“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy one of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord! 2 And yet He is wise and brings calamity and does not retract His words; He will arise against the house (the whole race) of evildoers and against the helpers of those who work iniquity. 3 Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; and when the Lord stretches out His hand, both [Egypt] who helps will stumble, and [Judah] who is helped will fall, and they will all perish and be consumed together. Isaiah 31:1-3 AMP
In this verse, God calls Egypt “the flesh.” Egypt is symbolic of the world and the world’s system, which is influenced and controlled by the enemy. The devil, first and foremost, is a liar. He offers, but never comes through – he promises, but never delivers. He deceives and confuses. Hebrews3:13 says that sin is deceitful. Sin promises wealth, power, satisfaction and freedom, but delivers only poverty, frustration and bondage.
Mark 4:19 AMP says that, “The cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.” When you look at the world and you allow yourself to crave and lust after what they have, you will choke the Word, the anointing, and the power of God in your life and leave yourself vulnerable to destruction.
If you are a believer, a child of God, and you think that worldly people have it better than you, then you are deceived. All the money and power in the world cannot buy one drop of the blood of Jesus and only the blood of Jesus can guarantee eternal life! If you keep your eyes on that which is eternal, God will take care of you.
Say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster [of sluggish and unwieldy strength] that lies in the midst of his [delta] streams, [boastfully] declaring, My river Nile is my own and I have made it for myself. Ezekiel 29:3 AMP
It shall be the lowliest of the kingdoms, neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations; I will diminish [the Egyptians] so they shall never again rule over the nations. 16 And never again shallEgypt have the confidence and be the reliance of the house of Israel; their iniquity will be brought to remembrance whenever [Israel] looks toward them [for help]. They shall know (understand and realize) that I am the Lord God [Who demands loyalty and obedient service]. Ezekiel 29:15-16 AMP
In this passage, God pronounced Himself to be against Egypt, because Egypt was proud and arrogant, taking credit for what God alone had done and given, and because Israel looked up to Egypt and trusted her instead of their Lord. God set Himself against Egypt, to make her land desolate and a waste, to bring her low, to place her in subjection to her enemies and to scatter her people among the nations. However, He promised to restore the Egyptians to their land at the end of forty years, but they would never be restored to their former glory, they would never again rule over nations and never again would Egypt have the confidence and be the reliance of the house of Israel.
The world’s system is not reliable or trustworthy. The world puts its trust in money and wealth, but history will show that the same way money can be made, it can be lost and there is little that you or anyone else can do about it. Another lie, perpetrated by the devil, is that money can buy health, peace of mind and happiness. Money can pay for doctors and treatments, but it cannot cure a terminal illness. Money can buy a fancy wedding, but it cannot buy a good marriage. Money can buy a nice house, but it cannot guarantee a happy home and family. Money can buy things and even some people, but it cannot buy genuine friendships. Money cannot guarantee happiness and contentment.
As long as you look to the world for help, as long as you trust in the arm of the flesh, and as long as you covet what the world has, you will never enjoy the fullness of the blessings of God. God will bring down the earthly things you trust in. You must wake up and realize that He is the only One worthy of your trust and reliance. You must KNOW that HE is the Lord God and you must put your hope and trust in Him. He is the Lord and He demands loyalty and obedient service in exchange for love, peace, joy and blessing. True blessing and everlasting life are in the hands of the Father and He offers it to you today. Take your eyes off the world and place your life firmly in the hands of the Lord, Who loves you and watches over you to do you good in the end.