knows as challenges. Not all challenges require God’s intervention. Some are allowed for our growth and development in the faith. God will intervene in only the ones which will destroy us. Philippians 4: 19 says my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. The emphasis is on need, not want or desire or wish.
James 1: 2-3 state, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. God allowed Paul’s challenges. Jesus said in Acts 9: 16, I myself will show him (Paul) how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.
Paul wrote in Romans 5: 3-5,… we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us. God will not intervene in cases meant for our good, hence 1Thesalonians 5: 18 says, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. God knows our needs.
God delivers on our persistent prayer
In Luke 18: 1-8 Jesus told a parable about the need to pray always and not to lose heart (paraphrased). God wants us to be persistent in prayer and not to easily give up or lose faith in him no matter the circumstances or rumours, which may not be biblical. Jeremiah 51: 46 says do not be fainthearted or fearful at the rumours heard in the land… We must back our prayer with the faith of our forefathers.
Hebrews 11: 6 says, without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Jesus travailed in prayer at the garden of Gethsemane. The disciples travailed in prayer on the day of Pentecost. Paul travailed in prayer in his tribulations till he finished the race. We must also travail in prayer in all circumstances. Jeremiah 29: 12 says, then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. Persistence in prayer moves God hand by his grace in our favour.
God delivers upon his grace
No one can force God to act. Daniel 4: 35 says all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does what he wills with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. There is no one who can stay his hand or say to him, “What are you doing?” Jesus knows our strength and will intervene when the need be.
2Thesalonians 3: 3 says, the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 10: 13 no testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. Until God intervenes, he will perfect us with his sufficient grace, 2 Corinthians 12: 9.
God is waiting to deliver us. What burden do we carry? Bring it to the cross, where he bled and died for us so we may be freed from the shackles of sin and woe. Renew your relationship with Jesus now.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we appreciate your readiness to deliver us in all circumstances and from darkness into your light. By our prayers, our seriousness, your grace and your purpose for our lives, hear our prayers in your holy name, Amen!!
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