War Room

WAR ROOM

Ex. 17:8-13

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: ON THE ELEVATOR

1. Around the coffee machine at work, Sam was telling a story. “Billy and I were in an elevator yesterday telling Aggie jokes. We didn’t notice that standing right behind us was this really big guy.

2. Suddenly he reached between us and pushed the elevator “stop” button. He growled, “I don’t appreciate you telling Aggie jokes! I am an Aggie!” Then he reached down into his bag and pulled out a razor.”

3. Sam took another long drink of his coffee. His listeners, in suspense, chimed in, “What happened next?” Sam said, “Nothing. It was an electric razor!”

B. VIDEO – “WAR ROOM” TRAILER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIl-XY9t_Lw

C. TITLE

The title of this message is “War Room.”

I. WHAT’S A ‘WAR ROOM?’

A. THE WAR ROOM

1. The concept of the “War Room” is that battles are not only waged on the battlefield, but often far away at a military headquarters in a room dubbed a “War Room.”

2. This Room is the “brain” that moves the “arm” of the Battle Troops on the field.

3. Many examples can be drawn from history where a weaker army has out-maneuvered a stronger army and defeated them.

4. It wasn’t the strength of the army that prevailed, but the strategic mind of the general who directed it.

5. This same thing happens in the spiritual realm. The “David” defeats the “Goliath;” the Jonathan defeats the

Philistines; the Gideon defeats the Midianites; the Samson defeats the Philistines; the Jephthah defeats the Ammonites; the Jehoshaphat defeats 3 nations! All defeated far superior armies because there was a higher power directing the battle.

6. One of the best examples of this is when Israel, under Moses, was fighting the Amalekites. Let’s read about it.

B. PASSAGE PORTRAYING A WAR ROOM

1. 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses 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.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When 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. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Ex. 17:8-13.

2. Notice: Moses’ arms went up and down, symbolizing praying and ceasing from prayer.

3. When Moses’ arms were up (in prayer) Israel’s soldiers began to win the battle.

4. When Moses’ arms were down (him not praying), Israel’s soldiers began to be defeated. Moses got 2 relatives to help him hold up his arms and Israel won the battle.

5. The invisible power of prayer was graphically demonstrated & its effects visually observed; we see how the visible is manipulated by the invisible. The same repercussions happen today when WE pray.

C. PRAYER HUMOR: Hunting

1. The Wednesday-night church service coincided with the last day of hunting season.

Our pastor asked who had bagged a deer. No one raised a hand.

2. Puzzled, the pastor said, "I don't get it. Last Sunday many of you said you were unable to make service because of hunting season. I had the whole congregation pray for your deer."

3. One hunter groaned, "Well, it worked. They're all safe." Jokstop

II. WHY WE NEED A WAR ROOM

A. OUR BATTLE

1. How is all this discussion of “War Rooms” applicable to us? Because each one of us have ongoing struggles.

a. It might be with our HEALTH.

b. It might be a shortage of MONEY.

c. We might have a troubled MARRIAGE.

d. Ongoing UNFORGIVENESS.

e. FEARS & insecurities.

f. TEENAGERS going the wrong direction.

g. Our CULTURE slipping toward the precipice.

h. Our JOB threatened – boss, co-worker, lay-offs.

2. These are the areas we have “battles.” Our mistake is thinking – like Joshua – that we can beat them on our own. 3. OUR BATTLE MUST BE FOUGHT IN THE WAR ROOM OF PRAYER! “All things happen by prayer and nothing without it.”

4. The problem comes – when we pray, we often don’t see any change in our situation – so we’re tempted to abandon prayer.

5. Our problems are usually long in developing, and a few applications of prayer aren’t enough. WE MUST PERSEVERE IN PRAYER TO SEE VICTORY!

6. Moses had to hold his arms up for a long time before Israel finally won the battle.