“When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter.”

Exodus 15:23

The people of Israel had left Egypt and had walked through the Red Sea. The voices of joy were audible from far away. For the first time in years the Israelites felt like the victors, a powerful and invincible army. They thought they would never have to face adversity again because God was doing everything for them. Their conversations turned to everything that had gone on the days previous to their exodus. They celebrated how God had hurt Egypt’s pride in the worst possible way; the object of their worship. It had been useless to worship the frogs, the gnats, the flies, the cattle, etc., because these plagues were destroying their land. They also remembered how God had killed the firstborn of every Egyptian family and how the waters of the Red Sea had devoured the most powerful army of the earth. With great joy they proclaimed that God was with them and that with Him, there was nothing they could not conquer.

Soon the time of celebration ended and they quickly forgot all God had done for them. They had walked for just three days in the desert and were desperately thirsty. But when they got to Marah, they quickly ran to quench their thirst with the water there. However, after some of them drank the water, they fell to the floor clutching their stomachs and so none of them could drink the water because it was bitter. Their first reaction was to blame God for what had happened, and all the people began to murmur. This was clear-cut evidence that they were still blind and couldn’t see the One who is in control of the circumstances. Complaining makes what is sweet become bitter. Every negative word you speak will make your destiny bitter.

The first declarations a person makes at the beginning of every new season in his life, paints a picture for his future. Over three and a half million people are estimated to have crossed the Red Sea, and unfortunately every one of them murmured. There was only one person who did not fall into the trap; it was Moses. In a sensible way, he did what everyone should have done from the beginning. You should always pray first. As the result of his prayer God showed him a branch and gave him the order to throw it into the water. This changed the physical aspects and the water became sweet. We must understand that the branch is a prototype of the Cross where Jesus died. No matter how much we have drunk from the waters of bitterness on our life journey, through the power of the Cross, what was bitter becomes sweet. Whenever a life or a home receives the revelation of the Cross, the Cross begins to absorb whatever has brought affliction, pain or sadness. Whether it was due to a bad marriage, or someone disappointing you, you can still have that sweetness in your life. Whether it was due to a bad marriage, or someone disappointing you, you can still have that sweetness in your life. Whether it was due to a disease or a financial problem, the Cross can help you choose to turn those bitter waters into sweet fountains of faith.

The Cross must be placed at the center of your life and home. I’m not talking about some strange rite you have to do. I’m saying that you and your family need to place Jesus and His redeeming work in the center of your lives. Only the Cross of Jesus has the right spiritual elements to absorb all bitterness that entered your life and to replace it with sweetness. In other words, Jesus wants to give you the opposite of what the enemy tried to give you. That’s the reason the Lord revealed Himself to them at that precise moment as “Jehova Rapha”, which means God Heals. But the miracle of healing depends on God’s people and their obedience to His Word. If they fulfilled this prerequisite, they didn’t have to be afraid of the plagues or the diseases that had destroyed the Egyptians, because God would be their medicine (Exodus 15:26).

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
“I had just met the Lord and was attending church. I lived the life of an average college student; I was happy and had many plans. My mom was living in another city and we would often talk on the phone. One day she called me with fear in her voice because she had visited a fortuneteller who had told her I was going to die. A short while later something strange started to happen to me. I felt weak and couldn’t walk. I went to the doctor and after many exams the diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis. I didn’t know what Multiple Sclerosis was and what it meant for me, but after investigating, my heart was filled with fear. I was utterly devastated. My only desire was not to go to hell. I didn’t know God could heal me. I went to church in order to have peace with Him and to get ready to die. I lost all hope of life. A few days later there was a healing seminar at church. I attended the last day and there was a preacher called Frank Marzullo. He had already finished preaching. God moved him to go back up on stage and he said he wanted to pray for healing. There were just five people left and when he laid his hands on me something supernatural happened; I started to experience healing. My physical weakness disappeared, I got my strength back and I felt happy once again. Months later, however, the symptoms returned. I went to Pastor Cesar Castellanos to ask him why this was happening again if I had really received divine healing. He answered, “Healing operates the same way as a tree is uprooted; the leaves do not dry immediately but they progressively wither and wilt away.” These words brought great comfort to my soul. On that day, he took the time to explain to me that healing can be lost through three things: doubt, fear or sin. Never again did I accept those things in my life and I have been enjoying a healthy life for twenty years. God called me to the ministry and I serve Him with my husband and my children.” (Pastor Gloria Salamanca)

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“Thanks to the revelation of the Cross, God turned my bitterness into sweetness.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Three.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.