Key Passage: Exodus 17:8-16
verse 8
‘then’ – refer back to verse 6, time of water (reviving). During the period between captivity and the promised land. A difficult time, a time of testing, teaching.
Amalek - whatever opposes God’s authority being established in your life.
- against God’s authority, God’s throne, the will of God, the purpose of God.
- opposes whatever God has for you, robs us of it.
God wants us to have a joyful expectancy, thoughts of good, hope.
Note:
1. Amalek is a descendant of Esau who traded off his inheritance for food (appetite of flesh). Speaks of compromise, the easy way.
2. Amalek is a desert dweller – a place where demons inhabit. Demons push on you whenever you are having a ‘dry’ time.
3. 1 Sam 15 Amalek made people childless (abort, miscarry, barren, seized anything generated that lasts).
· Fruitfulness is related to evangelism and impartation to others.
· Amalek pushes against churches to take our focus off evangelism.
· Spiritual forces drive this thing, rob us of God’s plans.
· During times of prayer especially, we find ourselves pushing against ‘Amalek’.
4. Amalek stood on Saul, took his crown. He takes away our ability to rule, steals faith, takes away life.
5. Deut 25 Amalek picks off the weak ones straggling behind, not properly connected to God’s people. God has made promises to us as a corporate body, so we need to look after our weak and young ones.
Eg, Film – Saving Private Ryan – soldiers on their own got sniped out (maybe some offense got them out?). Stand and fight for our young people. Don’t allow young couples to sleep together in your house. Be believers for revival.
How to win the battle against Amalek
1. Verse 10. Moses went to the ‘top of the hill’ to get a different perspective.
· Away from the crowd and circumstances – God, what do You say about this situation?
· Hab 2:1 “Set me upon the tower, watch and see what He will say to me”.
· It takes time to get God’s perspective, don’t be impatient. Some problems have taken a lifetime to arrive and we want answers in 5 minutes!
· Make your needs known, unload, read the Word, wait on God, until you see your situation from God’s perspective.
Testimony: Lonliness and isolation as a youth can be used by God to shape your life for living out on the edge and not worrying about people who do things differently. Praise Him for what He has brought us through, not grumble!
2. Power Praying – ‘rod of God’ – the authority of God/Word of God
· Moses held up the rod. There is an unusual supernatural authority/power in God’s Word.
· Hold the Word of God like a rod over your situation. “It shall be done unto me according to Your Word.” (Rhema or quickened word)
· There is a difference between hope and faith. Hope = maybe Faith = will happen
· To pray this way you need time in the Word of God, (God’s storehouse).
3. Practical – we have our part to play.
· We can’t pray over our garden for weeds to go! Also applies to weeds in our own life.
· As well as holding God’s Word over eg, finances, we must deal with binge spending, retail therapy and work a budget, tithe and sow.
· Same with evangelism – pray, then connect, invite, offer rides, show friendship.
4. Partnership – verse 12, to prevail naturally, Moses needed prayer partners.
· Senior leaders need to be freed from practical ministries to keep in the Word and prayer.
· Find partners in cell groups.
· Stop the New Zealand tendency – if someone is winning, pull his hand down and kick his feet out from under him.
5. Persevere – Don’t quit.
· Have bulldog faith! Do not let go while you still have breath.
· The battle went backward and forward all day, but at the end of the day, they won!
Action
Stand together in agreement for harvest in this region. The battle will not be won by an individual, but as a team (‘us’, ‘we’).
Discussion: In groups of 4
1. Amalek – whatever opposes God’s authority being established in your life.
Find 3 life examples of situations where your spirit man has fought against Amalek (and not necessarily won). Act them out to the other groups.
2. Take the best 3 examples and choose a more mature Christian in your group to give ‘God’s perspective’ on this struggle.
3. Has anyone got a testimony of how God’s perspective on their own early life struggles really helped them see things differently?
Read: Ex 17:8-16
4. If you have an addiction in your life to:
a) Nicotine
b) Food
c) TV
How could you begin to “hold the rod of God” over this battle? What verses could you use?
5. If your struggle was binge spending or impulse buying – what practical steps could you take to gain mastery?
Are you willing to have another cell member stand with you in prayer-partnership?