How can believers today avoid stubbornness similar to Pharaoh's in Exodus 14:7? Setting the Scene from Exodus 14:7 • “He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.” (Exodus 14:7) • Even after nine devastating plagues and the death of Egypt’s firstborn, Pharaoh still mobilizes “the best” to chase Israel—proof that stubbornness can survive repeated warnings. Recognize the Warning Signs • Habitual resistance to God’s clear commands (Exodus 5–14). • Reinterpreting past discipline as mere coincidence. • Doubling down on self-reliance when confronted (Proverbs 28:14). Submit Quickly to God’s Word • Scripture is God’s primary voice (2 Timothy 3:16). Immediate obedience keeps the heart tender. • “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) • Delay breeds rationalization; rationalization breeds hardness. Cultivate Soft Hearts • “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Psalm 95:7-8) • Daily worship and gratitude remind us of God’s supremacy, shrinking pride. • Confession keeps accounts short with the Lord (1 John 1:9). Respond to Godly Counsel • Moses warned Pharaoh repeatedly; Pharaoh ignored every plea (Exodus 7–12). • “But exhort one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:12-13) • Seek out mature believers who will confront, not merely comfort. Walk by Faith, Not by Sight • Pharaoh trusted chariots; believers trust the Lord (Psalm 20:7). • Faith remembers past deliverances rather than clinging to visible resources. • Obedience rooted in faith neutralizes fear-driven stubbornness. Daily Practices to Guard Against Hardness • Begin each day with surrendered prayer and Scripture reading. • Keep a journal of God’s past faithfulness; review it when tempted to resist. • Practice immediate, concrete action on any command the Spirit highlights. • Invite regular accountability from a trusted brother or sister. • Fast periodically to humble the flesh and heighten spiritual sensitivity. Takeaway Stubbornness thrives where pride, delay, and self-reliance rule. A tender heart—quick to hear, quick to obey, and quick to repent—guards believers from repeating Pharaoh’s tragic pattern. |
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