by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 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, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

Exodus 17:8–14

Power came not from the might of men but from the prayers of Moses.

Our society seems to have a fascination with demonstrations of power. Professional sports even take time to have power competitions—the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, the MLB Home Run Derby, etc. While more popular in other countries, Americans have even caught the World’s Strongest Man craze. In mind-bending tests of strength, men are pitted against each other in events such as car lifts, train pulls, and giant tire flips. Fans cheer as each man shows his physical power in each event.

On October 15, 1997, David Huxley participated in such a competition. The main event of the day was the airplane pull. Contestants would be hooked to a 187-ton 747 jetliner and would be required to pull it 100 yards. Whoever did so in the fastest time would win the event. Huxley, a powerful man, strapped on the full-body harness provided, and got in position to pull the plane. He planted his tennis shoes into the ground and at the sound of the whistle, began pulling the plane with his body. The trick is to get the vehicle moving through upper body strength while strongly pumping the legs. Once the plane is rolling, contestants then rely upon calf and thigh muscles to keep the plane moving. Huxley did this, and rolled the plane across the one hundred yard mark in a mere one minute and twenty-one seconds.

While a man with the ability to pull a giant airplane is certainly impressive, what’s more impressive is the demonstration of power seen in Exodus 17. The nomadic Israelites were on a journey to the Promised Land, yet the Amalekites stood between them and their new home. Moses commanded Joshua to lead the Israelite men into battle against their enemies while Moses ascended a nearby mountain to pray for God’s power.

The impressive power wasn’t in a group of nobodies that defeated a skilled army. The impressive feat came from Moses’ prayer to God. Power came not from the might of men but from the prayers of Moses. As long as Moses continued faithful in prayer, arms raised, God gave Israel the victory.

Right now you are in Moses’ place. You are engaged in a spiritual battle that pits you against an enemy who intends to keep you from fulfilling God’s will for your life. You won’t win the battle on mere strength or skill, for your opponent is far more skilled than you are. You will win the battle based on your prayer life.

Many Christians complain about falling into sin and seeing spiritual defeat, yet never look to God for help. They depend on their own power for success. God never meant for you to live in your own power. He knows you don’t have the power needed to overcome sin and resist the devil. Because of that fact, He has provided His all-superior power for you—if you will ask Him for it.

Don’t face the devil alone. Don’t rely on your own strength against an enemy who has perfected his attack. Follow Moses’ example and daily lift up yourself, your life, your problems, and your battle to God in prayer. Continue in prayer for His strength and lean heavily on His power to overcome the battle you’re facing.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 63-65 | Romans 6