{"id":19768,"date":"2022-01-09T22:00:31","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T05:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/exodus-16_19-36-copy\/"},"modified":"2022-01-07T18:22:12","modified_gmt":"2022-01-08T01:22:12","slug":"exodus-17_1-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/exodus-17_1-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Keys to Winning Your Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Exodus 17:1-16 Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage, Exodus 17:1-16, is full of powerful lessons, so many in fact that there\u2019s probably one lesson for every hour of your workday today.\u00a0\u00a0You may want to read this message in pieces, taking it in bit by bit throughout the day.\u00a0 Get ready!\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Exodus 17:1-5 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the\u00a0LORD\u00a0commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the\u00a0LORD\u00a0to the test?”
\n3\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then Moses cried out to the\u00a0LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The\u00a0LORD\u00a0answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-5:\u00a0\u00a0Once again the Israelites grumble against Moses, complaining about a lack of water.\u00a0\u00a0Moses asks God what he should do with these angry, grumbling people, and I like the LORD\u2019s response to Moses.\u00a0\u00a0The LORD tells Moses, \u201cWalk on ahead of the people.\u201d (v5)\u00a0When people are grumbling, walk ahead of them.\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t become their follower<\/strong>, moving forward only when they move forward or going only when they tell you to go.\u00a0\u00a0Walk ahead of them and you\u2019ll see things that they don\u2019t see and be better positioned to lead them.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:6a (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 6a:\u00a0\u00a0Notice God wasn\u2019t back there where all the complainers, critics and grumblers were.\u00a0\u00a0God was out in front, up ahead of Moses.\u00a0\u00a0When you hang out with complainer, critics and grumblers you\u2019re only going backward.\u00a0\u00a0When you run to God you\u2019re moving ahead and going forward.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:6b (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0\u2026Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 6b:\u00a0\u00a0God tells Moses to strike the rock and says that water will come out of it for the people to drink.\u00a0\u00a0Paul would refer to this picture later on in 1 Corinthians 10:4-5 when he says about the Israelites in Exodus: that they\u00a0\u201c\u2026all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only was the LORD feeding the Israelites physically through these miracles.\u00a0\u00a0Even more, the LORD was teaching them spiritually through these miracles.\u00a0\u00a0So when Moses struck the rock and water came out, as Paul seems to suggest in 1 Corinthians 10:4-5, it wasn\u2019t just physical water gushing out quench their physical thirst; even more, the LORD\u2019s teachings, like living water, were gushing from the rock that is Jesus Christ to feed their spiritual hunger.\u00a0\u00a0And yet the Israelites would still turn away from God and fail to trust Him.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0First,\u00a0every miracle is a lesson from God in disguise.\u00a0\u00a0When you experience a miracle, be sure you understand the lesson God is trying to teach you through the miracle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second, you may be well provided for physically, and you may have access to the greatest Bible teaching and Gospel preaching that there is, but how blessed you are is not a measure of your spiritual maturity or a guarantee that you will be saved in the end.\u00a0\u00a0What counts is how you respond to the water (both physically and spiritually) that God gives to you.\u00a0\u00a0Do you treasure it or do you take it for granted?\u00a0\u00a0Do you respond to those blessings by pressing into God and worshiping Him more?\u00a0\u00a0Do you use it to help others or do you use it for self-satisfaction purposes only?\u00a0\u00a0What matters even more than the blessings God gives us is how we respond to those blessings.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:7 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the\u00a0LORD\u00a0saying, “Is the\u00a0LORD\u00a0among us or not?”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 7:\u00a0\u00a0The place where water came out of the rock was originally called Rephidim, which means \u201ca place of rest.\u00a0\u00a0But because the Israelites quarreled with Moses and tested God with their grumbling, Moses renames that place \u201cMassah\u201d (which means \u201ctesting\u201d) and \u201cMeribah\u201d (which means \u201cquarreling\u201d).\u00a0\u00a0It goes to show that\u00a0when we insist on quarreling with others and testing God\u2019s patience, we can turn environments that were meant for rest and peace into places of unrest and dissension<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Especially after all the ways that God has been good to you and me, let\u2019s be careful not to test the Lord\u2019s patience with an attitude of unbelief.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s okay to have honest questions, but it\u2019s not okay to keep doubting God even after He has given you reason after reason to trust in Him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:8-11 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Moses 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.”
\n10\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill.<\/em>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 8-11:\u00a0\u00a0In response to the Amalekites attacking the Israelites, Moses tells Joshua to choose some men and fight the Amalekites, while Moses goes up to the top of a hill to pray.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0What can we learn from the fact that the Israelites would start winning when Moses lifted his hands and would start losing when he lowered his hands?\u00a0\u00a0Here are a few lessons I learn:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We don\u2019t win our battles simply by depending on our own strength, but by depending on God\u2019s power.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>The battle is often won behind the scenes where no one sees rather than in the foreground where everyone sees.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>It takes a team to win the biggest battles of our lives.\u00a0\u00a0We can\u2019t do it on our own.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:12-13 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When 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.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 12-13:\u00a0\u00a0After reading about incident after incident where the Israelites grumble against Moses, it\u00a0is so refreshing to see two people \u2013 Aaron and Hur \u2013 in\u00a0Exodus\u00a017:12 treating their God-given leader well.\u00a0\u00a0Instead of throwing stones\u00a0at<\/em>\u00a0their leader, Aaron and Hur placed a stone\u00a0underneath\u00a0<\/em>Moses to support him. Instead of pointing the finger at their leader, they held up Moses’ arms to keep him steady.<\/p>\n

How about you?\u00a0How do you treat your God-given leaders?<\/strong>\u00a0 Is your attitude toward them one of complaining, second-guessing and pointing fingers?\u00a0 Or do you do your best to treat your leaders well, follow them, pray for them, support them, encourage them, and not take them for granted?<\/p>\n

Because Aaron and Hur treated their leader Moses well, the entire Israelite army was victorious and accomplished their mission (Exodus\u00a017:13). In the same way,\u00a0when you love and support your leaders well, you put your church in position to be victorious and to accomplish your God-given mission together.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Exodus 17:14 (NIV)<\/strong>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then the\u00a0LORD\u00a0said 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.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 14:\u00a0\u00a0Why did the LORD want to make sure that Joshua heard that this victory over the Amalekites would be recorded (v14)?\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s because the LORD knew that Joshua would be the next leader of Israel after Moses, and this record would serve to remind Joshua that the battles he would fight belong to the LORD.<\/p>\n

Exodus 17:15 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Moses built an altar and called it The\u00a0LORD\u00a0is my Banner.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 15:\u00a0\u00a0The Hebrew name for \u201cThe LORD is my Banner\u201d is Jehovah-Nissi.\u00a0\u00a0What does it mean for the LORD to be your banner?\u00a0\u00a0Just like when people cheer on their favourite sports teams with flags and banners, just like when people put up banners to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions, so the LORD is worth living for, cheering for and celebrating.<\/p>\n

Exodus 17:16 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0He said, “For hands were lifted up to the throne of the\u00a0LORD. The\u00a0LORD\u00a0will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 16:\u00a0\u00a0Why does Moses say that the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation? Is there no hope for future generations of Amalekites?\u00a0\u00a0This is because for the next several centuries, the Amalekites would be a thorn in the side of the Israelites, raiding the Israelites, and\u00a0mercilessly attacking the youngest and most vulnerable among the Israelites.\u00a0\u00a0So much so that in some Jewish circles \u201cAmalekite\u201d is used as a symbol to represent any evil enemy that has tried to annihilate the Jews.\u00a0\u00a0God, like a protective father, is committed to defending and protecting His children against those who seek to prey on them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank You Heavenly Father for being my banner, my protector, and my strength in battle.\u00a0\u00a0Instead of going backwards and hanging with grumblers and complainers, may I move forward by finding You, the One who goes before me.\u00a0\u00a0I pray I wouldn\u2019t miss the lessons You are trying to teach me through the miracles You\u2019ve done in my life.\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage, Exodus 17:1-16, is full of powerful lessons, so many in fact that there\u2019s probably one lesson for every hour of your workday today.\u00a0\u00a0You may want to read this message in pieces, taking it in bit by bit throughout the day.\u00a0 Get ready!\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Exodus 17:1-5 (NIV)
\n1\u00a0\u00a0The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the\u00a0LORD\u00a0commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
\n2\u00a0\u00a0So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the\u00a0LORD\u00a0to the test?”
\n3\u00a0\u00a0But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
\n4\u00a0\u00a0Then Moses cried out to the\u00a0LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
\n5\u00a0\u00a0The\u00a0LORD\u00a0answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.<\/p>\n

On verses 1-5:\u00a0\u00a0Once again the Israelites grumble against Moses, complaining about a lack of water.\u00a0\u00a0Moses asks God what he should do with these angry, grumbling people, and I like the LORD\u2019s response to Moses.\u00a0\u00a0The LORD tells Moses, \u201cWalk on ahead of the people.\u201d (v5)\u00a0When people are grumbling, walk ahead of them.\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t become their follower, moving forward only when they move forward or going only when they tell you to go.\u00a0\u00a0Walk ahead of them and you\u2019ll see things that they don\u2019t see and be better positioned to lead them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19771,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19768"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19769,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19768\/revisions\/19769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}