HOW TO FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE

HOW TO FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE

FOR YOUR LIFE’S BLESSINGS

WE ARE BLESSED WITH ALL BLESSINGS

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. “ (Eph. 1:3)

WE ARE BLESSED WITH ALL BLESSINGS

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with all sorts of blessings in the heavenly realms. “ (Eph. 1:3)

HOW TO REACH OUT TO THEM?

ALL HAVE PROBLEMS

OR BIG CHALLENGES

THERE ARE WORLDLY AND FLESHLY WAYS TO FIGHT FOR YOUR BLESSINGS

THERE IS GOD’S WAY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR BLESSINGS

Learning withMOSES

ISRAEL’S BIG FIGHT- Exodus 17 8 “The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at

Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. “

Exodus 17

• 14Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

THE ENEMY’S ATTACK • 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites

at Rephidim.

• The Israelites were advancing towards the Promised Land (17:1)

• They had just had an awesome experience with God when He provided water from the rock to the entire people (17:6)

• Then the Amalekites came and attacked them.

WHO WERE THE AMALEKITES?

•Amalek was the grandson of Esau, the patriarch Jacob's twin brother. He was the son of Eliphaz and his concubine, Timna (Gen.36:12). •The Amalekites are shown in the Scriptures by two villainous characteristics: cruelty and cowardice. In every story in which the Amalekites participate, there is extraordinarily evil cruel acts, but at the same time committing those acts in an unashamedly cowardly manner.•They were warriors, but they were not noble warriors. They never fought a fair fight.

WHO WERE THE AMALEKITES?

•17” Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. 19 When the LORD your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!” (Deut. 25:17-19)

THEIR CRUELTY AGAINST ISRAEL

ENMITY AGAINST ISRAEL

The Amalekites were never friends of Israel. •In Numbers, they violently opposed Israel's entrance into Canaan. •In Judges, they are mentioned several times as Israel's tormentors. If there was a positive quality to their lives, it was consistency. •They were never anything but cruel and cowardly people, were always at odds with Israel, and were never shown mercy from God. •In the Bible when they are mentioned we know that they will abuse some innocent, helpless victim and that, in the end, God will destroy them.

GOD’S FURY AGAINST THE AMALEKITES

•In Exodus 17:8-16, we are told that the Amalekites "came and fought with Israel", and that the Lord was so furious with the Amalekites that He swore to "have war with Amalek from generation to generation.“•In the dim light of the few facts presented in these nine verses from Exodus, God's particularly intense indignation against the Amalekites for their assault on Israel seems puzzling in its severity, especially when we consider His merciful nature.

THE ISRAEL’S ARMY RESPONSE • "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the

Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.

• Joshua chose the soldiers and went to fight the Amalekites.

• Moses went to the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hands

• Aaron and Hur went with Moses to the hill

THE SUPERNATURAL HELP

• ”As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.”

• When Moses held up his hands the Israelites would win the fight

• When Moses lowered his hands the Israelites would be defeated

Moses held up his hands

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OBSTACLE TO VICTORY • When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a

stone and put it under him and he sat on it.

Moses’ hands grew tired

THE SOLUTION FOUND • When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone

and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

• Aaron and Hur brought a stone for Moses to seat• Aaron and Hur held Moses’ hands up, one on one

side, one on the other• They both helped Moses’ hands remain steady till

sunset

Moses held up his hands

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WE MUST PRAY

WE NEED PRAYER SUPPORT

WE NEED TO GIVE PRAYER SUPPORT

RESULT OF THE FIGHT: VICTORY • So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the

sword.

• Joshua overcame the enemy fighting in the Valley with the sword

• But Moses, Aaron and Hur brought the supernatural help from heaven fighting in prayer from the top of the hill

RESULT OF THE FIGHT: VICTORY • So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the

sword.

• Joshua overcame the enemy fighting in the Valley with the sword;

• Joshua was perseverant and courageous in the battle in the Valley even when things seemed tough and apparently they were been defeated

• He persevered until he got the victory for Israel

RESULT OF THE FIGHT: VICTORY • So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the

sword.

• While Joshua fought in the Valley Moses prayed in the hill and brought God’s forces to the battle.

• Aaron and Hur offered crucial support in prayer when Moses grew tired

• The three of them together were perseverant in prayer until the end of the day and until the victory came

RESULT OF THE FIGHT: A TESTIMONY • “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this on a

scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

• Moses was ordained by God to write that event and its victory on a scroll

• And to make sure that Joshua would hear it

WHY?

• The people of Israel should be reminded of all the victories the Lord of the Armies had given them

• Joshua would become the next leader of the people and he would have to know for sure that God had been with him in that fight and would be with him in any future battle.

• He needed to hear that prophecy about the Amalekites, because he would face them again in the future and his faith would need to be strong.

AT THE GATE OF THE PROMISED LAND• 26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole

Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

AT THE GATE OF THE PROMISED LAND

• 1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

AT THE GATE OF THE PROMISED LAND• 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the

whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

RESULT OF IT: PRAISE TO GOD 15 Moses built an altar and

called it The LORD is my Banner. 16 He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD. The LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation."

The LORD is my Banner

THE HIGHEST PRIORITY

WHEN YOU PRAY

YOU MAY BE SURE YOU WILL RAISE

THE LORD’S BANNER OF VICTORY