◄ God’s Secret Hand - Study in Prayer (15) ►

STUDY in PRAYER

Forever, O LORD, your Word is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89

For I KNOW Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able...
2Timothy 1:12

God’s Eternal Word

Sometimes it’s difficult to understand the reason why God acts as He does. Often it’s confusing – wondering why God doesn’t act as we think He ought! But the answers to all our questions have been forever settled in His Word. and the Psalmist tells us, Thy Word is eternal – it is settled in heaven Ps.119:89

Established in Heaven

Sometimes the Word of God gives us the answer to our heartfelt questions. Often we are left beneath a cloud of unknowing in matters we just can't figure out, but always His Word is established in heaven and we just trust Him – no matter what – and we discover like Habakkuk, Esther and others, that there is often concealment.

God’s Secret Hand

Habakkuk tells us of a hiding of His power – a veiling of His strength. Most often in this church age it appears that God’s hand is working secretly. We read that ‘the secret hand’ of God was strong against the Amalakite enemy – in the Septuagint translation of the Scriptures.

God, Our Refuge

And again Moses built an alter to the Lord and called it – The Lord is my Refuge, because with a secret hand the LORD fighteth against Amalek, from generation to generation Exodus.17:15. And we too are commanded to remain strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Mighty To Save

Moses is an example of a man that remained strong in the mighty strength of God – and as Moses raised his rod of intercession before the Lord – God was mighty to save. When the arms of Moses wearied, Joshua and Hur supported him in his prayer. Moses’ arm of intercession was held up by two men of prayer – and God heard.

Enemy Attacks

This epic example of the enemy’s attack on the people of Israel is a lesson for us. The enemy will attack those that are weak or stray from the path of righteousness. In Deuteronomy 25 we see how the wily Amaleks struck down Israel’s weary stragglers.. an attack, calculated to happen when the people of God become tired or weary – an assault that can happen to any believer straying from the path of truth.

Satan’s Attacks

Satan will always seek to cut down God’s flock from the way of the Lord. Satan will attack when we’re drooping, flagging, indifferent or exhausted from life. Satan will seek to shipwreck us when we lose heart thru the problems of life we face. Satan will attempt to ambush any of us – all of us… when our guard is down – and sometimes it even seems that God is not acting the way we expect.

Word of the Lord

Sometimes it’s hard to understand the reason why God acts as He does. Often it’s confusing trying to figure out why God doesn’t act as we think He ought.. but all answers to all the questions we will ever have are settled in His Word – and the word of the Lord stands fast forever and is eternally settled in heaven.

Standing in the Gap

Moses was an intercessor whose primary interest was God’s interest. Moses stood in the gap as he prayed against the enemy of God’s people. Moses grasped the rod – his sword of the Spirit, to attack the enemy, Amalek. But like Moses, intercessors of today can become weak and discouraged – and the consequence is that the enemy sneaks in with his viscous bombardment. We can read of the attack on the Israelites in Deuteronomy 25:18. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.

Example for our Learning

So why did God not completely destroy this enemy of His people? Why, centuries later, do we discover this same foe, continuing its savage assaults? Well, one reason is that God uses Israel as an example for our learning, Scripture’s historical record lets us discover the truth that our God is faithful.

Generation to Generation

Scripture lets us know that the secret hand of the Lord fights against the enemy. God’s mighty power works from generation to generation as we see in Exodus 14: God caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and made it difficult to drive so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel and get away, for the LORD is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

God’s Mighty Strength

God’s mighty strength is just as powerful and potent today as in past generations. No matter when or how the enemy attacks – God works secretly in our time too. God has a sovereign plan and a purpose – which is laid out in the Scripture. It is a perfect plan – written in eternity past,

God’s Mighty Plan

It is a plan that is purposed after the council of God's own will. It is planned and purposed – to bring about all things in and thru Christ. It is a plan and purpose that will soon be brought to final fruition. And God in His grace is permitting us to participate in His plan – through prayer.

All-Prayer

Like Moses, we too can become faint and weary, discouraged or disillusioned, and as in the time of Amalek, the enemy watches for any weak link in our armour. But we can intercede like Moses, Aaron, and Hur – in this brutal battle of the ages. We can use “all-prayer” with thanksgiving – against the enemy’s onslaught. We can hold aloft the rod of God’s power – our sword of the Spirit of Christ. We too can hold up each other's hands in prayer – in this battle to the death.

Eternal Word of God

Sometimes it’s hard to understand the reason why God acts as He does. Often it’s confusing trying to figure out why God doesn’t act the way we think He ought, but all answers to all the questions we will ever have – are settled in His Word.. and the Word of the Lord is eternal and stands firm in heaven – forever.

Christ – All in All

The evil behind the hand of Amalek must be fought from generation to generation, until all things are brought together in Christ – and Christ is all and in all. Like Moses, Esther, and others – let us take up the gauntlet at such a time as this, Let us lift up the arm of prayer – for our the Lord our God is mighty to save.