Overcome the barrier of faith (Exodus 3:10-17)
Yesterday I wrote something about the faith and example of Moses and today, I want to share something that I read in https://www.intouch.org/Read/Magazine/daily-devotions/overcoming-the-faith-barrier, by Charles Stanley
Exodus 3:10-17
10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
12 So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’
16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;
17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”
God called Moses to do a great work for Him, who would also bless the Israelites. Moses' response to this impressive invitation was to offer excuses why he could not obey. This kind of attitude - which I call a "barrier of faith" - can frustrate us spiritually.
In the life of Moses, we see areas of weakness that can create such a barrier of faith:
Poor self-image
When God gave the command to go to Pharaoh and take the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses' immediate response was to say, "Who am I?" (Exodus 3:11) Maybe he was thinking of his occupation as a humble shepherd who lived in Midian. Perhaps he was referring to his upbringing and separation from his birth family (Exodus 2: 1-4). Or he could have been remembering his past, when he killed an Egyptian and had to flee (Exodus 2:12). Whatever the objection of Moses, the Lord responded with a wonderful promise: "I will be with you" (Exodus 3:12).
Ignorance of God's greatness
To carry out God's plan, we need to fully believe in Him who has called us. When Moses questioned his assignment again, the Lord responded by revealing Himself as the great I AM and the one who had promised to rescue the Israelites (Exodus 3:14-17). By trusting in the character and promises of omnipotent God, Moses would be able to carry out this seemingly impossible task.
The barriers of faith impede the flow of divine power in our lives, retard spiritual growth and prevent us from fully carrying out the will of the Father. We must remember who he is and where the power comes from. We know that our heavenly Father is sovereign over all, and His Spirit enables us to continue in obedience.