Don’t Run For the Door

Don’t Run for the Door Genesis 12:10-20 (NLT) 

• • Human nature is set in a way that when we encounter danger/threat, we fight and or we run away 
  • This is great, especially in physical situations. Some of us should be running instead of fighting and others fighting instead of running 
  • Honestly that is where discernment comes in. Some people don’t know when to quit, and others quit too soon
  • The idea of quitting is something that I am very familiar with. I have shared this during our prayer meetings (Every Monday at 6:30) that as a business owner, the enemy consistently beats the same drum:
    • This is too difficult just quit
    • You are not going to make it – just quit
    • You are not making a difference- Just quit
    • You will lose everything, just quit
  • You don’t have to be a business owner to hear the drum noise, you just need to be a human 
  • And especially as a Christian, the enemy will convince you that this Christian walk is too difficult, just quit, that church plant will never work, e.t.c
  • Praise God, that in John 16:33 Jesus has already prepared us by reminding us that in this world there will be trouble – but have heart, that He has overcome for us -In Him we find patience, rest, and encouragement 
  • In today’s text, we will see the cost of running for the door – we will see, a man that quits, we will see redemption and also lasting consequences of running for the door instead of staying 

• Read: Genesis 12:10-20 (NKJV)

Fear is sneaky 

• • For every untimely exit, there is trace of fear – self-preservation is a byproduct of fear 

• And we see this in vs 10 – 10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.

• • From the surface it looks good, like Abram is making a great decision. As a man I am charged with leading my family and predicting whatever might be coming and protecting them against it
  • We can argue that Abram was doing this exact thing 
  • However, if you have been with us in the last few weeks as we studied Genesis – Abram was not in Canaan out of his own will 
  • He had been called by God to leave his place of birth and head to Canaan 

• Genesis 12:1-3- Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country,
  From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

• • His promises and blessings were tied to him being in Canaan
  • We don’t see any verses that says if, it gets really bad, if you are unsure about your provision – you can temporarily go away from the place I have called you and when it’s all clear, you can come back  
  •  Fear of the unknown is the driving force here
  • More than often, God calls us to a thing, a place, an assignment – but as soon as we see some resistance that WE cannot overcome, WE run for the door – WE justify our fear and abandon our assignments
  • Friends don’t run for the door – Hold on to God’s promises 
  • This almost happened to us when we first moved here from California in 2009
  • There is a saying, give (someone) an inch and they will take a yard, and fear is a master at this (The crack)
  • The decision to listen to fear and obey doesn’t stop there…

• Genesis 12:11-13– 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that [a]I may live because of you.”

• • In this case the ‘Give me an inch and I will take a yard” – one of the byproducts of fear was lying 
    •  “White lie” (American ☹) –A white lie is a small, typically harmless untruth told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, maintain social harmony, or be polite. Originating as a phrase in the 16th century for “harmless fibs,” it differs from malicious lies because its intent is to benefit others rather than gain personal advantage.
    •  It’s a lie that interferes with Abram’s promise from God 
    • God had a plan for Sarai – and her being married to a pagan king was not one of them 

• Genesis 17:15–16 (NLT)  Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but [a]Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”

• • Fear causes us to question God’s plans, make hasty decision that not only endangers us but endangers our families 
  • I have seen people who have left Washington because of fears of finances, taxes, jobs, – not that they prayed and fasted and sought the Lord, they just did it out to fear 
  • I have seen people leave the church, jobs, leave where God is working to bless them at -only to rob themselves and their families, the blessing of God
  • Man, you better be sure – So much is at stake – We have to stop thinking only about our selves 
  • Fear is fueled by selfishness 

• Vs 13- so that things will go well for ME, for your sake

• • • My life will be spared because of you! – Not because of God’s guidance – Because of you Sarai, 
    • Not because, God has said- I will make you a great nation – not that God has said I will make your name great 
    • Not because I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you 
  • Lies: It’s because – Sarai, you lied and saved my life 
  • When you unpack this statement, and say it out loud, you realize how silly this is – How fear makes us lose focus on the issue at hand and forget the bigger picture 
  • I love cars and if you want to buy me a birthday gift car- I do welcome one 
  • Of late I have a project car and I have taken interest in learning how the engine works. Sometime the car will run smoothly but occasionally I will hear a noise. 
    • My immediate reaction is not, let’s take it to the junk yard and crush it – it’s over 
    • But for most of us, that is exactly what we do when we are faced with something that is difficult, challenging, pressuring– we decide that the whole engine is bad, the tires are falling out, the wipers are done, Darling can you smell the gas leaking? -this thing is going to bust in frames – lets run for the door
  • When I am NOT operating in FEAR all I need to do is ChatGPT the issue (spend way more time that I should) and then call Buck, he comes over with his mobile mechanic skills and identifies the issue either replaces the part or gets us a new one – and we are good to go 

• We don’t burn the car down – We don’t run for the door

• • Yet, when we give in to fear, we forget God’s promises and torch the car 
  • Attack the specific situation not the promise!

• 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

• Fear is not from God, it’s not your identity or your inheritance 

• • Yes, the famine was real, so was the Giant- David, a small boy who shelves his own reasoning fought
    • He is small, the odds are not in his favor 
    • It didn’t even make sense – This would not have been a highly paid PPV 
    • I can hear the crowd saying – That silly kid wants to die, why are they letting him kill himself
  • But David knew THE one who had called him was greater than what people could see in the physical

•  David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied ~ 1 Samuel 17:45 (NLT)

• • Dear friends, this is your script 
    • When Finances are not mathing – I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    • When Sickness in beating you down – I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    • When Family issues – I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
  • Fear discourages us from taking the mountains and we end up leaving giants for our next generation 

• There is victory when we stand against fear 

Trojan Horse

• • Around 8th Century BC – The Trojan War began after Paris, prince of Troy, abducted Helen, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus.
  • Greek armies sailed to Troy and fought for 10 years, but they could not break through Troy’s massive walls.
  • A Greek hero named Odysseus came up with a brilliant deception
  • The Greeks built a massive wooden horse
  • They hid elite soldiers inside it
  • The rest of the Greek army pretended to sail away
  • The Trojans found the horse and believed it was a gift of surrender
  • They brought it inside the city walls
  • At night, the hidden soldiers came out and opened the gates
  • The Greek army returned and destroyed Troy
  • This deception led to the fall of Troy

• Why do I share that story – If you pay attention to this story:

• After Abram tells his wife to lie, Pharoah takes Sarai, planning to make her one of his wives

• Genesis 12:17-20 (NKJV) – 17 But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.

• Abram got his wife back, got more than he had come with – vs 16:   He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

• • It started out rough but over time, it looks like a “almost a perfect plan” –We might even conclude – Look at how God blessed him #LookatGod
  • We can argue that the ends justified the means, no great harm was done 

• It is all good until we read Genesis 16:1-3 (Nlt) – Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)

• • Genesis 16 gives us a little window to see what is happening in Abram’s household
  • Hagar and Sarai are not getting a long –Abram is brought to the mix 
  • Sarai treats Hagar badly that she ended up running away 

• Genesis 16:7-12 (NLT) The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”

• • The conflict does not end –they are at it again in Genesis 21:8 
    • 8 When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. 9 But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.[b] 10 So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” 

• Long after – this continues 

• Psalms 83:1-7 – O God, do not be silent! Do not be deaf.
      Do not be quiet, O God. 2 Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies?
      Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?
  3 They devise crafty schemes against your people;
      they conspire against your precious ones.
  4 “Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation.
      We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”
  5 Yes, this was their unanimous decision.
      They signed a treaty as allies against you—6 these Edomites and Ishmaelites;
      Moabites and Hagrites;

• • Remember the animals, the servants – how Abraham made it out with a lot of loot 
  • In that “prosperity”, there was a Trajon horse – Hagar

• Hagar offspring would be enemies to the promise of Abraham!! 

• • The enemy is willing to give up some significant things – Livestock, servants and everything else that was given to Abram – to the enemy this was a great investment because he strategically placed a seed that would be problem for God’s people to this day 
  • Fear comes back to collect – And when it does, it will demand not only the initial investment, but also the fruits and everything else 
  • What is it in your life that the enemy paying for today? – is it influence, prosperity, is it proximity, is it friendship, is it wealth, a name for yourself, power – only to have a seed planted that will be at war with your desire, your generation desires for God 
  • The sad part is that you might not even see the damage caused (Abraham didn’t) – But your generation will – Because you compromised, you walked with you own wisdom, you feared – you have now let the trojan horse in your life and in your lineage 

• Is there a trojan horse in your life? 

• Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) – Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Our God!

• • All this messed up mess is going on – from fear, to lies, to deception, to trying to take things in their own hands
  • Check this out – This is so encouraging – There is ONE that remains faithful – despite of their failures
  • Genesis 12:1-3 (NKJV) – Now the Lord had said to Abram:

• “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great;
  And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

• • We see this in action: 

• Pharaoh is cursed because he intended to messing with Abrams’ wife – Genesis 12:17(NLT) But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife

• God still blessed Ismael because of His promise to Abraham- Genesis 16:10 (NLT) 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.

• • Over and over in the Bible, in our lives – God continues to be faithful even when we are not 

• But God showed his great love for us (me) by sending Christ to die for us (me) while we (I) were still sinners. (while we are fearful, lying, manipulating, deceptive, thieves, selfish, evil) Romans 5:8(NLT) – make it personal 

• Friends- Be Still and know that He is Lord – and stay where He want you – Don’t run for the door!!!