03-06-2018
Exodus 17:8-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
Israel Defeats
Amalek
8 Then Amalek
came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for
us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of
the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him,
and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the
hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he
lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they
took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held
up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands
were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek
and his people with the sword.
For years we have mumbled and grumbled.
One man stands up and says, "I will take the staff of God and stands on the hill."
1) There is the man (Exodus 3:10)
God looks for a man or a woman and says, "I am sending you."
Moses asks, "Who am I?"
"Why should they believe me?"
"I'm not good enough."
"I don't speak with authority."
"I'm not the right person. Please send somebody else."
Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Gideon all responded the same way. All of them felt inadequate and unready.
In spite of that, He comes to us and says, "Will you partner with me?"
"I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12)
To Moses, He says: "I have made you like God to Pharaoh." (Exodus 7:1)
That's who you are in Christ. Because of who He is and what He has done in you.
God knows our weaknesses and failings. He wants to turn our weaknesses into strength, our fears into faith, our setbacks into comebacks.
He never looks for people who are strong. He is not looking for a great man for God. He is looking for a man who has faith in a great God.
2) There is the staff.
"What is that in your hand?" (Exodus 4:2)
Staff of Moses becomes the Staff of God--a symbol of His anointing and promises and everything that God wanted to do through Moses.
Every believer has a staff. God has given every believer a staff.
It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
People can't see it but people can see the power.
He has anointed you. That is the staff that every believer carries.
"If you have faith... nothing shall be impossible to you." (Matthew 17:20)
"Signs shall follow them thst believe." (Mark 16:17)
"Authority over all the power of the enemy." (Luke 10:19)
"I have given them the glory that You gave me." (John 17:22)
"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." (Acts 1:18)
"You are more than a conqueror." (Romans 8:17)
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit..." (1 Corinthians 12:7)
"Every promise is yes and amen in Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
What does it all mean to me? Is it wholly exaggeration?
We have not yet seen those greater things. How dare we become complacent?
To have faith in God is to have faith in what God has done in and through you.
There is no such thing as an ordinary Christian.
It is not easy to carry this staff.
God has to keep reminding Moses to take His staff.
Don't expect God to do what God is expecting you to do.
The Battle of Rephidim (Exodus 17:8-16): The signs follow those who believe.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is for you, for your children and for all who are a far off.
We can use that passion and fire.
Never ever forget that encounter.
We all have the bible. What's your excuse not to use it to teach? We have the word of God and we have never bothered to read it. Read it and listen to what God is saying.
If you don't preach, you won't see people saved.
If you don't lay hands on people and pray, you won't see people healed.
If we don't stand on that hill, we won't see the victory.
It is all about God.
Just be faithful.
3) There is the Hill. (Exodus 17:9)
From Hored to Rephidim.
We come to church to be equipped.
Our destination is not the pew to just sit in church.
What's your ministry? What does God call you to be?
See ourselves as priests and ministers unto God--ambassadors for God.
We have all been called to serve. Discover where He wants us to be.
God sees each and every one of us as ministers.
Even now God sees the tears of His people. God hears their cry and He is asking, "Whom shall I send?"
God wants to send you out. You want God to send the revival to you in the church but God wants to send the revival out.
No ministry is more important than the other. God values each and every one of them.
He is just waiting for you to say "Yes."
It is not easy to stand on the hill. It gets lonely up on the hill.
Hold on to that staff. Hold on to the promises of God.
Sometimes we bleed. Sometimes we feel the loss of a loved one.
That's the time we have to hold on to that staff and the promises of God and climb that hill.
Lift our hands to God. "I am done but God is not done yet."
You are the man/woman.
You have a staff. Don't be embarrassed of what God has done in and through you.
You belong on a hill. There is a place of ministry. Take your place and do what God has called you to do.
There is no greater privilege than serving God and praying for somebody.
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