And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands...

Prayer Wins The Battle

When Moses held his hands up the People of God prevailed when he let them fall the people retreated. When he was too tired to stand alone, Aaron and Hur stood beside him. They then put him on the rock to rest. They grabbed his hands and once again raised them toward heaven. The battle was won because God’s man rested on the rock and good men shared the burden when it grew too heavy to bear.

What exactly was Moses doing on that hill with the rod of God that he had used to bring the plagues to Egypt, part the Red Sea and bring water when he struck the rock. That rod represented the power of God and when Moses went to the top of that hill it wasn’t just to watch the battle below it was to fight in the power of prayer in order to win the battle below.

We pray with bowed heads but for the people of God then prayer was often down with uplifted hands.

Psalms 28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Psalms 63:3-4 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Psalms 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Moses went up and he prayed for without God’s power there could be no victory and the people of God and the plan of God for the ages would have been annihilated.

Prayer Brings God’s Power

I believe the picture of Moses on the rock with his hands lifted toward heaven and Aaron and Hur standing beside him is a dynamic picture of how God wins through us today.

First, Moses hands toward heaven show us where strength must come from.

Moses knew that it was God’s power that would win the battle, God’s strength that would carry the day and God’s judgment that would destroy the enemy. So, he lifted his hands toward heaven and beseeched God for his help and God poured His power into His people.

If we are to win the skirmishes for our soul, the fights for our family and the contest for our country, then we must know that only God’s power can overcome the Enemy.

As Moses lifted up his hand in supplication for God’s strength, we must lift up our hearts in prayer for God’s power. Jesus said in Luke 18:1 men ought always to pray, and not to faint.

Jesus was saying there is only one way to stand and not suffer defeat, “Pray and you will not faint in the heat of battle.”

The Rod: The rod represented God’s appointed tool for Moses leadership. It was appointed by God to be with him and used by him in everything he did in God’s name. God had given it to Moses for every obstacle, every battle, every question. When God wanted Moses to do something he would tell him, “Use the Rod, I have given you.”

The rod in Moses’ hand is what the Bible should be in our hand.

God has given it to us as the inspired, pure and holy Word of God. It contains every word and every thought that God wants us to have.

 He gives it to us to deal with every obstacle, question and to provide the guidance that we need.

 2 Timothy 3:16 -17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Moses would have failed and the battle would have been lost that day if He had not used the rod of God.  You and I will fail in our battles if we do not carry the Word of God with us. It must be in our hands, it should be in hearts and we must use it in the battles of our lives.

Paul said it is our spiritual weapon in Hebrew 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Also remember that the men who stood beside Moses that day. They were vital to the victory.

 If they had not stood with their leader, if they had not put him on the rock when he began to grow weary, if they had not held up his arms when he was too tired to go on, then the Amalekites would have destroyed God’s people.

 This is a great lesson for praying for and standing with your pastor. To encourage him by being with him in the work of the Lord. But I also believe it is a picture of standing beside any of God’s children when they are battling Satan. It may be a personal battle or one that rages in their family, but whatever the battle we should stand beside them and uphold them in our prayers and sustain them by our presence. Sometimes just being there means more than you can imagine and in the same truth, your absence hurts more than you realize.

 Stand with me and stand with God’s people, just be there and show your commitment. And if in the spiritual battle, weariness overtakes, then place them upon the Rock of Jesus Christ through your prayers, join your hands with theirs and hold them up as they fight the Lord’s battles.