While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. 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.” 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. 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. 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. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. After the victory, the LORD instructed Moses, “Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-nissi (which means “the LORD is my banner”). (Exodus 17:8-15, NLT)
How will an intercessor benefit your life?
1. When you are facing battles in life, an intercessor will remind you that God is in control.
As Moses sat on top of the hill, he held the staff of God in his hands. That staff was a symbol of God’s presence and intervention. Even though Joshua and the army had fight the battle in the valley, they could glance up and see that God was present and in control. An intercessor will remind you that no matter what you face, God is on his throne.
2. An intercessor will remind you that God is aware. He is not an absentee landlord. Moses not only held the staff of God, he was positioned on the hill top, giving him a clear vantage point to observe all of the battle. My brother in law is a defensive coordinator at a small university in the south. During the game, he prefers the box to the sideline because sitting in the box allows him to see the entire field of play. God sees your entire life and is fully aware of what you are facing.
3. An intercessor will inspire you to press on in faith. Moses hands grew weak during the battle. So Aaron and Hur stood beside him and steadied his hands and kept them lifted. They refused to let Moses quit, which in turn encouraged the warriors to press on and not give up. Good intercessors know that battles are seldom won with one blow. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and energy to work through whatever it is we are facing the valley. Intercessors encourage us to never give up and to never quit.
4. An intercessor will remind you that the battle belongs to the Lord. At the conclusion of the battle, God got the credit for the victory. And he still gets the credit for the victories we experience today.
Having an intercessor is an important relationship to have in life. They provide these four benefits, and more! Tomorrow I’ll post three characteristics of an intercessor that will help you identify one if you don’t have one.