CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO
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WEEKLY TORAH PORTION |
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CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO |
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Shemot {14:12} Is not this the word that we spoke to you in Mitzrayim (Egypt), saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Mitzryim (Egyptians)?' For it were better for us to serve the Mitzryim, than that we should die in the wilderness." It is hard to believe what is being said here because bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) were in serious bondage while they were in Mitzrayim. Scripture in fact tells us that they were mistreated and placed in hard labour. There was even a point where Pharaoh required them to make bricks with straw they had to collect themselves. Previously they were provided straw, but now they had to collect it without diminishing the expected daily quota of bricks they needed to make. This does not sound like the pleasant life anyone would want to return to, at least it does not sound like it to me! Therefore, why in the world were they complaining against Moshe (Moses)? Why were they saying that they were better off in their deprived state of bondage in Mitzrayim? Many times I have experienced situations like this in our congregation. No, no one here wants to return to Mitzrayim because no one in our congregation is from Mitzrayim, at least not yet. However, there are people among us that are definitely in bondage. The other week I was approached by someone who was being mentally and emotionally tormented day and night. They were hearing voices. As a result of this they were very distressed and troubled. After speaking to them for a while it was disclosed that they had been dabbling in the occult. Prior to this occult experience they had not experienced these symptoms, but all that had changed since then. Having been involved in the occult prior to salvation I immediately discerned that this person had picked-up a demon or two and was being demonically oppressed by them. Yes we can pick-up demons if we dabble in the realms that Satan is involved in, like the occult. This includes, but is not limited to, tarot cards, palm reading, psychometry, astrology and even something that seems as harmless as reading horoscopes. They all carry with them the potential of demonic oppression for those who get involved with them. I prayed for this person and had them renounce their involvement in the occult, a method of deliverance that I have done in the past -- even upon myself. After praying I comforted the person by telling them that by my prayer of faith the demons had left and that they were now free of the oppression, all then needed to do now was to accept and receive that fact. Sadly, only minutes after my prayers, after the person left, I overheard them recounting their story to someone else and asking them to pray for them for deliverance. The point of my story and the point of this portion of Scripture that I quoted from our Parasha this week is that some people are comfortable with their demons and they really do not what to get rid of them. This person I helped did not want to accept that they were delivered, but had to have someone pray for them once again. Sadly this is a cycle that they have probably repeated over and over. Perhaps this will be their lot until either the demons cause them to go insane, requiring them to be hospitalization and receive psychiatric care, or until they finally accept their deliverance and once and for all send those demons back to where they belong. Bnei Yisrael was happy with their demons. They did not want to start a new life of freedom in the Promised Land. They were happy with the way things were back in Mitzrayim. To them the thought of being liberated, although it sounded good when Moshe first suggested it, did not sound so good any longer. Deliverance was too difficult for them; it was too much for them to mentally accept. They wanted to go back to their old life, a life of bondage and oppression, because that is what they knew and that is what they were comfortable with. Many people are demonically oppressed. Yes even believers in Yeshua HaMashiach! Unless they stop being comfortable with their demons, they will never be delivered from them. Ya’acov (James) {4:7} Submit yourselves therefore to G-d. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. {4:8} Draw near to G-d, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. {4:9} Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. {4:10} Humble yourselves in the sight of the L-rd, and He shall lift you up. Do you want to be healed from demonic oppression? Then stop being comfortable with your demons! Baruch HaShem Rabbi Ya'acov Farber |
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