When the Israelites went to war with Amalek (Ex 17), the Word gives us a picture of Moses on top of the hill praying over the battle. Every time Moses weakened and lowered his hands the battle shifted in favor of Amalek. But standing alongside of Moses were Aaron and Hur, Caleb’s Son, who would hold up Moses’ arms as he prayed and the battle would turn in favor of Israel. And as I thought about that the other day in the context of our continuing in prayer without ceasing, I remembered something that John Phillips said.
If we are truly entering into prayer, it can be the most tiring work there is. For Moses, his two friends lifted him up and made it possible for him to continue in prayer for Israel’s victory. But what we don’t realize about the picture is that God not only provided Moses with faithful friends, He provided the prophet with a priest (Aaron) and a prince (Hur), who were all anointed ministers, to guarantee the victory.
We need to remember that He has done the same for us when we are struggling in prayer. He has given us a prophet, priest and king in Jesus to hold us up. The One who sits in the seat of power in heaven, the One who continually intercedes for us with the Father to guarantee our victory down here. He is the One who has given us His Spirit to strengthen us and yet we so often feel weak and alone in our prayer life.
The next time that I am struggling in prayer over one of life’s battles I will be looking at a new picture. One of Jesus, my prophet, priest and king, standing behind me with his hands on my arms, holding me up and encouraging me to continue and fight the good fight of faith and reminding me that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it!
And His promise to me is that if I will press on to His high calling, He will be faithful to see that I continue to be transformed into His image. And at every challenge along the way He will hold me up because when I am weak, He is strong.