School of Faith 201

School of Faith 201
Words of Faith 12-1-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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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.
[14] 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."
[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 next lesson in the Desert School of Faith was battle. Enemy attacks were a virtual certainty for a large group of people traveling in the desert. Enemy armies would either see such a large group as a threat, or they would want to enslave them as a work force. The attacks were inevitable. The Amalekites may have attacked in order to gain access to the water source at Rephidim.
The Israelites won the battle handily under the leadership of Joshua. The point here was not for the Israelites to build "self-confidence." Though Joshua led the battle with zeal, the Lord clearly demonstrated that victory was to be found only in the power of the Lord.
As long as the staff of the Lord was held high, the battle went well. Moses' holding the staff of God above his head with both hands symbolized Israel's total dependence on the power of God. When Moses lowered his hands, this was a picture of independence from God and the enemy started winning. With the assistance of Aaron and Hur, Moses' hands remained uplifted, and a great victory was secured.
The key "School of Faith" lesson here was that the Israelites would NOT find victory fighting in their own might but by the power of the Lord.
I have often heard this text referred to in exhorting lay leaders to "hold up the arms" of the Pastor. That, of course, is a powerful application. Anything that will help the Pastor of a church to be focused, devoted, and surrendered to the Lord will be a powerful benefit to the body of Christ. Anything that will keep distractions from interfering with the focus upon the Lord is wonderful. But there is more here.
It is interesting that a decision had to be made whether to commit manpower to the battle or to lift up the arms of Moses. We face the same sort of decisions every day.
In our flesh, we may reason that if we work harder and fight longer we will win the battle that is going badly. In fact, it is only when we commit ourselves more wholly to dependence upon God that we begin to see the victory. When we are busy and embattled, this is a time for more prayer, not less. This is a time for more surrender before the Lord, not less.
How are your battles going? Are you helping to hold up the arms of your Pastor? Are you focused on the Lord? Do you devote yourself more deeply so the Lord can win your battles?

Lord, teach me the lessons of desert life. Teach me to be more dependent upon You, not less. Draw me close to You so that I may trust more and more in my relationship with You. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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