Deliverance: Samach Steadfast - David Mitts
Deliverance as we have stated is rescuing us from the Egypt of this world into the promised land of our inheritance. This deliverance is first and foremost an inside job. When Israel entered the Land of Promise, the Manna stopped.
On the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year. (Jos 5:11-12)
This is a very important success principle. Deliverance from Egypt was celebrated by the Passover. Our deliverance from the world system is celebrated by communion, a picture of the Passover. Manna represents provision in the wilderness, the period where God heals our life and removes the reproach of sin, and Egypt.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. (Jos 5:9)
Reproach, is another word for shame, which is an identity or self-worth statement. This process is related to manna. Mannadefines the time of sequestered Fatherly impartation. We eat the bread of His provision which is really the Word which builds our image in Him, our character and our sense of worth. This process is about releasing us from the “Egypt” of our lives.
But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (Mat 4:4)
In this way the Word of God is the bread of God made living. If we think in terms of a developing life, Israel was birthed as a nation out of Egyptian bondage and grew up in the wilderness and then matured into their destiny in the Land of Promise. The desert time was training time in the ways of God. As Believers we often find ourselves back in the desert amid our trying to live into our inheritance. We often need some manna to break free from the hidden reefs in our hearts. Have you ever wondered. How can you go from feeling good to suddenly out of controland feeling unmoored by people or situations in your life?
Jude describes this reality:
“These are the ones who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, like shepherds caring only for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, churning up their own shameful deeds like dirty foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 1:12-13)
Even in our times of feeling like things are going along pretty well we can suddenly discover that our lives have been infiltrated by things from our past pain that undermine our sense of safety and security. Jude tells us that the danger is very present. Egypt is always just around the corner in our lives and want to drag us back into slavery.
God is always there to give us fresh manna. But He also wants us to learn how to live in current time and reap from our own efforts. The ceasing of manna and consuming the produce of the Land is the equivalent of us living from our calling in God, our destiny in our Land of Promise.
There are many believers who have become wilderness believers. They refuse to mature into kingdom possession believers. We see this especially true when it comes to finances and provision. It is easier to live waiting for more manna versus maturing into a profession or a calling that provides the fruit of that land.
These deliverance teachings have been emphasizing spiritual activations that are like gym training in the Holy Spirit Gym for possessing our inheritance.
Our verse for today tells us that being steadfast in our thoughtsand heart will bring us into a peace that reflects our trust in God.
The Hebrew Word “samach” is our next power word, which is translated as steadfast or as being supported and is most often what happens when hands are laid on the head in impartation. In all cases there is some kind of transference of power and confidence.
"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. (Isa 26:3)
Looking at the ancient Hebrew pictographs, we have first, the letter samech, which shares the pronunciation with the word and is the picture of a thorn. Thorns are used to protect something but also to pierce into something. Thorns are defensive but also leave a reminder of the trespass.
Paul described God dealing with his pride by the picture of a thorn.
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! (2Co 12:7)
The thorns also are the representation of authority in Messiah as represented by the crown of thorns.
And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and put a purple robe on Him; and they began to come up to Him and say, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and to give Him slaps in the face. Pilate came out again and *said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him." Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate *said to them, "Behold, the Man!" (Joh 19:2-5)
The beginning of samach is the thorn, which represents the crowning authority of God over our pride and our shame. Shame is the feeling that comes upon us when we confront our failuresand the sin that grips us.
“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1)
Part of the reality of being steadfast and experiencing the peace of the Lord is including Him in our plans and allowing His life to flow into us.
The middle letter is the mem. The mem is the pictograph of water. Water is the symbol of chaos. Referencing the waters of the deep, we tap into the primal fears of drowning in the overwhelming madness that can quickly become a part of our life. It speaks to the uncertainty of life. The authority of the samech, brings order to the chaos in life.
I think about flash floods. They were a life taking phenomenom in the Machtesh, the dessert in Israel. They also occur in Arizona. They can so quickly and fatally sweep us away.
The final character is the kaph, which is the ancient pictographic image of a cupped hand. This is how we hold water to drink it. The cup contains the chaos of the water. It was by cupping their hands that Gideon’s men were selected to bring victory!
So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, "You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink." Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The LORD said to Gideon, "I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home." (Jdg 7:5-7)
The composite meaning would be the piercing of the thorn of authority that is manifested in the hand cupping the waters. You can see from this why this word is used for the laying on of hands.
This is what it means to be steadfast. Samach is also used as a way of expressing trust. When we allow the laying on of hands to bring an impartation, we are really acknowledging that we cannot become who we are called to be on our own.
Many of us have not moved on in our lives because we have not submitted to the samach, the steadfastness of the Lord to bring us into our destiny.
What rails against the samach is our need to try to fix our lives through our own control.
It is the purpose of the impartation to reveal our lies that keep us trying to remain in control. Even our true calling to bring healing, or to bring order can be corrupted by refusing to depend on the samach.
““In the wilderness it was He who fed you manna which your fathers did not know, in order to humble you and in order to put you to the test, to do good for you in the end.” (Deuteronomy 8:16)
You see the manna of the wilderness, the times of healing our soul, is there to test us and teach us to become humble which then can yield our good in the end.
The opposite is to remain stubborn:
““Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’” (Deuteronomy 8:17)
This is the struggle. We want to be in control. It is so much easier we think than trusting. The wealth Moses is talking about isn’t just worldly success but the true wealth of living in God’s power and blessing.
““But you are to remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)
Remembering the Lord is really about returning to Him and placing ourselves back under His hand, His samach, the source of steadfastness and peace in our lives. This is the true battleground of our inheritance.
““And it shall come about, if you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and serve and worship them, I testify against you today that you will certainly perish. “Like the nations that the LORD eliminates from you, so you shall perish, because you would not listen to the voice of the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 8:19-20)
This is the living reality of learning to rely on the voice of the Lord and worship Him only, not our own imaginations.
Activation: Learning to have His hand on us. Ask the Lord to reveal a pattern of reacting in your life that is about control. What makes you panicked and feel like you need to control life instead of trusting Him? What is the lie under this fear? What is the truth?
Comments
Post a Comment