A word of encouragement

by John Bornschein, Executive Director of the NDPTF

I want to thank you for being an incredible ambassador for the Kingdom, and to express what an honor it is to stand at your side in this vital ministry to our nation. You are working hard to unite the body of Christ in prayer, and in so doing you illustrate perseverance and faithfulness.

You are daily in my prayers. Your emails, phone calls and letters communicate your heart, and I am led to share these words with you. I often think of you as Moses, leading on the front lines, and I am a supportive Aaron standing at your right hand. With this in mind, I’ve written some thoughts on Moses as God has spoken to me during my quiet time with Him.

Moses was a Levite, born approximately 1526 B.C., nearly 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham (Galatians 3:17). Moses played one of the most vital roles in man’s redemption with the enactment of the Law. As the administrator and enforcer of the Law, he implemented a system that would reach completion 1,550 years later, by God’s perfect design. Like many of us who are called into ministry, Moses wasn’t so willing to assume this position.

God hand-selected Moses to lead the Israelite people into the Promised Land. From the day of his miraculous rescue from the Pharaoh’s murderous decree to his encounter with God at the burning bush, we see Moses’ heroic nature and his growing frustration with injustice. Perhaps he was hotheaded and quick tempered. There is no doubt that Moses had little patience for evil and frequently took measures into his own hands.

In Exodus 3, God spoke to Moses of His grand, amazing plan to rescue the Hebrews and bring them to the Promised Land. “So now, I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” Moses replied to God with words that neither validated God’s plan nor demonstrated humility and obedience. He complained instead, immediately trying to convince God that He had the wrong man for the job, saying, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt (Ex. 3:11)?”

God responded in Exodus 3:12 with this, “I will be with you, and this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” To Moses’ questions, God answered, “I Am who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I Am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:13-14).  God again explained His plan of rescue and freedom, and with Moses still doubting, God enabled Moses to perform miracles on himself. Each of Moses’ rebuttals was quieted with God’s reminder of His own character and power. A stubborn Moses was finally given Aaron as a companion to speak on his behalf, but he was still responsible for using his staff to perform the miracles God instructed. At last, Moses relented and did as the Lord commanded. The rest is recorded in history for all to read some 3500 years later.

Moses was afraid, unwilling to adjust his life and in great doubt of his own ability. First he tells God that he is unworthy and then mentions his lack of authority. He fears the people will distrust him and then uses his speech difficulties as a crutch. Finally, he cowers in fear to the prospect of doing this seemingly impossible task despite the presence of the Lord Himself.

Moses used the following excuses:

1)   Self doubt

2)   Lack of authority

3)   Fear of rejection

4)   Fear of public speaking

5)   Fear of the overall assignment

Each time God countered these fears with viable solutions. God countered Moses’ self-doubt with assurance that He would be with him. God countered Moses’ lack of authority with His very name – like the king’s signet ring. God countered Moses’ fear of rejection with the ability to perform miracles. God countered Moses’ fear of public speaking with the assurance that He would be there every step of the way to put the words in his mouth, teaching him the art of voice command. Finally, God countered Moses’ overall fear of the assignment with a personal assistant, a man who would be his confidant and helper.

That God was speaking to Moses directly was apparently not enough, and this dialog shows us that even the chosen were fearful. They were not machines, impervious to human emotion. Christ himself suffered from the fear of torture and pain that was to come on the cross (Luke 22:42-44). “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me, yet not my will, but Yours be done. An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Even Elijah, a mighty prophet of the Lord showed fear when Jezebel put a bounty on his head, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life…He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep” (I Kings 19:3-5).

In another case study, we see Jacob wrestling with God to receive his blessing (Genesis 33). In the very next chapter he crumbled to fear when he confronted Esau for the first time since taking his birthright and blessing. Hebrews 11, also known as the faith chapter, tells of men who stood firm in faith and died for things that they never saw come to pass. Yet each of them was flesh and blood, people who made mistakes and were scared despite the authority of God with them. Thus the story of Moses reminds us that God selects men and women — people that may otherwise go unnoticed — to do great and mighty deeds. The story of David is the perfect example of this.

Samuel was instructed by God to select a king for the hard-hearted people of Israel, a decision that God was clearly against. Samuel selected Saul, whom the Scriptures say was a head taller than any other man. Saul became an evil king, making decisions that punished the entire nation. God personally selected the next king and sent Samuel to the home of Jesse. Samuel immediately saw Eliab and thought, “surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord” (I Samuel 16:6-8). But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” We read that David wasn’t even in the room with his brothers given that Jesse thought one of the other seven brothers would make a fine king since they were tall, well spoken, and looked distinguished. They were the perfect specimens for leadership. But God knew they were not the right ones for the job. Jesse sent for David and it was he who God made king of Israel, the very man that would become, arguably, one of the greatest kings the world has ever known.

Paul had to tell Timothy to stay strong and persevere, adding, “do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (I Timothy 4:12).  I imagine that Timothy struggled with issues of authority given that he was young but responsible to reprimand fallen leaders and teach the elders. This was a big assignment for a young man. Paul sensed these fears and affirmed him. It is no wonder that Paul states in I Corinthians 1:26-28, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

Even the disciples Christ handpicked were looked down upon as being uneducated men. Because they could not claim their knowledge as their own, they were able to give greater testimony and authority to Christ. Their weakness was their true strength.

The point is this. When Moses laid before the Lord his fears, he was speaking on our behalf. Each of us would have trembled at the assignment that was before him. Moses was just bold enough, or scared enough, to actually voice what we would have felt as well. The same is true for each of our Scriptural heroes. They all had fears and doubts, but God became their strength so that we would, indeed, look to the accomplishments and know that God was the source of their might, not their training, not their heritage, not their wealth or their stature, but only God. If he can use these men, he can use us in the same manner. In God we are made perfect and are equipped through the Holy Spirit to do mighty things.

Did you know that from 1775-1900 there were 115 national and state proclamations calling the people to prayer? That is exciting to read until you look at what has been done on your watch. From 1980 to 2009 there were 540 national and state proclamations calling Americans to pray. Since 1994, the violent crime rate in America has decreased 17.7% and the property crime rate has decreased 19.5% according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. That is a tribute to your work! So often the media discourages us, giving us the feeling that God has turned a deaf ear to the cries of His people. Please know that we hear stories of transformation. Lives are being saved because of your devotion and determination to push through barriers by the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, we know of more than 168,513 people that requested information on receiving Jesus as their Lord last year alone – and those were just the ones we knew about.

God has called us. He has called you to be a watchman on the wall For Such a Time as This. Now is the time to stand firm and arise as the Christian soldier you have been called to be. Don’t let fear hold you back. God can use you right now, today. You lack nothing that God can’t provide.

Stand in the gap! God is changing a nation – through you.

- John Bornschein