Look Towards Him

(Exodus 14:21-28)

Today I am going to share about the life of Israelites when they were at the Red Sea. God promised Abraham that I will bless your generation and after they had been slaves in Egypt for four hundred years then I will take them out of the Egypt and give them the land of Canaan. And God was going to fulfill his promise that He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and going to take them into the promise land. God by his Mighty hand took Israelites out of the Egypt and now they were at the Red Sea.

And Israelites looked up that Egyptians were following to kill them. They started grumbling against Moses, why you brought us here in the desert, were there no graves in Egypt for us. What have you done to us by bringing us out of the Egypt? They were quarreling with Moses. They forgot all ten plagues. They forgot all what God did for them in the Egypt.

They were not looking towards God. They were just looking at their enemies. They were just looking at their present situation. When they looked behind they saw the Egyptians forces and when they looked forward, they saw the Red Sea.

They were in the midst of Egyptians and Red Sea and they were terrified. They did not know what to do. They were trapped between the two. When they looked in front, they saw the roaring Red Sea, and may be, the Israelites thought that Egyptians "god of water" is against them and want to devour them. And when they looked behind, they saw the Egyptians, the followers of "god of water" who wanted to kill them.

They were in impossible situation but brothers and sisters in the midst of problems and difficulties when all it seems impossible then God showed his power. Because He is the God of impossible. He makes everything possible for his people, because Bible says, "Nothing is impossible with God".

Moses said to them, Stand firm; you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. They Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Moses gave them the words of comfort. Moses gave them the hope and encouragement. God was going to fight for his people; God was going to destroy the people who wanted to kill His people.

God made a dry way for his people. Israelites went through the Red Sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and on their left. Egyptians also followed them into the sea.

But God said to Moses stretched out his hand. And as Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and sea went back to its place and Lord swept them into the sea. The entire army of Pharaoh swept into the sea. Non of them survived. God did a wonderful miraculous work and saved his people. And all enemies of God’s people were died there. God fought for his people. God delivered Israelites from their enemies.

There are two points to be noted.

1:- It is God, Who fought for his people and killed their enemies.

2:- It is God, who protected his people and opened the way for the deliverance of his people.

It is not only that God did miraculous work with Israelites in the past but still today to glorify His name, he is performing miracles in his children lives. Still today to glorify his name, He is taking care of his children and provides them protection from their enemies. Because Bible says in Deut. 28:7,

" The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven"

In 2003, I came Korea for Study, and here God prepared Holy Nation for my support and my training. And I started working with Mama kim and Yoon Kwonsanim. Under their guidance I learn a lot. Mama taught me the way how to apply God’s word in life. She taught me to look towards God in hard circumstances. She taught me how to react during time of tribulation and how to fly in hard circumstances like eagle. After learning a lot under their guidance in 2006, I went back to Pakistan and started working there as an evangelist. It’s really very difficult to work there in Pakistan where situation is uncertain and no body knows what will happen next moment. But brothers and Sisters, in such circumstances it seems not only difficult but impossible to work but our God is God of impossible. He makes impossible, possible.

In 2009, when I was going for evangelism some terrorists started firing on me. God protected me from the hands of the enemies. Because I　always looked to God for my help and protection. And last year in 2010, when a severe wave of persecution was in Pakistan and many homes and churches were burnt. And also many Christians were killed because of their faith. At that time I was going to have one evangelical program. But we were threat by some terrorist organization to stop the program. But we bowed down to God and started looking towards Him. And God helped us and showed his power and God protected us from the devil's plan. And made our program successful. And through this program many people change their lives. And while going to other villages and cities I always look to God and give myself under his protection. And God is going before me to glorify his name. Because God said,

"I will go before you

And will level the mountains"

My Lord is with me. He is protecting me and using me, So I am not afraid. God said in Iss. 41:10,

" So do not fear, for I am with you,

do not be dismayed, For I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will uphold you with my righteous hand"

My Lord is giving me strength in hard circumstances. Although there is persecution in Pakistan but it is reality that when persecution is on the peak, When people are persecuted for Christ sake. At that time God showed his power and open the gate of evangelism. That's why in hard circumstances, I look towards God. And God open his heaven and protecting me from all dangers and use me to glorify his name.

Because these problems, difficulties and persecution draw us closer to God. As gold is purified in the furnace, in the same way these hardships and persecution purified our lives and makes our faith stronger. And then to glorify his name, God also work in his children lives. As Apostle Paul also says in 2 Cor.12:10,

"For Christ sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecution, in difficulties. For when I am weak then I am strong"

And that’s why I am also enjoying in our Lord Christ. Because amazing grace of our Lord Christ and power of Holy Spirit is guiding me to glorify his name in this situation.

Brothers and Sisters, you also don’t worry about yourself just put your faith in Jesus and look towards him. When you start looking towards Him and give yourself in his mighty hand then he will break down the Red Sea that is hinder in your way. He will break down the barrier that is hindering in your success. He will take care of you. He will help you. He will fight for you and lead you through the valley of death.

In last I want to share a story from the Gospel of Matthew (14:22-31). Jesus was walking on the water, when disciples saw Him they cry out, ghost, ghost. Jesus said, it’s me, take courage. Peter said, Lord if its you tell me so I can walk on the water. Jesus said, come. On Jesus command, Peter started walking on the water. But bible says when he saw the winds; he was afraid and beginning to sink and cried out to the Lord, save me. Then Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.

Brothers and Sisters, until Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus. Until he was looking towards Jesus. He was walking on the water but as he turned his eyes from Jesus and looked at the winds, he was afraid and at that point he began to sink.

You must not look at the circumstances. You must look at the Jesus in whatever situation you are. When you look at the problems and difficulties then you began to sink but when you look at the Jesus then He will hold you and take you out from the problems and difficulties. And you will overcome the problems and hardships.

Because these winds and waves are the ways through which Jesus comes to you. So remember that when the waves of hardships and persecution are coming in your lives, you must remember that Jesus is coming to you walking on the waves because Jesus is your helper. He is your savior. He solves your problems. So that’s why you have to look Jesus, When you start looking towards Jesus then he will hold you, and you will overcome the problems and then he will bless you and use you to glorify his name. Amen