The Lord Shall Fight for You
When facing a crisis, we must first deal with our fear and trust in God's promise to fight for us and deliver us.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of faith in times of crisis, using the Israelites' fear as they faced the Egyptians as a powerful example. He illustrates how, despite their dire situation, God reassured them with the promise that He would fight for them, urging them to overcome their fear and trust in His deliverance. Wilkerson encourages believers to cry out to God in their moments of fear, reminding them that God is patient and faithful, ready to provide salvation. The sermon challenges listeners to reflect on their own responses to crises and to embrace God's promise of protection and peace. Ultimately, it is a call to stand firm in faith, knowing that God is in control.
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As the Egyptians quickly approached the Israelites, there was no place for them to run. The mountains on both sides were bare, with no trees or caves to hide among. And the sea hemmed them in on the other side. It was an impossible situation! Scripture says that at this point, "The children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord" (Exodus 14:10).
Try placing yourself in their situation. Your family is gathered around you: children, grandparents, other relatives. Suddenly you hear the rumbling of chariot wheels, the rattling of sabers, and the fierce war cry of a murderous, bloodthirsty army. Wouldn't you be afraid?
The truth is, God is patient with us when the awful flush of human fear overcomes us in a sudden crisis. Our Lord is not a hard taskmaster and He knew this would be a frightening experience for Israel. In fact, He would have been pleased with a prayer such as, "Lord, we're afraid! Yet we know You always have been faithful to deliver us. When we were in Egypt, You delivered us from the death angel and from all the plagues. We know You have the power to deliver us out of this crisis as well. Father, we commit our lives into Your hands!"
But was this Israel's cry? No! Scripture says, "They said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? . . . It had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness" (verses 11-12).
They were being sarcastic, almost to the point of blasphemy. This certainly was not the cry of faith!
Are you facing your own crisis right now? You may ask, "What am I supposed to do in such a crisis? What happens when I'm overcome with fear because everything is coming down around me?"
Here is how God answered Israel when they faced their crisis: "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . . The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace" (verses 13-14). The Lord was saying to them, "The first matter you must deal with is your fear! I will fight for you and I will save and deliver you. Let that promise be your strength and drive out all your fear!"
Sermon Outline
- The Situation of the Israelites
- The Response of the Israelites
- God's Answer to the Israelites
- Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord
- The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace
Key Quotes
“The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace” — David Wilkerson
“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” — David Wilkerson
“The first matter you must deal with is your fear!” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- When facing a crisis, stand still and trust in God's promise to fight for you and deliver you.
- Drive out your fear by holding onto God's promise and trusting in His power to save and deliver you.
- The first thing you must deal with in a crisis is your fear, and then trust in God's promise to fight for you and deliver you.