Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s look at correlations between winning and losing, and being supported and unsupported.

Today’s scripture, Exodus 17:8-13 (NLT) shared…
[8] While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. [9] Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” [10] So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. [11] As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. [12] Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. [13] As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

Consider…
It’s funny, as a fan of a team, I think my good energy or superstitions contribute to wins and losses. I take the victory laps and sit in the losses as if I actually played in the game. Indeed, I foolishly feel my support helps secure a win, and my lack of support is the reason for a loss. Although my thinking is misguided, it does remind me of a today’s scripture. Let’s see what the play-by-play tells us about the importance of support in winning and losing.

First, we see the enemy attacks us where we are. Our scripture says…
While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.

This makes me wonder, where’s our Rephidim? Is it in our desires? Galatians 5:19-21 (NLT) warns…
[19] When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

This makes me think of living with a life’s too short, enjoy it while you can mentality. That short-sighted thinking will cost us the Kingdom of God.

Or is our Rephidim in our minds? Ephesians 4:17-19 (NLT) says…
[17] With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. [18] Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. [19] They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

A couple of things come to mind as I read the first couple of verses…

• The enemy wants us hopelessly confused. Said another way, the devil doesn’t want us to put all of our hope in God. Look at what the Serpent told Eve in Genesis 3:4-5 NLT: [4] “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. [5] “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

…The enemy entices us to know everything whereas God wants us to trust Him for everything.

• The enemy wants our minds full of darkness. That’s because he knows Jesus said in John 3:19-20 NLT: [19] And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. [20] All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.

…The enemy wants us to be nocturnal creatures whereas God wants us to live in His Light.

• The enemy wants to close our minds in order to harden our hearts. That’s because the devil knows that Jesus said in Matthew 13:15 NLT: [15] For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

…The enemy wants to fortify a wall between us and God, whereas God wants to come into our hearts and fellowship as friends (Revelation 3:20)

If the enemy’s attack is successful, scripture says we will live a “wild ‘n out” lifestyle. Paul said it this way…
They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

This makes me think of Paul’s warning to his protege. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT)…
[1] You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. [2] For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. [3] They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. [4] They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. [5] They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

I don’t know where your Rephidim is, but I can encourage you to heed the wisdom of 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT), which says…
[8] Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Next in today’s scripture we see coach Moses give Joshua a strategy to win. The passage says…
Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”

Moses was telling Joshua, fight back while I get reinforcements. You see Moses knew how to fight the battle. I can hear Moses singing Michael Smith’s anthem as he climbed the hill…

This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles (yeah, yes)
This is how I fight my battles (what we’re doing tonight)
This is how I fight my battles
Just when you think you’re lost
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You, hey!
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You

The Holy Spirit is encouraging us to remember that no matter how overwhelming the battle may look, we’re surrounded and fortified by the Lord’s army!

Here’s where today’s scripture shows us the impact of spiritual support in our earthly battles. It said…
As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage.

As long as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will win (ask Peter).

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) tells us…
[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. [2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

The Hebrews writer reminds us that we have the benefit of hall of fame believers that show us the winning strategy is focusing on Jesus and not the enemy. That’s because Jesus said in John 10:10 (NLT)…
[10] The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

That’s the main message today, stay focused on Jesus as you fight your battles. Afterall, the favorite scripture of many is Philippians 4:13 (NLT) which declares…
[13] For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

The Holy Spirit provided a final winning edge element that we should adopt. That’s helping one another. Galatians 6:2 (NLT) tells us to…
[2] Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

That’s pretty straightforward, yet it is really an emphasis of the previous verse. Galatians 6:1 (NLT) says…
[1] Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.

In today’s scripture we read…
[12] Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. [13] As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

Sometimes believers will get tired of fighting, or supporting others, in battles. In their fatigue, they may find themselves losing the battles. Like Aaron and Hur, God wants you to see others weakening and lend your strength. Help that brother or sister slumped in sin to lift their eyes up to Jesus again for the win.

Stay focused, and help others focus, on Jesus who gives us the victory.

Today’s Song is…
I Got That

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)