My Sermon Notes – Sunday night service May 7, 2017

South Gastonia Church of God – Many thanks to my Pastor, Dr. Bobby L. Gilley!

We need a support group.  That’s why God gave us the church!

Exodus 17:9-12

⁹ So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” ¹⁰ Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹ So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. ¹² But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then 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 one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set.

We are to praise God for who He is.  Being a child of God surely rewards us many benefits, but when our hearts are truly submitted to Him and we walk in His image, praising Him is what we do because we love Him.  Hands up! Praise God!  Continually praising and thanking Him for everything we have.  When Moses’ hands were up – there was VICTORY – and when our hands are down – there is LOSS.   Lives today are filled with spiritual warfare.  We will have roller coaster days.  We will have many challenges, we will begin to feel like Job.  But no matter the roller coaster we’re on, we should just PRAISE GOD.  You see God is faithful!  And keeping our faith in Him, we will be victorious, we will rise against our problems and our challenges will turn into opportunities to praise Him!

In verse 9 of our Scripture, Moses told Joshua (the spiritual leader and the army leader – we need both) to go down to Rephidum and fight against Amalek. The name Rephidum means “bed or place of rest”.  The Amalekites were enemies of the Israelites and were the “first of the nations” to make war against Israel (Numbers 24:20).  At the time of attack, the Israelites were thirsty, worn out and weary from their journey through the wilderness.   You see, the Amalekites had no fear of God and an unrelenting brutality towards God’s people.  It was said they were plunderers and harassers, dwellers of the valley, cavemen and war-like.

Our enemy today is the same!  Satan wants us down and out in the valley, overwhelmed, beat down and thirsty.   As mentioned above, Rephidum was a “place of rest”.   Here God miraculously provided water from a rock for the Israelites.  And even though they were complaining about this journey in the desert,  I believe the people were feeling a bit over confident.  After all, they had made it through the Red Sea unharmed and had been provided manna for food.   Yes, God tells us to rest physically but never spiritually because the devil will strike us when we’re “at rest”.  We’ll be caught off guard and won’t see his subtle attack on our life.  He wants to plunder and harass us at every turn and yes, he like the Amalekites is unrelenting against God’s people.  We cannot become lackadaisical!  Just about the time we think everything is all set and we’re confidently moving forward, Satan will attack!

In verse 9 we see that Moses didn’t stay in the valley.  He said, “I’m going up on the mountain”.  Here we can see a future glimpse of Calvary!  As we seek God, looking to the power of God through the work of Jesus on the cross, we as followers of Christ, should remember His work with our “hands up” in praise and prayer,  surrendering our lives to Him and allowing our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us!  That is exactly what Aaron and Hur did for Moses during the battle!  In verse 11 Aaron and Hur saw that when Moses’ hands were up, the Israelites were winning the battle, and when his hands fell,  Amalek started winning.  The verse then goes on to say Aaron and Hur found a stone and set Moses upon it, they positioned themselves on either side of him and held his “hands up”!

Psalm 5:11-12

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Jesus is the rock and our brothers and sisters are our help!  We need to keep our “hands up”, praising God” and when needed, use our church support group!  Just praise the Lord and praise Him continuously.  There is a battle going on in each of our lives.   We can praise God for WHO He is, what He’s already done, what He’s doing right now and what He’s going to do!  Heaven is awaiting!

• Joshua and the army were physically fighting.  We too must do the same thing every morning, putting on the whole armor of God.
• Moses’ burden was heavy for his people.  We also carry burdens for our family and church family.  We will need to help and be helped along this journey.  But with our hands up, praising God, we can know and trust our battles to be VICTORIOUS in the name of Jesus!