Intercessory Prayer

Where the Battle is Won

"And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed" (Exodus 17: 11). The Israelites had just been redeemed out of Egypt and were on their way to Sinai when the Amalekites attacked them to prevent God’s people moving ahead.  Moses ordered Joshua to go and fight them in the valley below while Aaron and Hur joined him on top of a mount overlooking the battlefield. While the battle was raging Moses did something very important; he lifted up his hands toward heaven. Verse 12 says that as long as he kept his hands raised that Israel was winning, but if he lowered his hands the Amalekites were gaining the upper hand. Although the Scriptures do not say it outright that Moses was praying, no doubt his posture of raised arms clearly implied a position of intercession. What he was doing was lifting up his hands in prayer making intercession to God on behalf of Joshua and the Israelites in the thick of the battle. As long as he kept his arms raised, victory was on the side of God’s people! This wonderful story teaches us some important lessons about the power of prayer. It is an extremely powerful thing in the life of a church– more powerful than we often fully realize. Prayer is a wonderful thing. It can make all the difference in winning and losing the battles we must face as leaders and members of His end time church. 2 Thess 5:17 exhorts us to "Pray without ceasing." Moses was up on that hilltop praying for the people of God, interceding for them that they might win the battle. We ought to do that for each other, for our leaders and for our church families – pray for each other that we might win the daily spiritual battles that we must fight, overcome and fulfill the mission that Jesus has given us. We are to daily pray for strength, guidance, wisdom, and power through the Holy Spirit. There is something else important in v 12: when Moses got tired Aaron and Hur got on either side of him and supported him. That is a beautiful illustration of how we ought to support one another and unite as a team.  So in this story we read of a battle and that there was prayer – Moses interceding for the people but the high point of this story is the victory. Because the people fought (with God on their side) and because Moses prayed for them and supported them (and Moses too had support) a great victory was won!  So where do you think the battle was won?  Was it in the valley with Joshua and his soldiers fighting the Amalekites, or was it on top of a mount where persevering intercession took place? I like the terminology of v 13 it says that Joshua "discomfited Amalek (KJV)." Do you know what discomfited means? It means that they just plain whooped them, completely overcoming them! Our churches need a lot to advance in this day and age!  We need to be enlightened, we need to be led, we need the right tools and methods, but this wonderful story reminds us that the foundation must be a uniting of hearts, minds and praying hands as we seek His guidance and His power in our churches.  “Let there be more praying, believing, and receiving, and more working together with God” Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 66. Truly we move forward “on our knees”!  - Mark Piotrowski, Prayer Ministries coordinator and pastor of the Savannah First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Georgia