Who Craves Your Spirit? Part 3of5, Pastor Phil Sessa

Numbers 11:17, “And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.” NIV

What comes to mind when you hear the word burden? Perhaps your job, your family situation, a medical condition, recent news, responsibilities, etc…. Moses found himself with a heavy burden upon him as the children of Israel were crying and complaining that they had no meat to eat. Now they did have fresh manna each morning, but they were chocking on their blessing with their attitude. Here is what Moses said to God vs. 11-15, “He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

Despite the fact that Moses felt that the burden was too heavy for him, God did not tell Moses that He will remove the burden from Moses’ shoulders. Instead God was going to share the burden and take some of the weight of the burden off Moses shoulders. God summons Moses and, vs. 16 “The LORD said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone”

God knew that Moses had the right spirit for the task at hand, but that Moses’ spirit needed to be upon others if Moses was going to last in the long hall and not burn out. Moses wanted the Lord to actually take his life – he wanted to die! The spirit that was upon Moses was the Spirit of God fleshed out in the life of Moses. By God’s Spirit Moses applied his faith and defied the Pharaoh, called down plagues, opened the Red Sea and went through it on dry ground. This was the spirit that God would place upon others to preserve His servant Moses. Elijah’s spirit rested upon Elisha, and now Moses’ spirit would rest upon the seventy. Just as the proof of Elisha had Elijah’s spirit upon him shown in the parting of the Jordan, Moses spirit upon the seventy would be manifested in their prophesying.

God saw fit to take Moses’ spirit and place it upon others to accomplish His work. Would God take your spirit and place it upon others? What kind of spirit do you have? Perhaps you’ve not defied a Pharaoh, or parted a sea, but there are some things perhaps that you have done by the hand of God that have been amazing. This whole thing as well is the process of discipleship, one’s spirit being imparted by the Lord upon another. Allow God to work on your spirit that he may place it upon others.

Until the nets are filled…Blessings, Pastor Phil <><