"Deliverance isn't freedom. Deliverance is got but not without a fight; the journey into freedom is embarked on willingly. The benefits that accrue to this process makes each battle a walk over" - Chukwudum Obi
The Philistines ordered Isaac to leave their land because he has grown strong, great, mighty and has prospered more than they have. The next thing they did was to fill his wells with rocks.
For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. - Genesis 26:15 (KJV)
What is the connection between these wells and his prosperity and success?
Water was very important to the economy in those days. The two major economy drivers were agriculture and animal husbandry. And these businesses can’t strive without water. Thus water was critical to anyone's success and prosperity. So when the philistines closed up Isaac's wells, they were invariably attempting to destroy his business and source of livelihood.
The human body they say is made up of 70 - 80% of water. Even water is also critical to life. When your body runs out of water you will die. You might be wondering what am driving at - how does water connect deliverance and freedom. I plead with you to give me a moment to explain.
The Bible likens the Word of God to water. Jesus our Groom washes us with water to present us to Him.
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. - Ephesians 5:26-27 (KJV)
And Jesus clearly stated in John 3:5, that the word of God (water) was the first step to salvation. Paul described it as hearing the gospel, the word of God in Romans 10:14-15, which then leads to salvation.
These scriptures shows the relationship between water and God's word. The Philistines in a bid to stop Isaac, attacked his water source. This is exactly what satan does to believers today. When the enemy wants to stop your progress in life and growth and development as a giant killer, he will attack your water source. He will make sure you don't study your bible, he will lead you to congregations where the word isn't put in its right place. Gatherings where chasing after him with prayers, deliverance and anointing are only emphasised. Or where the leader isn't skilled in the word and the word isn't rightly divided.
I’ve always said that satan isn't afraid of the man that that prays only but the one that knows how to prayer correctly and is balanced in the word. Don't get me wrong, I love prayers, oh I do and I try to pray always as Paul prescribed in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Jesus clearly describes the kind of person that only goes for the spectacular, that kind of believer that only get delivered without going full circle to freedom in Luke 11:24-26. Jesus said if that man doesn't seek freedom, the demons will return and make his life worse than it was before he was delivered. Deliverance is good, very good; but if plans to deliver someone doesn't include a program to set the person on a path to freedom, the entire process is circumvented.
Prayers brings deliverance which is a temporal relief but knowledge brings freedom which is permanent.
I dare say, knowledge rightly applied not just any knowledge alone. But before you can step into freedom, you need to be delivered first. So they are both very important, but sadly, emphasis has been placed mainly on deliverance. This emphasis has stunted the growth of the church and made a dwarf the bride of Christ. We need to change this.
Moses was the Deliverer, Joshua was the ‘Freedomer’ permit me to use the word. But that wasn’t God’s perfect will, Moses was supposed to be both as Jesus is but he missed it when he didn't obey the word of God and struck the rock a second time to produce water for the Israelites. If i may dwell on that for a minute: The rock in question was Jesus; 1 Corinthians 10:4. Moses was asked to strike the Rock to produce water for the people in Exodus 17:6, Psalms 78:20 but was asked to speak to the Rock the second time to get the same result Numbers 20:8. Same Rock, same situation but different methods was required to be deployed to yield the same result.
The striking of the rock signifies the bruising and crucifixion of Jesus on the cross, the price He paid for our deliverance from sin. Whilst speaking to the Rock signifies an act of faith and total trust in God, which is how we come to God now.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. - Numbers 20:12 (KJV)
And as you know, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD. Moses suffered the consequences of lack of faith in God, without faith it is impossible to please God, without faith in this scenario, Moses did not enter the promise land, the land of freedom.
God's plan was to deliver the Israelites by a mighty hand Exodus 3:19 out of Egypt, show Himself to them and give them His word (the Law) for 40 days in the wilderness which will sanctify them as they prepare to take possession of the land of promise. The children of Israel rejected meeting with Him at the mountain of Sinai, carved a calf and worshipped instead of God, murmured and complained instead of submitting to the process God laid out for them to enable them take the land. As you well know, they also ended up like Moses their leader when they doubted God's ability to take them in.
God then allowed them all to be slain in the desert and a new generation was raised over a forty year period and the first thing God did to prepare them to take possession of the land of promise was to devise a program of getting His word into them as seen in Deuteronomy 6:6-9.
A sinner approaches the cross to be delivered but behind the cross he is supposed to be made free. The journey to freedom is is a journey of mind renewal though the word.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. - Romans 12:2 (KJV)
The will of God is the mind of God which He has put down as His word. As we study the word, we embark on the renewal of our mind to become more like God's 2 Corinthians 3:18
Doing the word matures us to be more like Christ, this is the key to freedom.
Jesus' Mission Statement:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, - Luke 4:18 (KJV)
In Christ, we both have deliverance and freedom.
Don’t let Satan attack your word life & study life in this year or any for that matter. Make sure that you have the word and a spirit at a high intensity and you will succeed and prosper. the Bible says in Psalms 23 :1 the Lord (Jesus) is my Shepherd you shall not want. Also know that in this year he will lead you besides still waters of rightly divided word as you journey to enforce your deliverance and freedom.
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See you at the next one!
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