Tired Of Battling

I would like to begin today with a question. How many of you think that the more you try, the less territory you gain? In other words, how many of you are fighting a battle against things or circumstances that appear to be invincible? I ask these questions because many of us are confronted with situations in our daily life, whether it is in our family, workplace, or church that on many occasions seem to be invincible or impossible. Due to this, many of the people of God get tired of battling, and consequently surrender to the forces of the enemy. Many get tired of battling and surrender territory to the enemy that does not belong to him. We surrender territory and he encamps his army of demons in our surroundings. An army of demons that is ready invade our life with the sole purpose of destroying what God has initiated in us, and with the purpose of stealing the blessings that God gives his people. This is something that happens frequently, and that is why I would like for us to focus on this subject today.

The truth of the matter is that the ministry is in serious trouble. Let me pause here for a second and clarify something. When I say the ministry, I am not referring to this ministry in particular, when I speak of the ministry; I am referring the church of Christ. The ministry is suffering due to the apostasy, negligence, and discouragement on the part of the people God. But it also suffers greatly because on many occasions, God’s servants get tired of battling. So today we will be utilizing some verses that will demonstrate what the church needs. We will be analyzing what is needed in every moment in all congregations. Let’s now turn to the word of God, and let’s learn what is needed today by studying the past.

Exodus 17:8-13 - Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9And 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. 10So 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. 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12But 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. 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Here in these verses we find that soon after leaving Egypt, the people of God enter into a great battle with the kingdom of Amalek. Please note that it was “soon” after their departure from Egypt, because this is a pattern that the enemy uses with frequency. In other words, what I want us to notice here is that the enemy launched a strong attack against the people of God after a great blessing. When we analyze the chapter from the beginning, we see that that the people of God was discouraged and was starting to take a rebellious path, and it all started because they were thirsty in the middle of the desert. This is something very well reflected in Exodus 17: 2-3 when we read “Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 3And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” However, even with this initiation of rebellion, God shed a great blessing over his people. God glorified Himself so that there would be no doubt in their minds that He would supply and guard them in their walk. This is something clear for all to see in Exodus 17:6 when we read “Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.” So, without any doubt we can see the pattern of the enemy, he attacked the people of God in a very strong way right after they received a great blessing. I ask you, does this continue to happen today? I tell you that what happened to these people is not much different than what happens to us individually, and what happens to the ministry. What happened to them is something that continues to happen to the people of God. I say this because if we were to analyze the times when we are most harshly attacked, we would soon discover that in the majority of times it happens right after a great blessing.