What are you fighting under? This weekend Pastor Joaquin Pardo continued our MOSES: Live No Lies series with a message about how God’s people fight spiritual battles.
Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so 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.
Exodus 17:11-13
Israel had already been delivered from Egypt, but their journey still included opposition. They were no longer fighting for freedom, they were fighting from freedom.
The same is true for us. Jesus has already won the decisive victory over sin and death, but every believer still faces spiritual opposition.
1) You have to fight.
Joshua didn’t get to choose whether Amalek showed up. His decision was whether he would engage in the battle. Similarly, we don’t choose whether spiritual warfare is real. We cannot experience victory while refusing to fight. We must stop allowing fear, shame, temptation, bitterness, and compromise to bully us into accepting a life God never intended for us. We must decide in our hearts that the enemy does not get another inch.
2) Fight faithfully. Fight prayerfully.
Joshua fought in the valley, but the battle’s outcome was connected to what Moses was doing on the mountain. The sword mattered, but the sword was not the source of victory. Connecting the Lord to the battle was. We do the same today through prayer. Prayer does not make God powerful. Prayer reminds us who is powerful. You cannot win spiritual battles using only physical strategies. Practical obedience matters, but spiritual battles require spiritual dependence.
3) Your fight is my fight.
When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur noticed and moved toward him. They did not wait for Moses to ask for help. They lifted the hands he could no longer lift himself. Victory in the Kingdom of God is never meant to be experienced alone. The church should be filled with people who notice the hurting, the weary, the lonely, and the discouraged and then move into action.
4) Fight with The Lord as your banner.
When the battle was over, Joshua didn’t take the credit. Moses didn’t take the credit. Aaron and Hur didn’t take the credit. Moses built an altar and called it Jehovah-Nissi —The Lord Is My Banner.
A banner gave soldiers identity, direction, courage, and hope in the confusion of battle. When they became afraid or disoriented, they looked toward the banner and remembered that they were not fighting alone.
Our Banner is Jesus. Our Banner was lifted up on a cross. He bled, died, rose again, and now reigns in victory. The battle may still be real tomorrow, but don’t spend your life staring at Amalek.
Lift your eyes to your Banner. The Lord is our Banner.
