Exodus 14:14 Moses answered the people,…The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Moses boldly confessed to the people to ‘stand firm’, ‘be still’ to see the salvation of the Lord, however, in the very next verse, the Lord speaks back to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Vs 15). Even though Moses sounded courageous, he was crying to the Lord for help. The Lord’s response was ‘move forward’. To be still is not to remain idle. Stillness is the serenity of the soul. Stillness is the calmness, confidence and the courage of the soul. “Sleep in peace tonight, God is bigger than anything you will face tomorrow.”
A confused and troubled mind has no clarity. The wandering horde of Hebrew slaves had a panic attack when they saw the big bad bully, the Pharaoh and his mighty army chasing after them. They cowered and cringed in fear and panic. Some of the effects of panic or anxiety attacks on the brain and the body are high heart rate, blood pressure, ulcers, panting or respiratory disorders and freezing. The brain stops thinking as there will be an imbalance in the emotional centers of the brain. Moses had to manage the anxious mob of half a million people who were terrorized by the militants caving in. Moses advised them to still their emotions and calm their anxiety.
The secret of overcoming the crucible circumstances that come upon us suddenly is to take a moment to be still, and to be composed. The soul has to be still to move forward. A discombobulated mind will be disconnected from the supernatural. A confused mind will panic and move backwards and not forwards. Our reflexes freeze when we are frightened. Hence, ‘to be still’ is to calm down our feelings and reactions. To be still is to rest and wait for God’s direction.
‘Be still’ to receive the ‘To Do’ list from the Lord:
1. Speak: Stillness of the soul will give us the audacious faith to speak to the storm and the sea. Anxiety causes an influx of negative thoughts. Inundation of negative thoughts can limit the ability of a person to work, study and to do even the most menial daily activities. One of the main triggers of panic attacks is ruminating on pessimistic thoughts. Speak success to your soul.
2. Stretch: Moses stretched his staff to part the waters. Stretch the Word of God like a sword against the enemy who constantly bugs you with defeat and failure. The way to drive out negative thoughts is to meditate and repeat the promises of God.
3. See: See a mighty victory through the tumultuous sea in front of you. See the sea’s dividing, mountains melting and walls breaking through the eyes of faith. See the end through the eyes of God.
Don’t trigger panic attacks with depressing thoughts and negative confessions. Be still.
Exodus 14:13 “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
Prayer: God my Mighty Warrior, I will remain calm on your shoulder until we pass the storm. Help me to be still. Amen.
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