RESPONDING TO RESPONSIBILITY

Exodus chapter 3







Today we are walking in: Responding To Responsibility




Joshua 23:5



And the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised H1697 unto you.











PROMISE








Today we look to the word PROMISE-- H1697 -- dâbâr-- ; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; a cause:—act, advice, answer, chronicles, commandment, communication, decree, deed, power, promise, provision, purpose, as hast said, sake,











The Torah testifies...............



Exodus 12:25



And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised H1697, that ye shall keep this service.





Numbers 14:34



After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise H1697.



Deuteronomy 15:6



For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised H1697 thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.














The prophets proclaim..................



Joshua 22:4



And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised H1697 them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan.



2 Samuel 7:28



And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised H1697 this goodness unto thy servant:



Jeremiah 32:42



For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised H1697 them.















The writings bear witness...........................



1 Kings 8:20



And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised H1697, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.





1 Chronicles 17:26



And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised H1697 this goodness unto thy servant:





2 Chronicles 21:7



Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised H1697 to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.




Responding to Responsibility

A word to Third World nations-

There is no greater burden than freedom, no heavier load than liberty.




The desire and passion for freedom is inherent in the human spirit. Every member of the human family carries the silent cry of freedom in the secret chambers of the heart. Regardless of the ethnic, cultural, social or political context of the individual, the need to feel valued,important and significant is paramount in the human experience. This truth is evident in the almost natural phenomena of civil struggles and uprisings in former colonial territories throughout the world in the past century.




The era of imperial expansion was the result of the age of discovery, which motivated small European nations to expand their political, economic and military status through world exploration expeditions. This aggressive need for imperial supremacy resulted in the invasion, subjugation, mutilation- and, in some cases, annihilation, oppression and enslavement- of millions of people throughout the world. This era, known as the colonial era, was a period when many of these cultures and peoples were dispossessed, relocated, traded and placed under the domination of imperial powers.




Colonialism is the imposition and colonizing of territories by an imperial power, usually through force and subversion.




Most of this inhumane activity took place under the sophisticated, political systems and monarchies ofEurope. The principal nations leading this period of history were Great Britain, Portugal, France and Spain.




The process of colonialism involved the capturing of territories and the claim of sovereignty and the imposition of authority over these captured territories. It brought the subjugation of natives, the establishment of foreign domination and the control of all resources and development. In many cases the resources were taken from the territories and exported back to the mother country or imperial power. In order to maintain control of these territories, the need for wealth, resources and manpower to defend and secure them became a primary objective of these imperial powers.




Consequently, the development of economically viable trade activity in nearly all these territories was inevitable.This context became the foundation of the slave trade. Trading in human slaves is not new. It can be traced back to the biblical days of the Pharaohs. It continued to show its inhumane head throughout the civilizations of the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Europeans. Western expansion of European imperialism introduced slavery to our hemisphere and exported the spirit of slavery throughout the world. Trading in human slaves became the most lucrative form of economic wealth for millions-and the damnation of the lives of even more multiplied millions .




The nature of the slave trade, on the one hand, was the displacement of people to areas and territories to work as human chattel for the benefit of imperial aspiration and greed. In other territories, imperial powers moved in and took over the territories, subjecting the native population to forced labor and slavery. In both cases, the result was the disenfranchisement of human potential and the suppression, oppression and dehumanizing of millions of people.




These individuals were stripped of their dignity, self worth, self-esteem, self-respect and sense of value. In extreme cases, they were even stripped of their humanity.Calculated, premeditated systems of control, desensitization and total emasculation caused emotional and mental damage that still exists today.




The products of these imperialist programs are identified today as Third World developing and undeveloped countries. It is just during the last seven decades that these former colonial territories, after many years of struggle, have obtained the opportunity to pursue their own destiny as a people and nations. Why are they called Third World? And what are the characteristics of a Third World nation?




The Emerging Third World




The concept of Third World was introduced during a meeting of the G-5 nations (France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) many years ago when they met to discuss the future development of the global economy. It is said that it was a French economist at that time who, in an attempt to describe the different categories of economic situations, suggested that there werethree worlds on the planet.




The first world is known as the old world of Europe, which had been built on the agricultural society and governed by the systems of feudal lords and local kings. The second world is known as the New World, which described the discovery and settlement throughout the Americas, both North and South. This era was also known as the Industrial Revolution, which laid the foundation for our modern mechanical and technical societies. The final world, known as the Third World, describes the billions of people in territories that became the victims of oppression through subjugation and slavery.




The general definition of Third World nations refers to people who were not allowed to participate or benefit from the Industrial Revolution, despite the fact that the sweat and blood of these people became the human slab on which the foundation of the Industrial Revolution was laid.




This oppression is seen throughout every territory where colonialism or slavery was allowed to flourish. Today there are over six billion people on Planet Earth, and over four billion of them live in nations categorized as Third World. Many of these newly formed countries have been raped oftheir natural resources and wealth and are left without the tools, skills and machinery necessary to compete in this highly industrialized and technically driven world of the twentyfirst century. Note that the definition of Third World covers the majority of the human population-a significant fact because it means these nations are now the object of Yah's attention. Therefore, they must understand their purpose in this new era.




These nations are the last worlds to experience the true freedom the Creator intended for all men. However, the process of achieving this quality of freedom has been, for most of these nations, an exercise in frustration, disillusionment and confusion at best.




A brief review of the young history of these embryonic nations and developing countries will reveal the drama of political instability, economic disaster, social turmoil, cultural confusion and spiritual conflict. Many Third World nations and people seem to suffer from the same symptoms-identity crisis, work ethic deficiency and lack of purpose, vision and self-confidence.




The continent of Africa testifies of the struggle of Third World developing nations to find their place in the global scheme of economic opportunity, political progress, social advancement and cultural identity. The Caribbean nations are no different, as many of these colorful nations emerging from the smoke of the fires of slavery consist of the products of Africa, Asia and the Far East. South American nations like Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela, and the nations of the former Soviet bloc, are also suffering from the same scars of oppression. The question is, Why has the struggle for freedom and progress in all of these formerly oppressed colonized nations ended in the present cloud of despair? Why did it seem so easy for these nations to obtain deliverance from imperial colonial oppression and to achieve political independence, but not to experience the freedom they anticipated? The answer lies in the very nature of freedom and oppression.




This answer is the same for the individual and for the nation. The principles that guarantee true freedom were established by Yah the Creator. They can be observed through the prototype of the formation of the nation of Israel from a band of slaves in Egypt to a nation of significance, wealth, prosperity, stability, culture and moral strength. The laws and precepts by which this national miracle was accomplished are available to all nations, communities and individuals to follow if they desire to experience true freedom. Let us take a look at this model for nationalfreedom and apply its principles to our lives and nation.




The Principle And Power Of Oppression




In the biblical record of the memoirs of the great deliverer Moses, the story of oppression begins with the death of Joseph, prince of Egypt, at the age of one hundred ten. Joseph, a Hebrew by birth, was adopted by the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt and was regarded as a son of the king. The second book of the Bible, which Moses wrote,details the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The drama opens with the rising of a new king who did not know the generation of Joseph. He reduced the entire population of Hebrews to slaves, placing slave masters over them.




Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country." So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.... They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly.

-EXODUS 1:8-11, 14




These statements remind us that oppression is not a new phenomenon. It has been a practice of human rulership since the disobedience of man in the Genesis account. The Israelites remained in Egypt for over four hundred years, most of which were under the debilitating scourge of oppressive slavery.




Oppression can be defined as the imposition of external domination on another person to the point of controlling their physical, mental and spiritual aspirations. Oppression is the cancellation of self-determination and the suffocation of personal potential. The human spirit was created to dominate. This purpose was established by Yah in the creation of mankind.




Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth.

-GENESIS 1:26




Any attempt to dominate, control, suppress, restrict and oppress the human spirit will ultimately fail. The natural desire to be liberated will always win over oppression because of this natural spirit of dominion.




As is the case in every situation of oppression, the cry for freedom rose up like smoke from the fiery pain of the broken Israelite spirit. The Creator, Yah, the Lord of heaven and earth, heard their cry and answered:




I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.... So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.

-Exodus 3:7-8, 10




As we study the adventure and process of this great act of deliverance, there is a pattern that reveals definite principles established by Yah in the process of freedom that are consistent throughout the biblical text for personal, community and national liberation. Let us now look at these principles and apply them to our lives and national context.




Understanding The Nature Of Oppression




The goal of oppression is to achieve complete control and domination over the human spirit. Oppression attempts to destroy the desire for self-determination. This is done by a process of mental conditioning known as "breaking the spirit." This is called the possessing of the soul. The soul consists of the mind, the will and the emotions. This process usually begins with the restriction of physical freedom, movement and exposure to the environment. The objective is to control the physical environment so as to influence the mental, emotional and spiritual state of the individual. This process also includes control of access to resources and information.




This is why historically, in every case of national communal oppression, the oppressor's grip on access to education and travel became imperative. The principle is that echoed by King Solomon, who stated in his proverb, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7, KJV). Please note the use of the word heart, which refers to the subconscious mind or the seat of reasoning. To control a man, a community or a nation, one must control the information content that enters the subconscious mind. In essence, the ultimate goal and objective of oppression is to dictate and control the subconscious mind.




This principle is the source of spiritual oppression. In the biblical record of the first temptation in Genesis 3, the tempter first planted the idea of not being like Yah in the "heart"-or mind-of Eve. Then he introduced the thought of becoming like Yah through disobedience. This is always the method of destruction of the human spirit. It is the reason why Paul, the great apostle of the early church, declared,"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of Yah, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Hamachiach " (2 Cor. 10:5).




Yahusha Hamachiach , in His discourse with His disciples, further stated: "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man" (Matt. 15:18, KJv). He continued, "For out of the heart proceed. . .the things which defile a man" (vv. 19-20, KJV). The biblical imperative to "repent" underscores the place and power of the soul (mind, will and emotion). The word repent literally means "to change one's mind or way of thinking." Nothing changes until the subconscious mind changes. Therefore, oppression is effective and complete when the soul surrenders. This process is the breaking of the spirit of the mind.




One of the greatest impacts of imperialist and colonial oppression on the billions of people in developing Third World countries is the mental damage caused by the oppressive philosophies of the oppressor. Even though oppression begins as an external experience, the ultimate effect is the resulting mental and psychological bondage.




THE EFFECTS OF OPPRESSION




A careful study of the effects of oppression will reveal that it has an impact both on the oppressed and on the oppressor. Oppression begins with the destruction of an individual's self worth and sense of self. It dismantles one's concept of self and value, and creates a lowered estimation of one's humanness. Oppression brings a dissolution of a sense of purpose and meaning to life, reinforced by a spirit of hopelessness and despair. Self-doubt and depression become commonplace among the oppressed, resulting in an immobilizing form of self-hatred, an inferiority complex, fear and the veneration of the oppressor.




The effects are further compounded by the environment of forced labor, which creates negative attitudes toward work, personal initiative, self-motivation and a sense ofpersonal pride and accomplishment in work. The atmosphere surrounding oppressor-controlled lifestyles, schedules and activities destroys the spirit of creativity, constructive thinking, long-range planning and hope for a future for oneself or family.




The toll on the social structure of the family is perhaps the greatest negative impact on the oppressed. In many cases, individuals are separated from their original family community, which destroys the sense of heritage, history, belonging and significance to a human community. Many formerly oppressed people are still suffering after many decades from the aftereffects of this component of an oppressive system. In many communities, the family structure has been destroyed, and the very concept of an ideal family is nonexistent. In the Caribbean, Africa and South America, this is the source of many social problems today.




The conditions of the oppressed children in Egypt, the separation of Moses from his parents and his subsequent adoption by the daughter of Pharaoh all give evidence of the impact oppression can have on the nuclear family structure. The psychological disorientation resulting from the disruption of the family unit through enslavement and oppression reduces the social and cultural fabric necessary for healthy assimilation into the larger community.




Oppression also forces the disruption of the patriarchal role of providing for the family. This causes a sense of inadequacy, shame and a dysfunctional leadership role among the males within the framework of the family unit. In many cases, the traditional role of the male factor to provide and protect his family is destroyed, producing a spirit of failure, depression, frustration and despair. This leads to suppressed anger and bitterness, which manifests itself in many violent ways, including harmful antisocial behavior, dysfunctional family relationships and domestic abuse.




Oppression produces a deep spirit of dependency and lack of self-confidence. Oppression can become a habit, a lifestyle and a way of living. In fact, oppression can become a norm among the oppressed, so much so that any attempt to thwart the condition of oppression may be seen as a threat to security. This is a paradox, but history has ample evidence of this cruel reality.




In the case of the children of Israel, when Moses went to speak to them of the possibility of deliverance, it took a long period of convincing just to get them to concur.




When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hands to kill us."

-EXODUS 5:20-21




Moses complained to the Lord about their complaints, saying:




If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?

-EXODUS 6:12




Oppression can become such a stronghold in the mind and life of the oppressed that they have to be persuaded toward the prospect of freedom.




There are no stronger words expressed to show the tremendous grip that oppression can have on the human spirit than those spoken by the Israelites even after theywere delivered from Egypt.




They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, `Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"

-EXODUS 14:10-12




It is ironic that after years of crying out for freedom, when the opportunity for freedom did arrive, they desired slavery and oppression over the prospect of freedom.




The final effect of oppression on the oppressed is the spirit of immediate gratification at all cost. The oppressed see material things as a symbol of power, freedom and equality. This comes from having your life controlled and dictated to by the oppressor. It happens when restrictions and limitations are put on the obtaining of material things. It is the result of the prospect of having no future other than that designed by the oppressor. In essence, the standards and lifestyle of the oppressor become the measure of freedom and personal value of the oppressed. As a result, the oppressed begin to see the obtaining of the same status symbols of the oppressor as the ultimate pursuit in their desire to achieve personal freedom.




The result of these effects is that whenever the oppressed are given an opportunity to pursue their desire to be free,the passion for material possessions preoccupies their lives. This pursuit for materialism becomes an overriding force, causing them to sacrifice long-term permanent progressive planning for immediate temporary satisfaction with fading symbols. In many developing countries this is a majorsource of antisocial behavior and crime. Individuals pursue the symbols of status- at the expense of protection and respect for one another. This is a sign of oppressed minds.




The Effect Of Oppression On The Oppressor




Many who have been victims of oppression harbor deep bitterness, hatred, suspicion and antagonism against the former oppressor and the symbols of oppression. But oppression does not affect only the oppressed. It is important to note that the oppressor is also oppressed-and the source of his oppression is the perceptions, attitudes and concepts he has developed toward the oppressed. Many oppressors have been affected by an insidious form of brainwashing, which has produced a mental disease that makes it nearly impossible for the oppressor to renew his mind with regard to the value, worth and equality of the formerly oppressed. This form of oppression-revealing itself as the sense of superiority-must be dealt with just as the oppressed need to be delivered from the spirit and mental conditioning of an inferiority complex.




After generations of an advantaged position, the oppressor also suffers from a false sense of security, and sees his lifestyle threatened by the prospect of equality with the formerly oppressed. In essence, the oppressor derives his sense of superiority from the maintenance of the inferiority of the oppressed. Equality of value, worth and estimation would cancel the gulf between the oppressor and the oppressed. I have had occasion to speak to many children of the oppressor. They express their frustration, confusion and anger over the fact that although they truly desire to accept and appreciate the equality of the oppressed, they find that doing so is almost an impossible task for them. Therefore, both the oppressed and the oppressor need deliverance before true freedom can be embraced and experienced by both.




In all of the formerly oppressed nations of the Third World and developing countries, the above effects of oppression can be found in different degrees-some on a conscious level and others on a subconscious level. The spirit oftimidity, fear, distrust and immediate gratification prevail.




Understanding The Process To Freedom




In Third World nations, the march to freedom has been a long one, and many are still frustrated and disappointed about the illusive nature of true freedom. A brief study of the process established by Yah for the freedom of the children of Israel will reveal the fact that freedom is not as simple as first thought. Let us take a brief look at the principles of the biblical model for freedom.




1. Yah always promises you freedom while you are enslaved and oppressed.




2. Yah always raises up a deliverer to bring the people out of physical oppression. The deliverer must never be confused with a freedom fighter. In most cases, the deliverer is never the same as the freedom fighter (as in the examples of Moses and Joshua).




3. Yah never takes oppressed people directly to freedom: "So Yah led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea" (Exod. 13:18).




4. Yah always leads the people into a stage of deliverance. This is called the Sinai stage, or the desert phase.



5. Yah always provides miraculously in the deliver ance phase. This is always a period of wealth and provisions: "The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians" (Exod. 12:36).




6. The purpose for the deliverance phase is to provide for the mental training and attitude transformation of the oppressed. The desert is the classroom for the graduation to freedom.




7. Yah will never take a people to the land of freedom until He has taken the land and the lifestyle of Egypt from their minds. (All the people who left Egypt died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb.)




8. Yah is willing to wait for the right generation to go to the land of true freedom. (He took the children of the former slaves into the Promised Land.)




9. Yah always raises up a new leader to take the people to freedom.




10. When the people arrive in the land of true freedom, the miraculous stops, and work and responsibility begin. Freedom demands responsibility: "The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land:unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan" (Josh. 5:11-12).




11. In freedom you must grow your own food, sew your own clothes and plant your own food.




12. In freedom you must fight your own battles (as in the example of Jericho being taken by Joshua and the Israelites).




Modern Day Parables




In light of these principles, we can analyze the process of this journey to freedom for many nations and communities in our modern context. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr. was a deliverer for the Blacks in America, but true freedom is yet to be realized. Nelson Mandela was a deliverer for the victims of apartheid, but the leader who will take them to true freedom will be another. It is important to note that Mr. Mandela understood and was willing to step down after his role was completed. Gandhi was the deliverer for the Indians from the colonial oppression of Great Britain, yet he was not the one to lead them into true freedom. The list goes on for many developing nations in the Caribbean and on the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe.




Each one of these principles is necessary for individual personal freedom, community freedom and national freedom.




All of these principles apply to the journey to spiritual freedom from sin through salvation to spiritual maturity.




What Is True Freedom




There is truly no greater burden than freedom, no heavier load than liberty. The security of slavery and oppression is the absence of responsibility. The comfort of oppression is the absence of self-determination. The attraction of subjugation is the privilege of blame. In essence, slavery and oppression are attractive to the oppressed-they make the oppressor responsible for the lives and conditions of the oppressed. More men are afraid of freedom than they are of slavery and oppression. For many, the cry of freedom ends in the murmur of regret.




So what do we mean when we say we want to be free? What is true freedom? For many, freedom has been perceived as the absence of laws and restrictions and work and obligation. It is thought to be retirement from responsibility, the right to do as one pleases and release from external controls. All of these concepts of freedom are erroneous, but they are dangerously embraced by a great segment of ournations. However, true freedom is more costly and demanding than any form of slavery or oppression.




True freedom imposes more laws... demands more work ... and requires more responsibility than slavery. Freedom demands that you do the right thing; true freedomimposes the need for more control than slavery.



The word freedom is derived from the mandate given by Yah to Adam to dominate and manage the earth. In essence Adam was commanded to be free to dominate the planet for Yah's glory. Thus we derive the word free-dominate, or freedom. True freedom is the right and opportunity to dominate the earth through the inherent gift one received from the Creator.




Freedom is not the domination of another human being, but of the earth. Freedom is essential to all moral responsibility, and moral responsibility is one of the institutions of the human mind. However, freedom demands and could be defined as responsibility. There is no freedom without responsibility. Freedom is the delegated right and release of authority to be responsible for governing and managing your designated sphere of influence through your natural gift in the fulfillment of Yah's purpose for your life.




True freedom, therefore, makes you responsible and accountable to Yah. Freedom is Yah's delegated right for every man to dominate and govern and rule the earth, thus freedom is always within the law of delegation. There is no freedom without law. Freedom is not the absence of work or the cancellation of responsibility, but rather is the release to work and the assignment of responsibility. Responsibility is the greatest mark of maturity, both spiritually and mentally. Deliverance is instantaneous, but freedom is a process. We must always remember that deliverance may not necessarily lead to freedom. Deliverance is not the same as freedom. Deliverance is release from the oppressor, but freedom is deliverance from oppression. In essence, it is possible to be delivered and not to be free.




Freedom cannot be legislated. It is the result of revelation knowledge of one's true self and value. Remember that the power of the oppressor is the maintenance of ignorance. Yahusha Hamachiach , when speaking of true freedom in John 8, said these words: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free ... if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:32, 36).




These words clearly imply that freedom is more a matter of knowledge and understanding than of physical release from bondage. The apostle Paul said that a man can only be transformed by having his mind renewed (Rom. 12:2). The delivered must be trained for freedom. Most Christians are delivered spirits with oppressed minds. Sudden freedom can overwhelm a slave and drive him back into slavery. Freedom must not be confused with independence. Thegreat king Solomon wrote some words that are filled with wisdom for our nations and our personal lives in Ecclesiastes 10:5-18. A portion of his words says, "Woe to you, 0 land whose king was a servant" (v. 16).




The implication is that when a formerly oppressed person is suddenly given power and authority, the prospects for good leadership are dim. Many of our developing nations are suffering from this principle, which denotes that wearing a crown does not change your mind. A delivered body does not guarantee a free mind. The only road to true freedom is self- discovery in Yah the Creator, and the prescribed way to Father Yah is through His Son, Yahusha Hamachiach . Only the manufacturer knows the truth about the product, therefore, the only One who knows the truth about you is Yah Himself. Freedom is discovering and embracing your true self and becoming all you were born to be. After return to the Father, transformation through the Son is admonished, and you must surrender to the work of Yah's Holy Spirit. Through the written Word, He will begin the process of renewing your mind so that you can learn the truth about yourself and your fellow men.




Only the truth can truly make you free.




RESPONDING TO RESPONSIBILITY




1. Oppression is the cancellation of self-determination and the suffocation of personal potential.




2. The goal of oppression is to achieve complete control and domination over the human spirit.




3. To control a man, a community or a nation, one must control the information content that enters the subconscious mind.




4. Nothing changes until the subconscious mind changes.




5. Oppression begins with the destruction of an individual's self worth and sense of self.




6. Oppression brings dissolution of a sense of purpose and meaning to life, reinforced by a spirit of hopelessness and despair.




7. Oppression produces a deep spirit of dependency and lack of self-confidence.




8. Both the oppressed and the oppressor need deliverance before true freedom can be embraced and experienced by both.




9. True freedom imposes more laws ... demands more work... and requires more responsibility than slavery.




10. Freedom is the delegated right and release of authority to be responsible for governing and managing your designated sphere of influence through your natural gift in the fulfillment of Yah's purpose for your life.

Exodus 3




Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of Yah, even to Horeb.




2 And the angel of the Most High appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.




3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.




4 And when the Most High saw that he turned aside to see, Yah called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.




5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.




6 Moreover he said, I am the Yah of thy father, the Yah of Abraham, the Yah of Isaac, and the Yah of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon Yah.




7 And the Most High said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;




8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.




9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.




10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.




11 And Moses said unto Yah, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?




12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve Yah upon this mountain.




13 And Moses said unto Yah, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The Yah of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?




14 And Yah said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.




15 And Yah said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the Most High Yah of your fathers, the Yah of Abraham, the Yah of Isaac, and the Yah of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.




16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Most High Yah of your fathers, the Yah of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:




17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.




18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Most High Yah of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Most High our Yah.




19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.




20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.




21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.




22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.