Practical Lessons… (Defeating the enemy, coping with a heavy workload, entering God’s presence)

1.  In Defeating the Enemy (Ex 17:8-16)               Are you having trouble finding personal victory in your life?

Exodus 17:11-13 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.

Ø  Prevailing PRAYER vs9-10,15

·         Standing on the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hands… Moses prayed

·         I love verse 15, Moses’ hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord… beautiful picture of prayer

·         God hears the prayers of a righteous man… powerful… pray without ceasing… attitude of prayer

Ø  Surrender to God v11

·         Lifting up hands is a sign of surrender… I give up… Lord it’s all about you…

·         Lord, I’m interceding in behalf of your people… protect them, grant wisdom/strength, bring victory

Ø  Support from others vs12-13

·         Aaron and Hur were at Moses side giving support… helped to hold his hands up for victory

·         To be fully aware of our unseen enemy… battling for your soul / very life… help in praying

·         Jesus said in Mt 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

·         I need you, you need me, others need us, we all need to hold each other up in prayer

Ø  REMEMBER the experience v14

·         The Lord told Moses to write down everything on a scroll… the written Word of God!

·         Years from now we can read, remember and learn how the enemy was defeated by God.

·         This practical lesson from the life of Moses can be applied in any “enemy” combat situation.

·         Battling drugs, bad habits, impossible situations… God brings the victory

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2.  In Handling Workload (Ex 18:1-27)  Do you ever find yourself stressed out in serving the Lord?

Exodus 18:20-21, 24 ²⁰ Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform. ²¹ But select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens… ²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Ø  TEACH

·         The Israelites were with the Egyptians for 430 years… that’s basically what they knew… tradition

·         Moses was handling the brunt of the workload to spiritually discern various issues/problems that arose

·         People needed to be taught God’s Word… not their ideas or what they thought… what God says.

Ø  MODEL

·         Moses was also encouraged by his father-in-law to show them the way to live… to set the example

·         Moses needed to live his life as a model to them…  Jesus Christ is our perfect example on how to live.

·         Every person, especially those in authority need to be modeling their lives to others –

·         Setting example on how to dress, act, places you go, things you do, value you place on scripture

Ø  DELEGATE

·         Notice who Moses chose… capable men, throughout the camp, men who feared God, men who was trustworthy, men who hated dishonest gain – true blue honest in all their dealing, good reputation

·         Moses appointed them leaders/officials/judges/ over thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens (cell groups)

·         It was awesome to see our VBS… everyone functioning, working together for the common goal - Jesus

·         Everyone is vital… the parking attendants, game directors, nursery workers, Bible teachers…

·         We had 80 or more adults involved this year… hundreds of children attending… precious souls saved

Ø  SOAR

·         Moses listened to sound advice… and was spared depression, stress, burnout… his load made lighter

·         The whole community was better off, less lines waiting, more being accomplished… T.E.A.M.

Matthew 9:37-38 ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

3.  In Entering God’s Presence (Ex 19:1-15)            Have you ever thought much about entering God’s presence?

Exodus 19:10-11 ¹⁰ And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹ and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Ø  Consecrate – be set apart (born again) v10

·         Separated from secular & sinful to God’s service, a sacred purpose… made sacred, sanctified

·         Before you meet with God you must prepare yourself… Christian life begins when you’re born again

·         If you are unsaved, not sure of your salvation – you’re unable to come into God’s presence – feel distant

·         God the Father sent His Son to die a substitutionary death for your sin. He paid the price w/ His blood.

·         We’re saved from sin when we genuinely repent and believe the Gospel – death, burial, resurrection

Ø  WASH – be cleansed from sin v14

·         The people were told to wash… symbolically cleansed from sin inside out… to separate from sin

·         They washed their clothes, they consecrated themselves, anything that would defile them.

Ø  Abstain – be disciplined v15

·         Verse 15 tells us they abstained from sexual relations.  Self-controlled and self-disciplined as a disciple.

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

·         An act of the will… the Lord’s presence is utmost important… deny yourself, take up His cross & follow

Ø  OBEY – be in obedience v12

·         Boundary markers were placed… piles of stones every 400 yards… corridor off Mt of God

·         Touching the base of Mt Sinai/Horeb meant death… obedience was required to enter God’s presence

·         My friends it’s the same today… God has not changed… God’s Word was written so we may know Him

·         We must be born again, child of God, saved, regenerated, made new, reborn, repent & believe

·         To come into His manifest presence we must have clean hands & hearts… washed, cleansed from sin

·         To come into His presence we must be disciplined, not lacking self-control, not wishy washy, a disciple

·         We must be walking in obedience… forget it if you’ll in rebellion or haughty/proud or disobedient

2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Here’s a picture of the BOUNDARY MARKERS found at the base of Jabal Al Lawz (the real Mt Sinai)
Further investigation found large piles of rocks in a semicircle around the front of the mountain, spaced about every 400 yards. Measuring about 5 feet tall and 20 feet across, these piles could be the boundary markers placed by Moses, as mentioned in Exodus 19:23b: "Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy."

Here’s a picture of the ALTAR and pieces of the 12 PILLARS
At the foot of the mountain, they found a V-shaped altar. Each arm was approximately 60 feet long and 20 feet wide. Next to it were several toppled pillars in sections of about 22 inches in diameter and 20 inches tall. Exodus 24:4b records that Moses "built an altar at the foot of the other mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel."

Here’s a picture of the peak of Mt. Sinai (more next week)

The Bible has two different names for Moses' mountain... Sinai and Horeb. The Jabal Al Lawz location actually features TWO peaks... the dark highest peak and a lower peak featuring a cleft rock. In the Biblical account, Moses hid himself in such a cleft rock as God passed by... allowing Moses to glimpse his back. It could be that the smaller peak is what was designated as Horeb.

Here’s a picture of a Panorama View of Mt Sinai

The area where the Israelites encamped for over 11 months & where the 10 commandments given.

Apply the Truth…