Defeat and Victory

Exodus 17. As the children of Israel moved toward Sinai, they were still being led by the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. But the Lord was still directing Israel into difficult and dire situations in order to prove His power and build their faith. Life's journey involves much more than just reaching a destination. If we aren't growing in faith and growing in knowledge of God, then we're wasting our opportunities. Salvation is not just about getting to heaven. It's more than that. It's about sanctification; it's about getting heaven into us. It's about trials and tribulations. It's about tests. And here Israel is tested again in the first dire situation of this chapter.

1. An Old Test Repeated: Exodus 17:1-7

Israel had a long way to go before they would qualifiy as a godly nation. So far, every new trial they experienced only brought out the worst in them. Once they arrived at Rephidim, they again found themselves without water. They had failed the test before. How would they do this time? God had provided for them last time. Would they trust Him this time? No. They failed again. Why? Because their hearts were still in Egypt. They're still worldly. They hadn't made a clean break from Egypt/ the world. Christians that keep failing these kinds of tests haven't made a clean break from the world. They doubt God. But there must be a break from the world. That's what these tests do....teach us to depend totally upon God.

2. Conflict With Amalek: the Flesh: Exodus 17:8-16

In this second dire situation, we see Israel having to rely upon God in this conflict. Amalekites are descendants of Esau (Gen.36:12, 16), and thus they are a picture of the flesh. Do realize that when you got saved, you entered into spiritual warfare. The flesh does not fight with those that it rules. Israel did not have to fight in Egypt. But now liberated from Egypt they have to fight. Once delivered from the bondage of sin, one must fight the good fight. One must put on the whole armor of God (Eph.6:10-20). How do we win in this war? By prayer and by the Word of God. That battle was won up on the hill, by prayer. And it says that Joshua defeated them by the edge of the sword (Exodus 17:13). The sword is one of the Holy Spirit's idioms for the Word of God (Heb.4:12). Victory is by prayer and by the Word of God. Those are two things we need to walk in every day, which basically is the definition of someone walking in the Holy Spirit. If you're walking in the Spirit, that means you are walking in prayer and the Word of God. Do this daily. It's the only way to have victory!