From Weakling to Warrior

If you’re lacking self-confidence, you’re in good company.

If fear is keeping you from moving forward in something, BELIEVE me, you’re not the first.

Fear is not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of being human.

The miracles, the spiritual battles. WOW, what a warrior!

The 10 Commandments!

Parting the Red Sea!

Defeating Pharaoh!

Leading an entire nation out of slavery!

But in reading Exodus, you’ll see he didn’t start out very confident.

Many years after he committed murder, fled his homeland and was hiding out, this is how the conversation went down when God first spoke to Moses about His plans:

GOD: “Go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

(Whimper #1) MOSES’ RESPONSE: “Who am I to do this?” Or as one version said, “I’m not the person for a job like that!”

GOD: “I will be with you.”

(Whimper #2) MOSES: “What if they ask who You are? What should I tell them?”

GOD: “I Am who I Am. Tell them, ‘I Am’ has sent you.”

(Whimper #3) MOSES: “What if they don’t believe me?”

So the Lord performed three miracles, and then told Moses to perform the same three miracles, to prove he was truly sent by God.

(Whimper #4) MOSES: “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” (Later, in chapter six verse twelve, he says, “My own people won’t listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I’m such a clumsy speaker!”)

GOD’S RESPONSE: “Go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

(Whimper #5) MOSES: “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

GOD: “Your brother, Aaron, will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say.”

Please don’t think I’m trying to be rude by using the word “whimper,” because I’ve whimpered several times when talking to the Lord. You probably have, as well.

“Why are You mad at me, God? Why are You picking on me? Why does everyone else have it better than I do, Lord?”

Sound familiar?

Five separate times Moses “reminded” God why he wasn’t capable of carrying out the Lord’s will.  Don’t you love it when we REMIND the Lord of something; our Creator, the One who holds our past, present and future in His hands, the God who saw all our days from the beginning of creation?

Though people have tried since the beginning of time, we can’t change the mind of God.

The Lord knew what Moses was capable of, even though the man thought very little of himself. God turned a weakling into a warrior.

So Moses went forth, despite his trepidation.

He confronted Pharaoh and led Israel out of slavery.

That in itself is a long, twisted and harrowing tale, but the fact is he did it, and these many thousands of years later, we still study his exploits, are fascinated by his story and encouraged by his courage.

All this didn’t happen by accident, however; he had to fully rely on the Lord’s power, and not his own.

If left alone, Moses’ life might have been a tragedy, but God is a master at turning tragedy to triumph.

If God has given you visions and dreams, and you’re terrified by the thought of not being able to do what He has called you to do, don’t worry…

You can’t.

Not on your own, anyway.

But remember, with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). We can do everything through Christ who gives us the strength (Philippians 4:13). 

Moses was a stutterer, terrified of carrying out God’s will. Worse yet, was a murderer, on the run from those who sought to kill him, yet stands as one of the greatest models of valor and might in the Bible.

Remember, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2^nd Timothy 1:7)

You can do it, I know you can.

Never give up, never give in, never surrender!

Blessings.