In the heat of battles, our souls will often become faint. Bouts of depression will come to most of us. The strong are not always vigorous. The wise are not alway ready. The brave are not always courageous. The joyous are not always happy. Great travail is created for all men. It is clear that the child of God will have his share of infirmities; it is why He left Hs Spirit to help us in them. Good men are promised not only triumph but tribulation also. The Pulpit that knows tribulation can touch the pain in the pew. Angels and spirits could not preach to the human frame; they know nothing of its fragility. God has chosen us as weaken earthen vessels to carry His word of power. We find ourselves often unsound physically. We preach mightily from a body that has this and that. We tell them about a God that can deliver us from this and that. The preacher like a dove with broken wings still seeks to guide others to the ark. It is a marvel that preachers move so many iron blockades with arms of clay. Who can bear the weight of life without sometimes falling to their knees. It is not simply the physical weight but the mental stress will wear us out also. We as leaders must face the limits of ourselves. We are confronted with the ups and downs of our families. Yet we still find room on our backs for the burdens of others. Such is the constant travail of God’s preacher. The most loving of people will not understand the peculiarities of the Pastor’s calling. He who walks near the throne, in his weakest moments will surely feel the lack of human sympathy. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, they look in vain for the comfort of the sleeping disciples. Yet the soldier of God knows that the strain of the physical man show cases the spiritual man in ways unexplained. The more the bow is bent the further the arrow goes. The cloud is darkest before its break. The storm is mightest before the calm. There are times in whcih we must be observant as to where the eye of the storm is located. The winds blow greater nearest the eye. The power and the might of the storm is closest to the eye. The servant of God must look too for the eyes of God during life’ storms. The eys of God assures us of His greatest power and protection. In our storms we do well to find the eyes of God. Storms may hinder the servant but no storm can hinder the worshipper. When in our greatest battles, we must worship God through Holy inaction and consecrated leisure. There are times when a man needs to encouarge himself in His God. It is to his benefit to quietly see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. God is nearest the soul in its mightest battle. The mightest sheep He leads. The wounded sheep He carries. Peter sink till Jesus takes his hands. When Katrina battles our souls, we need not human instrumentalities. We will win not by our own might nor power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. When in fierce battles, Moses went up into the Mountain and left the people down in the valley. He needed a distant flock but a near Shepherd. Let us consider the battle in which Moses fought against the Amalekites.
Joshua stood on fighting ground...
Moses stood on praying groung...
Joshua had fightinh hands...
Moses had praying hands...
Joshua had on a soldiers armour...
Moses had on God’s armour...
Joshua fought like a real man..
Moses prayed like a righteous man...
Low groung is for battle/High ground is for praying...
There is great sigificance in the lifting of the hands. Lifted hands means the following:
1. Acknowledges the Source of a Higher Power.
2. Surrender to another.
3. Someone is beyond our reach but reaching for us at the same time...
4. Cause someone else to look up..
5. Posture that God Himself approves of...
6. Shift of focus from earth to heaven...
7. Praise position...
8. Prayer Posture...
9. Unashamed worshipers...
10. Expressive soul..
11. Presentation of a living sacrifice...
12. Summoning heart...
13. Expecting position...
14. God inviting hands...
15. Victorious hands...
I. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up in Prayer.
II. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up With Respect to Who He is.
III. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up With Respect to Who You are.
IV. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up, While Trusting in the Power of God...
V. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up in Reflection of How He Held the Church up.
VI. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up Financially.
VII. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up in Obedience to God...
VIII. Hold Your Pastor’s Hands Up, Expecting God to Supply Your Needs According to His Riches in Glory...
Conclusion: The secret of the victory is in our holding up one another, while depending on the power of God through prayer.
May God Bless and Keep You
Pastor Rodney L. Johnson Sr.,
Historic Bethlehem Baptist Church
Hahnville, La. 70057
