TOPIC: MEEKNESS – STRENGTH UNDER CONTROL
(Moses the meekest man on earth)
That is Greek interpretation and definition of meekness.
The virtue we find in the fruit of the Spirit.
That is the seat of Moses miracles.
God who created mankind said “Moses was the meekest man on earth.”
Num 12:3-8 (KJV)3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.5 And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
There is this tendency of becoming arrogant, proud and pompous when one is graced with the supernatural power to perform miracle.
In fact, with Moses, humility and meekness was the secret that got him to the top.
When the Lord wanted to destroy his covenant relationship with his friend Abraham, Moses cried out.
Ex 32:9-14(NLT)9 Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. 10 Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”11 But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.'”14 So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.
Gift from above should be clothed with meekness
Matt 5:5 (KJV)Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
God Himself testified Moses humility.
Did Moses call himself the most humble man on the planet? No, that is the qualification our heavenly father gave him.
How does God see your personality?
James 4:5-6 (NLT)6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud
but favors the humble.
V 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
Moses wrote the first 5 books of the bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) with the power of Word of Knowledge and Word of Wisdom.
By dictation he wrote the five Books of the Bible and Ten commandments.
Moses received all the power of wonders and miracles to cause plaques which brought the children of Israel out of the power of bondage.
Ex 3:19-21(NLT)19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. 20 So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go.
v He struck the stone and the water came out. Num 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill.
He struck the sea and the children of Israel passed by and yet he was meek. Ex 14:21(KJV)21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Can we do all these work and stay humble?
Pride goes before a fall. – Prov 16:18 (NLT) “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall”
What makes you different from others?
1 Cor. 4:7(NLT)7 For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?
If one says he is something when he is not, he is a fool.
Gal 6:3(NIV)3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
1 Cor 3:18-19(MSG)18 Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. 19 Be God’s fool — that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.
Moses was a man who achieved a lot.
Why is it that men who achieved so much remain humble – they are noiseless.
We have an injunction to be humble as Jesus. Jesus was humble unto death.
Phil 2:5-11(AMP)5 Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:] 6 Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly graspedor retained, 7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. 8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! 9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, 10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”
We have always had a teaching on ‘dyeing to self’ and its benefits. – John 12:24-25(KJV)24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
A man of humility is tested by his response to the world around him. Num 11:26-30(NLT)26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
Luke 9:49-50(NLT)49 John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
Men and women of humility:
1 Sam 1:9-17(TLB)9 One evening after supper, when they were at Shiloh, Hannah went over to the Tabernacle. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance. 10 She was in deep anguish and was crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. 11 And she made this vow: “O Lord of heaven, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you, and he’ll be yours for his entire lifetime, and his hair shall never be cut.” 12-13 Eli noticed her mouth moving as she was praying silently and, hearing no sound, thought she had been drinking. 14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your bottle.” 15-16 “Oh no, sir!” she replied, “I’m not drunk! But I am very sad and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. Please don’t think that I am just some drunken bum!” 17 “In that case,” Eli said, “cheer up! May the Lord of Israel grant you your petition, whatever it is! 18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed, and went happily back, and began to take her meals again.
We must pray to acquire the spirit of meekness.
You are not beautiful without it – how beautiful a lady is or how handsome a man is can only be known when she/he opens her/his mouth.
Matt 15:22-28(TLB)22 A woman from Canaan who was living there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, King David’s Son! For my daughter has a demon within her, and it torments her constantly.” 23 But Jesus gave her no reply-not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to get going,” they said, “for she is bothering us with all her begging.” 24 Then he said to the woman, “I was sent to help the Jews-the lost sheep of Israel-not the Gentiles.” 25 But she came and worshiped him and pled again, “Sir, help me!” 26 “It doesn’t seem right to take bread from the children and throw it to the dogs,” he said. 27 “Yes, it is!” she replied, “for even the puppies beneath the table are permitted to eat the crumbs that fall.” 28 “Woman,” Jesus told her, “your faith is large, and your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed right then”
A true encounter with Christ will make you humble – Phil 3:4-10(NLT) 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.