Stand - the fight is fought

Sometimes something happens and we loose control.

Sometimes when something happens and we loose control we get all emotionally shattered-up and short-circuited (eh). We loose our ability to think clearly and loose or ability to ... stand ...

What?

Yes! We get emotionally muddled ... higgledy-piggledy.

And then we cry onto God.

And it happens so quickly, because we are wired by this world to go into panic mode.
But God says different.

As New Testament believers and heirs in the kingdom of Christ we should be standing on the finished work of Him Who did it all and accomplished total victory.

But, let's follow the story-line through the old covenant and see how it points towards Yah'shua, Jesus ...

The unplugged story unfolds

God commands Moses, the man of the old covenant, to calm down, to stand still and to move ahead.

where are we now? What happened?

Here is the concise background version: Moses was a prince of Egypt. He does some really bad things that makes him to flee. In the wilderness he has a really miraculous and awesome encounter with God. God empowers Moses and even gives him signs and wonders to perform before Pharaoh. He leads the Israelite people out of bondage towards the promised land. Pharaoh pursues with his armies hot on their heels. The Israelite people get stuck at the Reed Sea and know not how to cross (sic). Moses prays a really stupid prayer asking God to intervene. (all of that in a nut-shell)

So, here we find Moses at the edge of the surf on the beach with the whole of Israel (3 million people) looking to him for further guidance.

Let's follow this in the Bible

And when Pharaoh drew nigh, 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. 

... and here comes the blame game (in spite of the miracles they saw) ...

And 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?

Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. (Really! Better in bondage?)

... now we get to some really, really prophetic words that not even Moses could truely appreciate, even though he spoke them ...

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD (if you loosely translate this it says: "see Yah'shua, Jesus"), which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. (... and so He did looking back at the cross ...)

... but look at Abba's reply to Moses when he became all muddled-up ...

And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

... instead of your lamenting, Moses, take the authority that I have given you ...

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. Exo 14:10-16

The story did not change much, did it?

Moses cried before the old covenant was given. People cried when the old covenant was in place. And people cry today, even after the old covenant had been declared obsolete!

It is a recurring story of getting upset and getting unplugged all together

This was the case even when the armies of Moab, Ammon and Syria threatened to attack Jehoshaphat and Israel, Jehoshaphat greatly feared and prayed and called for a national fast and cried out before God.

... and doesn't his prayer sound just a tat familiar (to us in this day and age) ...

O our God, wilt thou not judge them?
For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us;
neither know we what to do:
but our eyes are upon thee. 2Ch 20:12

Is this not very much how our prayers go, in spite of the finished work and victory of Jesus on the cross?

Even Jehoshaphat was told to stand

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD (if you loosely translate this it says: "see Yah'shua, Jesus") with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. 2Ch 20:17

And Joshua

Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain,
to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan,
with all the nations that I have cut off,
even unto the great sea westward.

And the LORD your God,

he shall expel them from before you,

and drive them from out of your sight;

and ye shall possess their land,

as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. Jos 23:4-5

So, our prayers today?

Today, this side of the cross and the finished work of Christ, we pray like heirs in the kingdom, not clueless and powerless beggars!

We stand!

We stand on the finished work of Christ and the same power that raised Him from the dead Who now lives inside us!

Thank you Jesus that You gave all of Yourself for me.

Thank You, Jesus, that your work on the cross and beyond, is a complete work and that nothing can be added. I rest in You. I stand on Your finished work!

Thank you that you took all of what is wrong in my current situation on Yourself, even Your own body, so that I could be free.

I denounce and rebuke any plan of the enemy, right now.

I command whatever it is in my current situation to go!

I confirm and proclaim Your total victory.

Blessing and honour, glory and power to Him Who sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb that was slain, forever and ever. Amen!

Some word-pictures on-the-go

The Hebrew word translated in the examples used above, is a perfect picture onto Jesus.

To stand still is the Hebrew word yâtsab or (יָצַב), meaning to place yourself firmly, to continue undisturbed, to set yourself upon.

What is the word-picture, you might ask?

Well, brace yourself. Because it hardly gets clearer than this!

Word-picture of yâtsab or (יָצַב) is: 

יָ - the Arm (Hand) of the lord, Jesus

צַ - (a fish-hook) catches onto

ב - the house (the house of God, not build by human hand - you)

So, it reads: Jesus latches onto me (you)!

Wow!

Praise Jesus for picture in the old revealing Him in the New!