As you know, men carry the weight of spiritual responsibility for our families and our churches. Wouldn’t it be great if someone would tell us exactly what the means? Here are some insights and inspiration from Moses’ example in Exodus 17.
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 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.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 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. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
As you know, the physical escape of Israel from Egypt and battle to enter the land of Canaan, led by God’s anointed leaders, Moses and Joshua, are a picture of the spiritual reality of Christ’s deliverance of his people from sin and establishment of his kingdom of righteousness. Here are six lessons we can learn about effective leadership.
1) Amalek, symbolic of the kingdom of darkness, attacked God’s people. Those under your spiritual care-- your children and grandchildren, the men in your men’s ministry, those you shepherd as a pastor or elder-- have an enemy who hates them. Rev 12:17 warns us: Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Satan is the thief of whom Jesus spoke in John 10 who comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. Every day your loved ones are engaged in a spiritual battle with the devious temptations of Satan and the destructive allure of sin.
2) Though it is not in this text, a parallel text, Deut. 25:17-19 reveals that Amalek attacked the people of Israel who were trailing behind and tired from the journey. Satan attacks us and our loved ones when we are most vulnerable, when we are tired and alone. Pray for yourself and loved ones at your point of vulnerability. In Jesus’ model of daily prayer, it appears that he taught us to anticipate not just our needs, (Give us this day our daily bread), but also our susceptibility to sin (Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.) Your loved ones may not have their spiritual guard up, which is why you must!
3) Moses “lifting up” his hand was a visible picture of prayer in his day and his staff represented a clear reliance upon the Lord’s strength. Paul commands us, in Eph 6, Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. After telling us to put on our armor, he then urges us to fight: praying at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (vs 18). Jesus said to Peter, “Satan has wanted to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you.” Prayer offered in Jesus’ name hinders Satan’s ability to tempt your loved ones.
4) When Moses symbolically relied on God’s strength to defeat Amalek by raising his hands, Joshua and the Israelites were winning. Just as surely, your loved ones will win spiritual battles if you are praying for them that they will not win if you don’t. Intercessory prayer makes a difference. When Moses grew weary and lowered his hands, the Israelites began to lose. Protecting our loved ones is what men are called to do (Genesis 2:15) and this certainly involves spiritual protection.
5) Moses hands grew weary. Intercessory prayer is hard, discouraging work. Because our prayer is focused on the hidden, spiritual world of our loved one’s temptations, we often can’t see what effect we are having. Many of us have prayed for years that our loved ones would come back to Christ. It is possible to become discouraged to the point of being cynical about the prayer promises of God. I’ve been there. But either God’s Word is truth or it is not. And He says:The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)
6) Moses did not try to conduct his prayer warfare alone. Not only did Aaron and Hur hold up his weary arms, but Moses seems to have anticipated his need for their presence by inviting them to ascend the mountain with him in the first place. As we all get back in the saddle for the fall, your loved ones need you to stay spiritually strong. What plans are you making to be sure that you have an Aaron and Hur to lean on?
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