Exodus 17:8-16.

"Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim., and Moses said to Joshua, "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses said to him and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hand became heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses build and altar and called its name, "The Lord is My Banner; for he said, "Because the Lord has sworn the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

The name Amalek means "dweller in the valley," and from what I have read the Amalekites appear to have been a strong and sturdy people, able to withstand the difficulties of living in the desert. Not many can live in the desert, yet this tribe which God says he will have war with from generation to generation was able to survive some of the worse conditions to live in. I believe this spirit is alive today, and when we walk through the valley, when we are having desert experiences, there is an enemy there that would have you believe he is stronger than the One who lives in you.

Throughout the Old Testament the Israelites fought with the Amalekites over and over again. Along with the Midianites they stole the seed that the Israelites planted before the Israelites could enjoy the fruit of their labor. God raised up Gideon then to fight them, Saul fought against them and many others. They seemed to always be there, being a threat to the children of God.

In the verse above, Moses, Aaron, Hur and Joshua all worked together to defeat them, although without the Lord's intervention, through the "rod" they would have lost the battle. Moses was a great leader, yet when coming against this enemy he needed help. Aaron and Hur held up his arms, Joshua fought the battle, and victory came.

Sometimes we go through things and we are okay to go through it by ourselves, but other battles are harder, and we need each other. Jesus needs to be the center of it all, for the battle belongs to the Lord, and He has given us each other to hold each other up when the battle is heated up against us. When we are coming up against this enemy we can get weary, we may not feel like we can even lift our arms to praise or to pray, that is when we need others to come along side and help us to hold our arms up. God knows the battle, He knows we have the victory, He has given us each other to encourage, support and lift one another up.

I know many of us are walking through such trials today. We are weary from the battle, it has been long and it has been hard BUT GOD has not left us, He has given us Jesus, THE GREAT SHEPHERD who holds the rod and the staff, the One who was lifted up for us, the One whose strength we need. He has also given us one another. He will bring someone or maybe a few someone's to hold us up when we are too weary to pray, to stand, and to even have faith.

SSometimes in the valley we don't always know the enemy we are fighting, yes we call him satan, but satan cannot be everywhere at one time, he is not GOD, but he has his helpers and they have names. I study the enemies of the Old Testament because I know the spirit of those enemies live today and come against us. Today I am taking authority over the Amalekite spirit that may be coming against you or me or anyone we know in the name of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH and I stand with you, holding you up in prayer and waiting to see the awesome victory of Jesus in your heart and in your lives.

Be strengthened in the Lord my friends and in the power of His might. You are loved.