THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD

Introduction

What is a new song? I’m sure you have come across the phrase in different passages of the Bible. Psalm 98:1-2 helps us to understand what a new song is and the circumstances that give rise to someone singing a new song. We are told in this bible passage to sing to the Lord a new song because the Lord has done marvellous things through His right hand. A new song is a song you sing when the right hand of God goes to work on your behalf. A new song comes by the demonstration of God’s power through His right hand. The message version of Psalm 98:1 describes the right hand of God as God rolling up His sleeves to set things right. I’m sure you have noticed how men roll up their sleeves when they want to fight. Rolling up one’s sleeve is a position of somebody ready to fight. When God brings out His right hand or uses His right hand, it is because He wants to fight for His children. I pray for every one of us that this year, the Lord will roll up His sleeves and fight for you, He will fight battles for you that you can’t fight with your own strength and power. I pray the right hand of God will go to work on your behalf and give you a new song in every area of your life.

In Exodus 15 after God parted the Red Sea and drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians in the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites sang a new song. In two of the stanzas of the song specifically in verse 6 and verse 12 of Exodus 15, they sang about the right hand of God. When the right hand of God goes to work on your behalf, you will definitely have cause to sing a new song because this is what God does with His right hand:

1. THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD DASHES OR SHATTERS THE ENEMY TO PIECES (EXODUS 15:6)

If you don’t understand who Pharaoh is, what he represents, what he does, you won’t appreciate the mighty deliverance God gave the Israelites that led to their singing the right hand of God is glorious in power, the right hand of God has dashed the enemy in pieces. Just as God shattered to pieces Pharoah and the Egyptians, God is still using His right hand to smash every Pharaoh in our lives. For us today, Pharaoh is not necessarily the current King or our President or someone in a position of government in our nation as Pharaoh was at that time in Egypt. Pharaoh for us today is symbolic of the devil, the forces, powers and agents of darkness who today do the exact things Pharaoh at that time did to the Israelites.

• The first thing we see about Pharaoh in Exodus 1:7-10 which applies to the devil and forces, powers and agents of darkness is that they recognise who you are in God, what you are capable of doing through God, and so devise a plan to keep you from being who you can be in God. Pharaoh acknowledged that the Israelites were mightier; more powerful that the Egyptians and that in the event of a war; a spiritual battle, they can prevail over the Egyptians and escape from their grip. In the same way, the devil recognises that every believer, every genuine child of God is very powerful because God is with that child of God, God through His Spirit dwells inside the child of God. The statement angel Gabriel used when he came to Mary to tell her that she would have a child confirms the kind of power we have. In Luke 1:35 he said the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. The highest power; the power that is far above every other power even higher than the power of the devil will overshadow you. Meaning that there’s no question or debate about whether there are other powers, there are so many other powers. Yes, the devil has power, all those working for him have power, but the power we have is the highest power, it is higher than their own power. So believers are a people who are carrying power even though many times we don’t realise how powerful we are. Pharaoh recognised the might, the strength, the power of the Israelites, just like the devil, his forces and agents of darkness recognise that we are mightier, we are more powerful than they are and so devise a plan to keep us from being who were are in God the same way Pharaoh devised a plan to curtail the strength and might of the Israelites. But I pray that the Lord will frustrate the devices of the crafty concerning you and I so they will not be able to carry out whatever it is they have planned to keep us from being who we are meant to be in God (Job 5:12).

Pharaoh is against the fulfilment of the purpose or mandate of God. In Exodus 1:8, we are told that the Israelites were fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Which was what God had instructed in Genesis 1:28 that we should be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth. Pharaoh wasn’t happy when he saw this. The devil and his kingdom are not happy when things are going according to the plan and purpose of God. But today in the same way the right hand of God smashed Pharaoh to pieces, the right hand of God will shatter to pieces every force of darkness that says God’s plan and purpose for your life will not be fulfilled (Isaiah 46:10).

• Today the devil does the same thing that Pharaoh did to the Egyptians in Exodus 1:11-14. Pharaoh put so many people in bondage or captivity. He oppressed the Israelites; made life hard and difficult for them. He placed heavy burdens on them. He made them labour and labour and labour but with little or nothing to show for all your labours. This is the exact work and mission of the devil. In this year of a new song, God will free us from every form of bondage, He will lift up the burdens that have been weighing us down and He will make the labour of our hands profitable (Isaiah 62:8-9).

• Pharaoh is responsible for untimely death (Exodus 1:15-16). He planned to kill many children before their time, to cut short the joy of many families. You can imagine one minute you are happy that you have a child, the next you are mourning. It is not every baby, child or adult that dies that the real cause of death is what we see and hear on the surface, what the newspaper and TV account tells us such as there were complications at birth or during delivery, her brakes failed, he got frustrated with life and jumped from a high bridge. Many deaths are satanic arranged deaths like the one we read about in Exodus 1:15-16 where Pharaoh wanted to arrange with the midwives to end many lives. Pharaoh’s plan was to fill many homes with sorrow and mourning, but as God used the midwives to abort the satanic arranged deaths of Pharaoh, in this year of a new song, no power or force of darkness will be able to cut short your life or that of any member of your family or any member of our church. Psalm 118:15 says the voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous because the right hand of the Lord has done valiantly. In our homes and families this year, we will sing songs of rejoicing not songs of sorrow because the right hand of God will abort every satanic arranged death.

So when Moses and the Israelites were singing that the right hand of God has shattered the enemy to pieces, what they were saying in essence was that how powerful you are O God, how powerful is your right hand. Your right hand of power has shattered those that have been fighting against God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Your right hand has shattered those that have made life miserable for us and filled our lives with heavy burdens and bitter afflictions. Your right hand has shattered all those that planned untimely death for us and our family members. Your right hand has shattered all those that thought we would never leave Egypt; we would never leave this level. This will be your own song in Jesus mighty name, amen.

Apart from Pharaoh, there is another type of enemy that the right hand of God gives us victory over. In Psalm 21:8-9, David said God’s right hand is able to find all enemies whoever they are, wherever they are hiding; the right hand of God is able to find out those enemies who hate you. There are people close to you, people in your family, office, even in the church that hate you that you don’t even know about. You don’t know them and really you don’t need to bother yourself about who they are. Just do the right thing; as much as it lies with you live at peace with all men and God will roll up his sleeves and fight for you. In this year of a new song, the right hand of God will frustrate everything those that hate you want to do to you or say about you to stand in the way of your progress. The people David was talking about here are not people involved in anything satanic or occult, they may not take your name to an evil altar for people to release incantations on you, but they can make simple statements about you that can affect you. For example, an MD mentions to someone in the organisation that I’m really impressed with a staff and thinking of promoting him and the person’s response is ‘that one?’ or ‘Really? I haven’t noticed anything in him worthy of promotion.’ It may sound like nothing, but statements like that which are borne out of hatred, can do a lot of damage. My prayer for you and I is that this year of a new song, any discussion, any meeting, any place where good and favourable decisions will be taken about our welfare, our business, our ministry, or our family members, the right hand of God will keep those that hate us far away from such meetings and discussions.

So what is God’s message to us today? God will surround us and fill our mouth with songs of deliverance, songs of victory this year (Psalm 32:7) because the right hand of God will smash every enemy of our lives and destiny.

2. THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD SWALLOWS UP PROBLEMS (EXODUS 15:12)

When God stretches out His right hand, problems are swallowed up. The Lord stretched out His right hand and Pharaoh and the Egyptians that had been a major problem and thorn in the flesh of the Israelites were swallowed up by the Red Sea. I pray for you this year that the Lord will stretch out His right hand and swallow up the problems in your life.

When someone is in water, like in a river, the water can be at different levels. For example, the water can cover just your ankle, or it can cover your knee, or it can cover your waist. At all of these stages, you aren’t completely covered in water; the water has just covered you partially. In the same vein, a problem can be solved partially or it can be completely solved. When God stretched out His right hand, the Red Sea didn’t cover the Egyptians partially, it covered them completely. For many of us, what we have received are partial solutions to the health, marital, career, financial, or spiritual problems we have. Though the problem is still there, there has been some improvement; it’s not as bad as it used to be. It’s like the blind man in Mark 8:22-24 that Jesus touched. The first time Jesus touched him, the problem with his sight was no longer as bad as it used to be. Before he was completely blind, he couldn’t see anything at all. Now, he could see, but the problem hadn’t been completely solved because he was seeing people like trees walking. Exodus 15:12 tells us that when God stretched out his right hand, the Egyptians weren’t covered partially in water, the water swallowed them up, the problem was completely removed. In this year of a new song God will stretch out His right hand and completely swallow up the problem that is weighing you down. When the right hand of God goes to work, problems are completely not partially solved.

Psalm 89:13 says “You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, and high is Your right hand”. What is that problem, that issue that is too big for God’s right hand to solve? God through His mighty arm and strong hand will give you a complete and permanent solution to that problem in Jesus mighty name, amen.

3. GOD UPHOLDS WITH HIS RIGHT HAND (PSALM 63:8)

If God is not the One holding you, you can fall. If God is not the One holding your home, your marriage, your children, your job, your business, your ministry, they can fall. He is our Defender, our Supporter; we can lean on Him, rest on Him and be assured that even if the earth is removed, the mountains give way, the waters roar and are troubled, we won’t crash; God will keep us standing (Psalm 46:1-7). Anything that is still standing, it is because God is upholding it. It is because He is upholding this nation that our nation hasn’t crashed and broken to pieces. It is because He is upholding your marriage that in spite of all the issues, today you fight about one in-law, tomorrow about money, the next day about food not being sweet enough or hot enough, yet your marriage is still standing. It is because God is upholding your marriage. It is because God is upholding you that in spite of all the trials you have faced in your walk with God; loss of a loved one, being sacked from your place of work, prayers that haven’t be answered, expectations yet to be met, but through it all, you are still standing in faith. Anything God removes His hand from can crash; can fall. May God never remove His hand from your life and anything that concerns you. AMEN!

Peter didn’t understand that unless God upholds you, you can fall. In Matthew 26:33, when Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times, Peter said even if all fall away, even if all stumble, I will never fall, I will never stumble. Did Peter fall or not, did he stumble or not? Yes, he did. At the time Peter was beating his chest that he would never fall, he didn’t understand certain things:

– You can have a close relationship with Jesus and still fall – Peter was one of Jesus closest disciple. Peter belonged to Jesus’ inner circle; Peter, James and John were Jesus’ closest disciples, but that didn’t keep him from falling.

– You can experience the power of God, experience the miraculous and fall (Matthew 14:29). Peter walked on water, he stepped into the supernatural, saw the raw power of God, but that didn’t keep him from falling.

– You can receive deep revelations, have deep spiritual experiences and encounters with God and fall (Matthew 17:1-3). Peter experienced the transfiguration of Christ, but that didn’t keep Him from falling.

– You can make huge, unbelievable sacrifices for God, for the work of the kingdom and still fall. Peter was a man that as soon as Jesus called him, he left everything, he left his fishing; he left his business to follow Christ. At a point because of the sacrifices he had made for God, he even had to ask Jesus we have left all, we have left everything we have to follow you, what shall we have at the end of the day (Matthew 19:27)? Peter was sold out for the work of God, but that didn’t’ keep him from falling.

You can even speak positive words, I will not fall, it’s not my portion like Peter answered Jesus, and still fall (Matthew 26:33). Peter declared with his mouth that it wouldn’t happen, but that didn’t keep him from falling.

You need more than all of this not to fall; you need the right hand of God to uphold you. Anybody can fall whether young or old, pastor or ordinary member, whether at the bottom of the social strata or at the top. David got to the highest level you can be in society; you can be the king, you can be the President and still fall (2 Samuel 11:1-4). No one in the Bible talks as much about the right hand of God like David does, because after his fall, David understood the power in being upheld by the right hand of God (Psalm 37:24 Psalm 118:13). He started relying on God not his strength, not his ability, not his experience, not his position and connections. He prayed to God to uphold him (Psalm 119:116). He understood the need for one to be daily upheld by God’s right hand of power (Psalm 18:35).

You need a strong hand to hold you this year, to hold everything that concerns you so they don’t fall. Even when something has cracks or is totally damaged, God can still hold it in place.

HOW CAN I EXPERIENCE THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD SO I CAN SING A NEW SONG

1. Cry out to God for help – In Deuteronomy 26:6-8, the Israelites were testifying to how God brought them out of Egypt. They said they cried to the Lord for help, God heard their voice and intervened in their lives and situation with His mighty hand. The Israelites cry for help, their cry for justice, their cry for divine intervention, got to the ears of God, touched the heart of God and moved the hands of God. Nothing would have changed, nothing would have happened, if they didn’t cry out, if they didn’t pray. There’s a very strong connection and link between prayer and the right hand of God (Psalm 20:6, Psalm 60:5). A new song is a call to prayer. You need to cry out to sing out. David in Psalm 40:1-3 cried to God for help. He was in a horrible pit, he was in a big mess, but God brought Him out. God’s right hand will bring you out. No pit is too deep, too dark, too hidden for God to find you and bring you out.

In case you are saying to yourself what about all the times I have cried out and nothing has happened, nothing has changed; I’m still heavily in debt, single, without a child, battling with that health challenge. Remember, that it wasn’t the first day David cried out to God that God brought him out of the pit or else he wouldn’t have said I waited patiently for the Lord. David cried out, David prayed until God stepped in, until God stretched out His hand to help him. Don’t be too quick to give up in the place of prayer.

2. Cling to the God you are crying to (Psalm 63:8, Psalm 73:23). Anyone can pray to God, but not everyone clings to the God. Many people want to experience the power of God; the hand of God but they are not ready to cling to God. David said I follow after God. In other words, I cling to God no matter what I am going through, no matter the situation I find myself. Some of us cling tightly to God when we are in need or going through a problem, as soon as that need has been met, that problem has been solved, we detach; we stop clinging. For some others it is the reverse, they cling when things are going well for them; they have just been promoted, got a new car or had a child. As soon as trials of life come, they stop clinging, they detach. Some specialize in clinging on Sundays during church service, once the service is over, they detach; they stop clinging. We need to stay continually with God as the more time we spend with Him, we draw strength and grace from His presence and His Word to turn away from those things that can make Him fold His right hand, withdraw His right hand (Psalm 74:9-11) or keep His right hand away from us (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Clinging to God is simply believing in Jesus Christ, having Him in your life and following after Him. In this dispensation we are in, the only way we can experience God’s right hand of power is through Jesus Christ. Jesus has taken over all the work God did with His right hand in the Old Testament. No wonder David, the man who talks the most about God’s right hand, was privy before the coming of Christ to see the Lord God telling our Lord Jesus to sit at His right hand until He makes His enemies His footstool (Acts 2:24-25). All the activities taking place right now at God’s right hand are centered around Jesus Christ (Acts 5:31, Acts 7:56, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22).

Jesus perfectly carries out the work of God’s right hand. It is through the name of Jesus that every enemy is brought down, shattered and destroyed. At the mention of His name, every power and force of darkness bows (Philippians 2:9-10). Every other power is subject to, conquered and destroyed through Jesus (1 Peter 3:22). It is through Jesus that we come out of any problem. He is the way (John 14:6). He is the way out of poverty, out of failure, out of barrenness, out of sickness. He is the light of the world (John 8:12, John 1:5). His light shines into every dark pit, every dark situation and the darkness; the problem gives way for His light. It is through Jesus that we are upheld and kept from falling (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3). It is on Christ the Solid Rock we stand, we lean and don’t fall. But when we are standing and leaning on anything else and anyone else, we are standing on sinking ground which can give way and we fall or crash.

Don’t just sing songs about Jesus, don’t just pray with the name Jesus, call on Jesus, cling to Jesus and you will be touched by God’s right hand of power.

PHOTO CREDIT: Justin Bautista on Unsplash