Under Oppression

During much of the four hundred years of Israel's captivity in Egypt the people lived under oppression. Several years after the death of the Pharaoh who knew Joseph, a new king rose to power. This king cared little for the Israelites and, fearing their great numbers, took great care to keep them under his thumb.
"Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, 'Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; com, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.' Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses." (Exodus 1:8-11 NKJ)

The king watched nervously as the children of Abraham increased in number. He became fearful that the Israelites might join Egypt's enemies and overthrow the nation. The king understood the potential of God's chosen people and strived to keep Israel from realizing her own potential. Our enemy has much the same mind set as the Egyptian King. I believe it was the true enemy, Satan, who convinced the King that he needed to implement some drastic measures to oppress and even destroy God's chosen nation. You, sister, are God's chosen as well, and the same fear that welled up in the heart of the Egyptian king fill the heart of the Satan today. He knows your potential in Christ, and he will stop at nothing to keep you from realizing and walking in that potential. Revelation 12:12 helps us to understand why Satan is so determined to keep us under his thumb. "For the Devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." (NKJ)

Satan knows his time is short, and so he seeks to do everything in his power to break the heart of God. He fights dirty, using the very creation God loves dearly, mankind, as weapons and casualties to pierce the heart of our Father. In his efforts, Satan does not want us to realize the potential we hold in Christ Jesus. For he knows that if we truly understand and take hold of the gifts and truth God has for us, we would join his enemy in the spiritual war. So, Satan pulls out the arsenal of oppression. Believing that if he can keep us down, we would be unable to look up and see the outstretched hand of God drawing us to His side.

I think we can better understand this twisted logic of the enemy by grabbing a dictionary and briefly defining depression. The Webster's Dictionary for Students defines oppression as "cruel or unjust use of power or authority; to control or rule in a harsh or cruel way." As we know all too well, Satan's ways are cruel and heartless. He cares for one thing, his own self-elevation. He has no heart or concern for the pain he causes God's people. In fact, he revels in your pain!

With such a vile enemy we need to know that the promises of God are solid. Perhaps we'd do well to know the promises of God period! We can glean hope from the Old Scriptures as we see God fulfill His promises to specific people. Look at Genesis 15:13-14.

"Then He said to Abram: 'Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.'" (NKJ)

God promised to judge Egypt for the evil it had perpetrated against Israel, and He did. Through each plague Egypt suffered greatly. And finally, Pharaoh's army was wiped out in the Red Sea as they pursued the Israelites. As for coming out with great possessions Exodus 12:35 - 36 says, "Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians." (NKJ) Our enemy, Satan, faces judgement as well. His evil schemes will not go unpunished (PRAISE THE LORD!). He will reap the harvest of his oppressive and destructive activities. Without delving too far into Revelation's end time prophecy, let's look at the judgement the devil will face when God finally proclaims, "Enough is enough!"

Revelation 20:1-3 "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while."(NKJ)
Revelation 20:7-10 "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false prophet are. AND THEY WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER! (emphasis mine). (NKJ)

Sisters, I know the pain you have endured because of the destructive activities of Satan. I know your soul crises out for justice. Rest assured it is coming! There is a time in which God will wipe every tear from your eyes (Rev. 21:4). Until the, the battle rages, first for your very soul. Then, when Satan realizes he can't win your soul, he will strive to steal any effectiveness you have as a Believer. We can stand fast, though in the power and the promises of our God. Stick with me, we are going to build our strength together.