What can we learn from Moses' response about facing fears with God's help? Setting the Scene Exodus 4 opens with Moses still wrestling with insecurity about returning to Egypt. When the staff becomes a serpent (Exodus 4:3), Moses instinctively flees. His reaction shows normal human fear in the face of something unexpected and dangerous. The Moment of Fear Exodus 4:4: “But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.’ So he reached out his hand and took hold of the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.” • Moses runs, yet God immediately gives a clear directive. • The command requires Moses to do the very thing he most fears: take hold of a live snake. • Moses obeys and discovers that God’s power neutralizes the threat. God’s Command Seems Counterintuitive • Grabbing a snake by the tail is the least secure place to grip it; head control is safer. • God deliberately asks for an act that forces complete trust. • The staff turning back demonstrates that what looks like danger is fully under God’s authority. Lessons for Our Fears Today • Fear is not sinful in itself; flight is a natural reflex, but God calls His people beyond instinct. • Obedience opens the way for God’s deliverance. • The object of fear often becomes a testimony once surrendered to the Lord. • God equips the fearful servant; the staff, once a tool of livelihood, now becomes a sign of divine power. Seeing the Bigger Pattern • Joshua 1:9 — God commissions Joshua with the same assurance of presence that He gave Moses. • Isaiah 41:10 — “Do not fear, for I am with you.” The timeless antidote to anxiety is God’s nearness. • Psalm 23:4 — Even in the valley of the shadow of death, the Shepherd’s rod and staff bring comfort. • 1 Samuel 17 — David faces Goliath with confidence in the Lord’s name, mirroring Moses’ reliance on God’s authority. • Matthew 14:29-31 — Peter walks on water by focusing on Jesus, but sinks when fear overtakes faith. • 2 Timothy 1:7 — God gives a spirit “not of fear, but of power, love, and self-control,” the same spirit that steadied Moses’ hand. • Hebrews 13:5-6 — Believers can say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Practical Steps to Embrace Courage • Identify the specific fear and confess it to God. • Recall past instances of divine faithfulness, just as Moses could remember the staff-to-serpent miracle. • Act in obedience even when emotions lag behind faith. • Speak Scripture aloud; hearing truth strengthens resolve. • Surround yourself with fellow believers who affirm God’s promises. • Celebrate each victory, however small, as a reminder that the Lord still turns serpents into staffs. |
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