AFFLICTION CANNOT STOP GOD'S DOING OR WORK
11 THEREFORE THEY SET TASKMASTERS OVER THEM TO AFFLICT THEM WITH THEIR BURDENS. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 BUT THE MORE THEY AFFLICTED THEM, THE MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.
Exodus 1:11-12 (NKJV)
One thing that should be noted when dealing with whoever is of God is that the person(s) would not easily be overcome or suppressed by whatever affliction or oppression.
The Bible in our text says: " . . . THE MORE THEY AFFLICTED THEM, THE MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW" (Exodus 1:12 NKJV).
Persecution or affliction cannot kill or suppress the people of God.
Similar thing happened in the New testament when the church in Jerusalem was persecuted and the people, believers, scattered (Acts 8:3-5). However, instead of holding their peace when they scattered, they started spreading, proclaiming the gospel as they were going (Acts 8:4,5). The church that was limited to Jerusalem spread to Samaria, Antioch and other places as a result of the persecution (Acts 8:3-5). What the religious leaders and people wanted to stop was escalated and spread to other regions (Acts 8:4).
The aim of Pharaoh was to curb or limit or hamper the growth of the Israelites but instead they kept multiplying because God was the One behind the growth: "BUT THE MORE THEY AFFLICTED THEM, THE MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND GREW" (Exodus 1:12).
Thus, as a believer, If you are being afflicted or persecuted or oppressed or ill-treated by anyone or a group of people, know that it is for your growth, increase and promotion. If God actually wanted to move you from where you are to another level, He would permit a discomfort or a plot to be orchestrated against you that you might be moved from where you are presently to the new place of assignment—where He wanted you to be.
When Joseph's assignment in the Potiphar's house completed, when he needed to learn how to manage or lead a larger number of people, a plot through Potiphar's wife was orchestrated, lied against him, and was eventually thrown into prison—his new place of assignment. Where he was to learn about a higher level of leadership. Joseph had to be moved to the prison where he was equally made the leader of all the inmates or prisoners (Genesis 39:20-23).
He, Joseph, was the leader of all the household staff of Potiphar (Genesis 39:2-4), but he needed to acquire knowledge on how to lead a larger number of people in preparation for where God was taking him. Now, the whole issue was not determined or orchestrated by any person but God Himself Who has the reins of every person's life.
If you have pledged your allegiance to God through Jesus Christ, the reins—commandership, directorship—of your life is in His hands. He determines what happens to you; where you go, what you do, and things that are permitted or not permitted to come your way or happen to you (Proverbs 2:8; 5:21; 16:9; Romans 8:14).
It takes faith to believe this and be totally subscribed to it. If your trust in God is not solidified and you are not unwaveringly submissive to Him, you might want to disagree with this assertion or school of thought when you find yourself in certain conditions; circumstances and situations that are not all that palatable.
What is being shared here is different from fate that is emphasized as one of the core beliefs in some religions.
Fate is defined by Dictionaries:
a. A state or end that seemingly has been decided beforehand.
b. The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events.
What we are sharing is about a believer's relationship and communion with the omniscient God, the all-knowing God, Who knows all things and orders the feet of whoever pledges allegiance to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ:
1 O LORD, YOU HAVE SEARCHED ME AND KNOWN ME. 2 YOU KNOW MY SITTING DOWN AND MY RISING UP; YOU UNDERSTAND MY THOUGHT AFAR OFF. 3 YOU COMPREHEND MY PATH AND MY LYING DOWN, AND ARE ACQUAINTED WITH ALL MY WAYS. 4 FOR THERE IS NOT A WORD ON MY TONGUE, BUT BEHOLD, O LORD, YOU KNOW IT ALTOGETHER. 5 YOU HAVE HEDGED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE, AND LAID YOUR HAND UPON ME. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. 7 WHERE CAN I GO FROM YOUR SPIRIT? OR WHERE CAN I FLEE FROM YOUR PRESENCE? (Psalm 139:1-7 NKJV).
What is described in the above passage of the Psalm, written by David, is a typical life of a believer who pledges his or her allegiance to God. A believer who walks in the Spirit is someone who is hedged by God; behind and before, and had God's hand laid on him or her (Psalm 139:5).
The movements and everything done by such a believer is ordered or orchestrated by God. This is different from fate that is mentioned above being taught and emphasized by some religions.
In the fate taught by other religions, they do believe If any evil happened to them It was predetermined by their God. But in the Bible, we are made to understand that God is not an author of confusion or evil but peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is not tempted by evil and He does not tempt anyone by evil (James 1:13). Whatever evil that comes or befalls anyone, It comes through the desire of the person (James 1:14,15).i
So, when omnipotency and omniscience of God is being shared or described, It is not about fate or karma or kismet, or God being precarious or uncertain or unsteady. It is about God's foreknowing, the God Who knows about every individual person; what will happen and what will not, in the person's journey of life (Romans 9:10-13). If any evil happened in the journey of the person on earth, It is not fate or karma or kismet. God knows it would happen based on His omniscient knowledge, His all-knowing, not that He wanted it to happen. Whatever happened would largely be based on the choices of the person concerned.
God told Rebecca that the older of her sons would serve the younger, It does not mean God did arrange it so. He knew it would happen based on His omniscience, foreknowledge (Genesis 25:22,23; Romans 9:10-13).
a. He knew Esau would be a mean or a profane person who would not value any precious thing given to him (Hebrews 12:16).
b. God knew he, Esau, would sell his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob, but He, God, was not the One who orchestrated or predetermined or preplanned it. God does not predetermined or preplanned evils, no evil is found in God. The devil is the author of all evils.
In the teaching of fate or karma or kismet, when evil happened to someone; they said the person should believe or accept it as God's preplanned or predetermined thing that would happen to him or her.
However, in the Christian faith, the Bible does not teach that. There is nothing like fate, karma, kismet, or luck in the Bible faith.
Believers do not and should not believe in such teachings or principles, they are not consistent with the Bible—they are not found in the Bible.
So when you are being afflicted or oppressed It is not a karma or fate. However, God knows about it and It cannot stop His purpose or plan for your life.
Peace.
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