April 2009

Learning to Flee Egypt

The National Coalition For Purity is a counter-cultural ministry in an impure, immoral world. We are swimming against the current. We are training and resourcing men and women to live in purity in a world that not only does not value purity but despises and mocks it. That’s hard! Many men complain because the old ways were so much more familiar. Many ask, “When am I cured? When can I go back to the way I used to be, the way I used to do life?” Sounds like the nation of Israel leaving Egypt, doesn’t it? Here are three basic principles for anyone learning to flee Egypt: First, only the blood of the Lamb can break the power of Egypt—Exodus 12:5-7, 13. Remember Egypt equals bondage. It is the place of bondage. It is the place of cruel taskmasters and a cruel pharaoh. In short, Egypt represents bondage. How are you going to break free from that kind of bondage? Only the applied blood of the lamb can break the power of bondage. Exodus 12:5-7, 13 says God will pass over the houses protected by the applied blood of a spotless lamb smeared on the doorposts and the lintel beam. So too for us. Only the applied blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Lamb, can break the power of bondage in our lives.

The second principle is only the power of God can deliver us from the pharaoh—Exodus 14:26-31. In that passage, pharaoh equals the devil. He was a cruel slave driver. Pharaoh pursued the Israelites right into the Red Sea (Exodus 14:26-31). The same is true for us. Even though he had to release us because of the blood of Christ, he hasn’t given up. He will pursue us relentlessly.

Riding high on the success of their battle for purity, some have subtly thought to themselves, “I’m cured! I’m free! I won’t ever succumb to the devil’s lies or sexual temptation ever again.” Wrong! The devil is not about to give up on you. For the rest of your earthly life you are at war. Every day you must put on the armor of God. Look for any passage in the Bible that says you are discharged from the army of God! You won’t find any!
Finally, only the Spirit of God can remove Egypt from your heart—Exodus 16:3,4, Acts 7:39-43. Israel left Egypt through the power of the blood of the lamb. They were delivered from Pharaoh by the mighty hand of God. But inside, in their hearts, they still carried Egypt with them. They longed for the pleasures and the idols of Egypt (Exodus 16:3-4). They still had Egypt in their hearts!
It’s not enough to overcome sexual sin externally. Men can do that but still be in sexual bondage internally, in their hearts! They have idols in their hearts! How do you remove bondage from your heart? The Holy Spirit! He is the Liberator of hearts. His job is to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come. Galatians 5:16 says, So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Ephesians 5:18 says, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Every day you and I have choices to make—on the job, in our homes, with our friends. Will we choose to live in purity or impurity? We have a choice, don’t we? We are no longer slaves with no choice. Christ’s blood has set us free from bondage. We no longer need to be deceived by the devil. God’s power has delivered us from the grasp of the devil. The Holy Spirit lives within our hearts prompting us, convicting us to make the right choice, whispering to us the truth. Choose to live in purity! Choose to be counter-cultural revolutionaries! Why would we ever want to go back to the way we used to “do” life?