DON’T GO BACK
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
~ Galatians 5:1 KJV
Once you have made it out of Egypt (bondage), God will never require you to go back to stay. However, when He knows for sure that you have overcome the shame and hurt it once caused you, He will allow you to return so others can see what He delivered you from, enabling you to help pull them out. The hardest part of leaving Egypt for me was deciding not to go back and reside there. Some may find escaping and not returning easy, but for me, it was the most difficult thing in the world.
Just when I was finally able to enjoy the peace of being away from Pharaoh, and starting to feel a sense of relief, no longer inebriated, feeling worthless, abandoned, taken advantage of, overlooked, abused, rejected, neglected, no more anger, rage, or violence; I would look up and, boom, out of nowhere, there goes Pharaoh. As much as I wanted to stay out, I always ended up right back because Pharaoh would entice me with the very things that kept me under its control, things that pleased my flesh but were contrary to the will of God.
Pharaoh will never physically force you back but will speak enticing words and present irresistible temptations or opportunities that lure you back to that place of bondage; reminding you of how your situation used to be in Egypt. It will try to convince you that what you had or did in Egypt is much greater than your current situation. Its plan is to fix your focus on what is seen rather than what God has said; blinding you to what God is doing. Pharaoh will do whatever it takes and give you your heart's desires in an attempt to draw you back to Egypt and regain control over you. Take it from me, do not be ignorant of its devices; going back and falling victim again will make getting free the next time much more difficult than it was the first time.
Let's be clear, going back is not always physical. The children of Israel rejected God and turned back to Egypt in their hearts through their murmuring and complaining; as well as their refusal to be obedient and their unbelief (Hebrews 3:12). They pushed God aside, put Him on the back burner, and began serving Him halfheartedly. They forgot all that God had done by delivering them from Egypt and they left their first love to worship idols; gods that could not hear, save, deliver, or heal.
So whatever “going back” may mean to you, I encourage you not to entangle yourself again with that yoke of bondage. Look at your situation and examine yourself: is Egypt where you want to spend the rest of your life, going in and out, up and down, around and around repeatedly? Decide TODAY that you are not going back, that you are done with Egypt and want no more ties to Pharaoh, whoever or whatever it may be. You have the strength and the support from me to help you to stay free. DO NOT TAKE THE BAIT!
