Trials in this life are not the exception; they are the norm. Judges
3:1 tells us that God purposely left enemies in the land in order to test
Israel so they would learn how to fight battles. Sometimes the enemy doesn’t
fight fair. He seems to take pleasure in
hitting us when we are down, when we’re weak, weary and have no strength.
This happened to the Israelites as they came out of Egypt
(Ex. 17). Amalek attacked God’s people
from behind. They went after the
stragglers in the group, the ones that were weak and exhausted. Moses called on Joshua to lead the Israelites
into battle while he stationed himself on top of a hill to pray. As Moses lifted his hands and prayed, the Israelites
triumphed in the battle. In the end, God won the battle for His people.
After the battle was over God told Moses to write this
account in a book as a permanent reminder that when we fight under God’s
power and strength we will be victorious (Ex. 17:14). He told the people in Deut. 25:17-19:
"Never forget what the Amalekites did to you as you came from Egypt. They attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they struck down those who were straggling behind. They had no fear of God. Therefore, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies in the land he is giving you as a special possession, you must destroy the Amalekites and erase their memory from under heaven. Never forget this! "
Four hundred years later, God kept His promise. When the Israelites were at rest in the land
that He had given them, God told King Saul to go and attack the Amalekites and
utterly destroy them (1 Samuel 15:2-3).
God
keeps His promises. God says, there will always be war and we shouldn’t be
surprised by it. But, just like He enabled the Israelites to win the
battle, He will give you His power and strength to win the battles of your life
and to walk in victory. Therefore, look to the Lord and
fight the good fight knowing you are not alone in the battlefield.
