We Are The People

Numbers 21:4-9   Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. ⁵ And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” ⁶ So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

⁷ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

v.4  The people were very discouraged because of the way life can get difficult, especially when we choose to follow God’s way in life.  “Strait is the gate and narrow is the way.”  Strait means hard not without bends and turns.

   Trying to balance life’s demands and staying on the straight and narrow – living a life of obedience and love for God and man can take a lot out of a person.  Thus it was for Israel in their wilderness wanderings.

  In our text, dissatisfaction led to rebellion  During our time of intercession this Sunday evening 6-9 pm  (all time zones) let’s focus in on 3 points of intercession we find in the text.  We ask that you spend a minimum of 15 minutes praying for the heart and soul of America.  We will continue to pray throughout the week focusing on 1 prayer point per day.  Thanks for being a partner in We Are The People prayer initiative.

Prayer Focus #1  “The people spoke against God” v.5 .  All sin is ultimately against God.  We grumble against God when we complain about the things of life God gives us as Christians.  The people thought Egypt to be better.

   Pray tonight that believers in America will repent before God for their lack of appreciation for the way the Lord has led them in life – out of sin and into righteousness.  Pray that Christians enjoy their new life in Christ and share it with others.

Prayer Focus #2  “The people spoke against Moses”  v.5. People who hate God also hate His people.  Why?  Because of His righteousness.

   In America today there is an ongoing battle between the righteous and the  unrighteous.  As Moses was spoken against so are the righteous today for their unwavering stand against sin.

  Tonight let us pray that God will stop the mouths of those who oppose His righteous demands upon man and that the righteous know how to respond in a powerful way that God reveals to bring about godly change in America in this generation.

Prayer Focus #3  God’s children loathed the bread from heaven – manna – the Word of God. Many treat the word of God and Jesus, the living Word, in prideful disdain. They perceive God’s provision as insufficient and so they run to every source of help to the neglect of God and His all-sufficient provision in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  Pray tonight that people, who in their pride, treat Jesus and the Word of God as just one more resource, see the Lord as “The Way, Truth and Life” – the only way to the Father who provides every perfect gift for His children.