God’s United Front!
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.’ So, Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other; his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So, Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation’” (Exodus 17:8-16).
The war at Rephidim is a classic example of how God’s leaders must fight against a lurking enemy “Amalek” who will threaten God’s people in every generation. Moses, Joshua, Joshua’s warriors, Aaron, and Hur present “God’s United Front” to win against their enemy and to celebrate “Jehovah-Nissi – God is My Banner!”
The Spirit of ‘Amalek!’
The word ‘Amalek’ means “Dweller in a Valley!” The spirit of Amalek lurks invisibly in the low levels of the earth, especially in the valley, and is not too visible to people.
Amalek was the grandson of Esau from his son Eliphaz through his concubine Timna (Genesis 36:12). Illegitimacy is attached to the spirit of Amalek.
Amalekites, the descendants of Amalek, dwelt in southern Canaan which God gave the Israelites later as their “Promised Land.”
A cowardly Amalekite army attacked Israel in the rear during their march. Israel was always careful to situate their women and children who needed protection in the rear of their pack during their march. They were attacked when they were tired and weary. God was angry with them, and He never wanted His leaders to forget what Amalek did: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God” (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).
The very fact that God said to Moses that “the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation” (Exodus 17:16) tells us that the “spirit of Amalek’ will confront and contend with every generation to attack those that are weak and vulnerable in times when they least expect it. Any agency that exploits women and children to seduce them, change their nature, traffic them, and leave them unprotected is under the demonic possession of the ‘spirit of Amalek.’ God is against them. Even leaders succumb to this spirit and lose their place in God and effective leadership. King Saul was merciful to the King of Amalekites and lost his leadership position!
How do we contend with such a spirit? How do we overcome Amalek?
Exodus 17:8-16 gives us the answer!
A Strong Leader Recognizes This Spirit!
Moses was a God-called and anointed servant of God. He instructed his general, Joshua, to choose able men and go to war against Amalek. A strong leader knows his weaknesses, especially the weak areas where the enemy can come in to exploit and play havoc. A strong leader chooses to fight this spirit with the help of his strong teammates that he/she can rely upon, just as Moses chose Joshua to fight the battle with able men.
The attack came against Israel at Rephidim (“a place of rest, stay”). A leader is extremely vulnerable when everything is going well with their position and success and pauses between their mountaintops when they encounter the “spirit of Amalek’ lurking in the valley. The weakest and the vulnerable in your team (even you as a leader) will be attacked without warning and at a time when you least expect it. A leader like Moses who was on God’s journey did not miss it, and so must we, when we journey in and with God.
Moses Separated Himself to Climb the Hill!
“Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand!”
Moses did not stand on the same grounds where the enemy was, he climbed atop the hill not only for a better vantage point but to separate himself as the authority of God! The leaders close to him also joined him to separate themselves from the plains of the battlefield.
This tells us of a “Holy Separation” from the world to fight our battles. Many believers, even leaders, have their dependence on the world more than on God. They have not separated themselves from the world and the affections of the world. That is why many have failed to overcome the ‘spirit of Amalek.’ We cannot fight the flesh by feeding the flesh, but flesh needs to be crucified on the altars by our separation to God.
God’s Word through Apostle Paul: “‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty” (II Corinthians 6:17-18). The people, especially the leaders of God must draw the line between clean and the unclean and separate themselves to a “higher ground” of God with like-minded people and leaders to overcome the enemy as “God’s United Front!”
A Team of Unity!
“So, Joshua did as Moses said, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed.”
Moses, Joshua, Aaron, and Hur belonged to the Elder Board. Moses was the leader; Joshua was his servant to shadow him to the mountains when God summoned him (Exodus 24:13); Aaron and Hur were left in charge of leadership to investigate matters of the people while Moses and Joshua were away (Exodus 24:14). Aaron was Moses’ brother and spokesman and the high priest; Hur was Miriam’s husband and the grandfather of the anointed Bezaleel (Exodus 31:2-5). Neither dissension nor power struggle was between them as they stood united to fight the battle.
It is important that a family, business, or church, stand united as the leadership recognizes and responds to the enemy's attacks even at times of rest, respite, and their journey to improved things.
United in Prayer and Dependence on God!
“And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other; his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”
Moses instructed Joshua and his men to fight the battle, but Moses did not depend on human strength but on God. He climbed the hill, had the “Rod of God” in his hands, and lifted it to God in prayer. As he did, Israel prevailed in the battle. When his hands were tired and weary, his supporting cast, Aaron and Hur, rolled a stone for Moses to sit on and held his hands on either side. God is our help when we seek Him: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2). Jesus gave us the promise of an answer to prayer when two or three agreed: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:18-20). God’s United Front is accomplished by two or three like-minded believers separating themselves to God and joining in prayer.
Please understand:
· Moses was called and anointed!
· Moses was chosen to lead the people into the Promised Land!
· Moses had the seal of God, the “Rod of God” in his hand!
· Moses climbed up the hill and separated himself over and above his enemy!
· Moses leaned on God by lifting his rod toward heaven!
· Moses had to do it all day until the battle was over!
· Moses needed his prayer partners Aaron and Hur to join him in one accord and one mind!
· All three lifted the “Rod of God” toward heaven and leaned on God!
· They did it all day until the sun went down!
· The more the believer receives strength from God in persistent prayer the more the enemy loses his strength to continue the battle against the believer!
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).
God’s United Front Enjoys Victory!
“So, Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword!”
“And Moses built an altar and called its name, The Lord-Is-My-Banner!”
Here were the steps for the victory over Amalek:
· Moses recognized the attack!
· Moses put Joshua in charge of defending the nation!
· Joshua chose able men for war!
· Moses climbed up the hill – Moses rose above the enemy’s playing field to monitor his moves!
· Moses lifted his hands with the ‘Rod of God’ to remind God that he was operating in God’s authority and not on his own to defend his nation!
· Moses trusted and relied on God!
· Moses’ friends, Aaron and Hur, stood with him and helped him with his hands lifted to heaven!
· This lasted a whole day, as Joshua and his men fought the battle and Moses and his friends kept lifting the hands of Moses!
· The victory came in the evening!
· Moses’ altar, “Jehovah-Nissi” was in recognition and acknowledgment of the victory that came from God!
The enemy’s power is diminished and on the run against a team of God’s army united without dissension, wrong focuses, or division.
God’s Reminder to Moses and All Generations!
“Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation!”
Amalek is a type of the ‘flesh!’
He is the dweller in a valley!
He attacks the weakest and the defenseless among the people!
He attacks people of every generation!
Flesh can only be overcome by presenting ourselves as the “living sacrifice” at the altar of God.
Here is the way of victory over Amalek by God’s people:
1) God’s people must never stop their journey with God.
2) This means that we must be aware of who we are in God what we are called to do and where God is leading us.
3) We must be vigilant as a family, team, church, community, and nation.
4) We must recognize the spirit that exploits children, women, and all that God called precious for us to defend, protect, and lead.
5) We must separate ourselves from corruption, lust, perversion, and unholy alliances.
6) Instead, we must surround ourselves with able and strong ones, faithful and obedient to God and His Word, and diligent in prayer.
7) We should be united and in harmony in God’s camp to present “God’s United Front” to the enemy.
8) Victory may take time, but we must stay on the course until the enemy is exposed and defeated.
9) God’s united front brings victory from the Lord.
10) “Jehovah-Nissi – The Lord is My Banner; He is My Victor!”
Prayer
“Heavenly Father, I love You, adore You, and bow down before You. You are the Source of my well-being, and all that I am is because of You. I thank You, Lord, for the gift of salvation, and Your power of transformation by the blood of the Lamb. I am on my journey in You for the purpose You have called me to and transformed me. Thank You, Lord, for leading me and my family to Your destination, and to finish my race in You. I present my body as a living sacrifice on Your altars for Your pleasing service and to do Your perfect will in my life. I thank You, Lord, for trusting me with Your gifts and responsibility to protect all You have placed in my hands. By Your grace, I will stand to overcome the flesh and the enemy’s attacks against me. Restore my family, O Lord, and my church, my community, and my nation. I am Yours, and Yours, O Lord. In the Most Precious and Wonderful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen! Amen!”
___________________________________________________________________________________
John Jeyaseelan
Global Prayer Center | prayer | 701 Bill France Boulevard, Daytona Beach, FL, USA
Comments