Today’s Devotion
Topic: Lift Up Your hands!
Text: Exodus 17: 11- 12
As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 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. Amen
Life is full of battles and there are several tactics and millitary strategies to winning them. Since we are not ignorant of the enemy’s devices, we must always choose the best winning strategy. That way, the devil does not pound on us unawares.
To the Israelites in the text above, as long as Moses’ hands were held up, they kept winning. Wow! Beloved, this rather simple physical gesture, was proving to be a great winning strategy for Israel. Yes, so much so that Aaron and Hur had to support Moses’ hands up till sunset. So the army of Israel annihilates the Amalekites.
But wait a minute, since we already know from 2 Corinthians 4 that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds”, what then does the lifting of our hands represent in our battles? Why is such a simple act proving so effective eventhough Moses himself bears no physical weapon?
Well Precious One, the lifting of Moses’ hands in this situation, signified two things:
i. TOTAL SURRENDER OF THE BATTLE TO GOD: This also explains as acknowledging that the battle belongs to God. Here we surrender NOT TO THE ENEMY, BUT THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL. It is HE who is invincible! The mighty warrior who fights all our battles into great victory.
One day, this same Moses, whose lifted hands drew strength from the Lord for the army of Israel, said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14: 13- 14).
Jeremiah also writes in Lamentations 2: 19, encouraging that we cry to God about our situations with lifted hands. He says to Israel, “Arise, cry aloud in the night. At the beginning of the night watches; Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord; Lift up your hands to Him. For the life of your little ones who are faint because of hunger at the head of every street.”
ii. TOTAL SURRENDER OF OUR LIVES TO GOD IN ADORATION: In Psalm 63: 4, David makes this declaration: “I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” We lift our hands in WORSHIP/ ADORATION to signify the yielding of our bodies, hearts and souls to the Almighty God. We do so because of who He is. We surrender in WORSHIP to prove our worthlessness, compared to HIS GREAT WORTH in every matter! In worship, we exalt Him as Lord over all we are and could ever be. He takes CONTROL and the enemy is in trouble.
It is therefore those who learn to hand their battles over to God and at the same time surrender their lives in absolute Worship, that WIN against life’s odds. They win in the home, at school, at work, in business, in the marriage or relationship and even in ministry.
Remember for as long as Moses’ Hands were lifted up to Jehovah, Israel was winning. BEGIN TO PRAY AND WORSHIP ALL YOUR BATTLES AWAY IN JESUS NAME!
Before Solomon dedicated the temple, stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven (1 King 8: 22). “When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread toward heaven (1 Kings 8: 54). Why? Because he knew the Lord had taken over the battle and victory was inevitable.
You too declare with David, Lord, “may my prayer be counted as incense before You; the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering (Psalm 141: 2); IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME.
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