"But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.' And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, 'The Lord Is My Banner' (Jehovah Nissi), saying, 'A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'" (Exodus 17:8-16)

Prayer

Lord, open our minds today to see how corrupt our flesh truly is. Deliver us from the bondage of our flesh, so that through You, we may overcome it—overcome the Amalekites within us. Lord, do Your wondrous work in us. Lead us, so that we may live out the image of God, the faith of Israel, and the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Lord, raise us up to put to death the misdeeds of the flesh. Build Your glorious church in this generation, in complete unity with Jesus Christ. Lord, lead us today. Let us see Your banner of victory and understand the great hope of Your calling. Let us know the immense power within You—the very power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Let us realize that through You, broken and wretched as we are, we can be transformed into people who please You. Grant us this grace. Enable us to fight continuously, to put to death the deeds of the flesh, and to triumph through You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Scriptural Background

You see, once the Israelites left Egypt, their history became a record of endless complaining. They marched out, only to find themselves trapped by the Red Sea. This is human nature. When they left Egypt, they witnessed God's power. Yet, within two or three days at the Red Sea, they had completely forgotten it.

Do you know what the Egyptian army looked like? The sheer muscle—abs, chests, biceps, calves—and the weapons they held. It was an intimidating sight, wasn't it? Think of a modern military parade, and you get the picture. Then you look at Pharaoh in his royal headgear. Good grief! Now look at our side: Moses, an old man. Could this old man Moses possibly defeat Pharaoh?

In those days, a king had to be a warrior, a champion fighter, highly formidable. Look at the Israelites, then look at the Egyptian army. It defies logic. The mighty Egyptian army could not defeat a crowd of unarmed refugees. Not only did they escape Egypt, but who did it? God did it! God struck down all their firstborn in one clean sweep. If He hadn't done that, do you think Pharaoh would have let them go? Not only did they leave, but the Egyptians practically forced their gold and silver into the hands of the Israelites.

When the Spirit of God moved, the Egyptians were paralyzed with fear. They threw their wealth at them: "Take it, take it, take it! My son is dead, just get out!" That is exactly what happened. Now, here is the absurdity: if they could escape like that, did they really think they couldn't cross the Red Sea? Yet, they stood by the Red Sea and complained. After they complained, God's mighty arm parted the sea, and they crossed on dry ground.

And then what? Once they crossed, everything seemed fine, right? Moses summarized it perfectly: "The Lord is a warrior; He goes before us." The Egyptian army was buried at the bottom of the sea. Good heavens, God is powerful! I must say, Pharaoh must have been out of his mind. What was he thinking, trying to fight God? He was utterly foolish, and he paid the price.

Now, after crossing the Red Sea, you would think their faith was established, wouldn't you? Logically, it should have been. But no. When they ran out of water at Marah and found it bitter, what did they do? They complained. Let me ask you: if God could handle the Egyptian army and part the Red Sea, could He not solve a water problem? Yet, they whined. Their complaints were incredibly irritating. Frankly, it is a good thing I am not God. With my limited patience, I would have crushed these ungrateful people on the spot.

But God is long-suffering. Why is it so hard for people to believe? Was the water problem that difficult? No, but having faith is what people find difficult. Yet, God did not destroy them. He made the water drinkable. But did they learn? No, they forgot again. When they reached the Wilderness of Sin, they ran out of food. The Israelites complained again: "In Egypt, we sat by pots of meat. Why did we come to this wilderness?" I see many people today acting the same way: "I was doing fine before I believed in Christ." If you were doing so well, why did you come to church in the first place? You came because you were stuck, because you hit a wall. It wasn't that your past was great; you are just in the habit of complaining. The moment a problem arises, you complain. Let me tell you, many Christians behave in exactly the same pathetic manner.

So God rained down manna from heaven, and what else? Quail. They gorged themselves on quail until the meat literally came out of their nostrils. Good grief, had they never seen meat before? Many died as a result. After this stage, they arrived at Rephidim. Once again, there was no water, and once again, they complained. Unbelievable. So God told Moses to strike the rock with his staff, and water gushed out.

Today, people travel to Mount Sinai in Egypt to see these ancient sites. It looks real enough. I watched it on video—much more convenient to sit on a sofa and press a button. Now, after all this complaining at Rephidim, let me ask you: were these Israelites pathetic or what? They were utterly hopeless. Then the Amalekites came to attack them. Yet, God caused the Amalekites to be defeated and gave the Israelites victory. This passage is highly intriguing.

Joshua chose some men to fight, while Moses went up the hill. When Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed. It was a supernatural phenomenon. In the end, they slaughtered the king of Amalek and his people. Let us not debate the morality of this. If you are a non-believer, you might think God is cruel for killing so many people. If you look at it from that angle, we will never reach an understanding, and I have no interest in explaining it. Does God not have the sovereign right to wipe out a group of people? Not only does He have the right, but He can do so at any moment today.

There is a mystery in this battle. The mystery is that Moses stood on the hill, and the moment he raised his hands, they won. Let me ask you: was Joshua powerful, or was Moses' hand powerful? Obviously, it was Moses' hand. His hand represented raising the banner of God. In warfare, raising the flag is the signal to attack; lowering it is the signal to retreat. Therefore, the Lord is our banner of victory.

This raises an interesting question: who actually fought the battle? Was it Moses, or was it Joshua leading the Israelites? It certainly was not because Joshua had superior weapons, nor because the Israelites had advanced military hardware. It was because when Moses raised his hands on the hill, something happened in the spiritual realm. In the spiritual realm, hosts of angels and heavenly armies fought on behalf of Israel.

The moment his hands dropped, the heavenly armies retreated. When they retreated, the Amalekites counter-attacked. That is how it worked. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must understand that all battles are fought in the spiritual realm. Do you understand? If the victory is won in the spiritual realm, defeat in the physical world is impossible. We must fight our battles in the spiritual realm. It is highly effective.

A few days ago, I heard a story. One of our sisters was ministering to another sister who suffered from depression and fear—essentially, a very weak Christian. She led her in prayer for two or three hours every single day. They prayed and prayed, and something remarkable happened. Previously, this sister faced immense challenges at work. The employees she managed were incredibly difficult, constantly throwing tantrums and emotional fits. It was a nightmare to manage.

But once the spiritual victory was won, things changed. She returned to work, and her performance metrics shot up. Even though her execution wasn't perfect, her sales figures improved. She was managing private domain traffic, and not only did her numbers go up, but the emotions of her staff suddenly stabilized. The problems vanished.

Let me tell you a hard truth: if you do not win in the spiritual realm, you can work yourself to the bone, but you will still be crushed by the Amalekites. Do you understand? If your workplace is full of endless trouble, that is exactly why. It is to show you that you cannot win by your own strength. Your two hands are no match for the thousands of hands of this world. So what is the solution? You must win in the spirit first. If you do not, you will have endless trouble. If you choose the worldly way, trying one tactic today and another tomorrow, you will face an endless stream of unresolved problems. This sister's experience is not unique; many of our brothers and sisters have experienced the exact same thing.

Another cell group leader of mine works in sales. While she was actively serving, casting out demons, and leading prayers, what happened? Out of nowhere, she closed a major deal. It is remarkable. Remember, everything in this physical world depends on spiritual victory. If you are spiritually stagnant, you can try all the tricks you want, but the Amalekites will leave you battered and bruised. This is not a joke.

Where is victory found? It is found in the spiritual realm. It is in the hands of our God. If you please God, let me ask you: can anything stand against Him? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So when Moses raised his hands on the hill, the battle was won. It is as simple as that. We are fighting a spiritual war.

Some of our brothers and sisters tell me that they closed sales deals because of God. Does God care about these things? Yes, He cares about every single detail of your life. This is the background of this passage. Moses held up his hands until sunset, and Joshua defeated the king of Amalek and his army.

But look at the Israelites afterward. They were still the same ragged, complaining crowd. Yet, this complaining crowd defeated the Amalekites. Why? Not because of their own merit, but because Moses held up his hands on the hill. Some brothers and sisters say, "I am in a victorious church." Remember, winning the battle is only the beginning. Why? Because the Israelites did not actually learn the lesson of faith. The faith that won the battle was Moses' faith, which sustained the army. Only when you personally learn faith do you become someone who pleases God. Do you understand this?

Consequently, even though they defeated the Amalekites, this generation wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died there. They never learned the lesson. The only thing they mastered was complaining. Whenever they faced a challenge, they failed to trust God, running around in a frantic panic instead. What is the point of being busy and stressed if you do not have victory? This is the lesson we must learn.

Why did God do this? Let me ask you: why did God bring the Amalekites? Yes, God brought them; they did not just show up by chance. First, He wanted to address their complaining. You like to complain? Fine, here come the Amalekites. Let's see if you still have time to complain. Second, God wanted to teach them a lesson through Moses' raised hands. What was the lesson? How powerful God is.

Let me tell you why the humble rejoice when they hear this. Humility is not about acting meek; it is recognizing that God is all-powerful and that you are nothing. That is true humility. If you think that because you cannot do something, God cannot do it either, that is not humility—that is sheer arrogance. How do you know what God can or cannot do? Do you think you are the gold standard of the universe? You are not. Just because you do not know how to do something does not mean it cannot be done. You might not know how to build AI, but DeepSeek does, OpenAI does. The little you do know is hardly worth boasting about in this world.

Understand this: your victory may have very little to do with your personal merit. However, through this victory, you must learn a fundamental lesson—how to walk the path of faith. Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul have set the precedent. We must follow it. Do not make the foolish assumption that merely belonging to a "victorious church" guarantees your success. It is useless. What became of those people in the past? They perished in the wilderness. Do you wish to be among those Christians who die in the wilderness?

When a man lacks faith, God may tolerate him N times, but there is no guarantee of an N+1th time. Is that clear? God can exercise patience repeatedly. He tolerated your grumbling at the Red Sea, at Marah, in the Wilderness of Sin, and at Rephidim, along with countless other complaints. But at the threshold of the Promised Land, if you still lack faith, if you are paralyzed by fear and cowardice, then you will simply perish in the wilderness.

Warfare with Amalek from Generation to Generation

Who is Amalek? The Amalekites are the descendants of Esau. Who are the Israelites? They are the descendants of Jacob. These two were twin brothers, born of the same womb. Yet, one was cursed, and the other was blessed. What does this symbolize? It represents two opposing forces within every individual: one is Amalek, the other is Israel.

What does Israel signify? Israel is the name bestowed by God, meaning "one who strives with God and with men and prevails." Is that understood? Who then is Esau, the ancestor of Amalek? Esau lived by his sword, relying entirely on his own physical strength. This curse culminated in Amalek, who represents the purely carnal, fleshly man.

What, then, is the meaning of a Christian's lifelong warfare against Amalek? It is the internal conflict between our spiritual nature and our carnal nature. This is not a battle between God and demons. Dealing with demons is relatively simple; when Peter and the twelve disciples went out to cast them out, it was child's play. But putting to death the deeds of the flesh—that is a grim and rigorous struggle. Yet, despite how pathetic the Israelites were, God ensured their victory over Amalek.

What does this demonstrate? It demonstrates that we must rely on the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh. The carnal nature must be broken. What must we destroy? The lusts and passions of the flesh. Consider the Israelites' incessant grumbling and negative energy—complaining about one thing today and another tomorrow, always self-righteous, convinced that they alone possess the truth. They complain about everything, and consequently, they never overcome.

If you persist in this behavior, the Amalekites will inevitably attack. This is a natural consequence. You must realize that to enter the Promised Land, you must pass the test of Amalek. If you cannot defeat Amalek, you cannot wage effective warfare. Is that clear? You will find it impossible to enter the Promised Land.

Therefore, I want every brother and sister to examine themselves honestly: how much of Amalek remains within you? I say Amalek, not acrylic. How much of the flesh still dominates you? If you do not put to death the deeds of the flesh—and this is the unyielding logic of the New Testament—you cannot enter the Kingdom of God. The flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. This is the precise meaning of the perpetual warfare against Amalek.

This is a Spiritual Warfare

How do we put the flesh to death? It requires spiritual warfare. First, we must have faith. When Moses raised his hands, Joshua prevailed. Was Joshua winning by his own military prowess? No, Joshua was merely executing the physical actions. This was a spiritual battle. The force behind Amalek is the devil. When Moses raised his hands, the heavenly hosts went to war. You may say you did not see them. Indeed, there are many realities invisible to your eyes. Let us not be foolish; your physical sight is a poor measure of reality.

How is victory secured? It is secured by God's triumph in the spiritual realm. When the heavenly hosts fight on our behalf, the devil and the flesh are easily dealt with. Therefore, from this moment on, rely on the Holy Spirit to put to death the flesh within us—to eradicate the Amalek within. This is a spiritual campaign; do not rely on carnal means. Sometimes when I urge you to use your understanding, you reduce it to carnal intellect. It has nothing to do with your physical strength, your IQ, or your personality. This is strictly a spiritual conflict.

Spiritual warfare is waged by faith. We may be deeply flawed, but we do not rely on ourselves. Precisely because we are flawed, we desperately need God to secure our victory. If you possess this resolve, I assure you, victory is inevitable. Do not despair. You may have suffered setbacks against Amalek because you relied on your own strength. Today, you must rely on God.

Let me offer you a highly practical recommendation: engage in extensive prayer in tongues. Test this method. Through intensive prayer in tongues, you will receive spiritual stamina and strength. Do you understand now? God is our strength. How do we draw upon this strength? By praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit is communicating directly with God, speaking divine mysteries. Therefore, rise up today to wage this spiritual campaign, and you will find that your personal problems are remarkably solvable. Laziness, for instance, is a carnal trait—it is pure Amalek. Foolishness is likewise the result of carnal logic.

God is Our Banner of Victory

My brothers and sisters, if you are willing to trust and rely on God, He will guarantee your victory, for He is your banner. Today, raise your hands. Emulate Moses. Raise your hands to praise God, wage war through prayer, and put to death the deeds of the flesh. You may find these words familiar. Indeed, we declare this vision and mission every Sunday; there is no cause for surprise. It is entirely expected that you still harbor carnal tendencies, for by nature you are carnal.

God is our banner of victory. Raise your hands, be strong, and trust in Him alone. Admittedly, we may not look like a victorious army. We may appear ragged and undisciplined, much like the ancient Israelites. When we look in the mirror, we do not look like overcomers or the army of God. But that is irrelevant. God will still grant you victory over Amalek, over your grumbling, over your carnal mind, and over your laziness and lack of discipline.

The Israelites remained undisciplined, hesitant, and prone to grumbling. It is precisely because of our flaws that we desperately need God. Leaving Egypt required God; crossing the Red Sea required God; obtaining food and water required God; and defeating Amalek required God. Thank God, with Him there is no defeat. Once victory is secured, what must we do? We must subdue our carnal deeds, and our grumbling will cease. Grumbling is a distinct mark of carnality.

"The Lord is my Banner"—this was the ultimate conclusion of Moses' life. At Rephidim, after defeating the Amalekites, Moses finally realized that victory did not depend on his own strength, but on spiritual warfare and the power of God. Jehovah is our banner; we must trust Him for life. If you face persistent trouble in your workplace, wage spiritual warfare. If your household is plagued by constant friction and misfortune, wage spiritual warfare. You desperately need victory, and you need this banner. Do not fall behind. Rise up and march with God's army.

These Amalekite habits within us are highly destructive. My brothers and sisters, Amalek resides within you; it seeks to destroy you and wage war against you. In this moment, you must choose: will you wage a spiritual war or a carnal one? The Amalekites are the epitome of those who rely solely on their own strength and swords to survive.

If you examine yourself and realize you behave like an Amalekite, remember this: God will wage war against Amalek from generation to generation, and He will blot out their memory. Do you wish to be identified with Amalek? It is absurd for a Christian to gradually drift and end up on the side of Amalek. What kind of discipleship is that? How does one fight a war only to end up fighting for the enemy? It is a farce.

Do Not Rely on Your Own Works

The hard truth is that we desperately need victory. When we look at ourselves, we do not resemble overcomers. But let us be honest: are we victorious today? No, we are not. What works, then, can we present before God? None.

Our only recourse is to say, "God, I trust in You; You are my banner of victory." It is a fallacy to believe we must reform ourselves before approaching God, claiming we are righteous. In God's eyes, our self-righteousness is utterly inadequate. Do not fall into this trap. The most damaging theology is the reliance on self-effort and works. I tell you plainly, the Book of James presents a highly problematic perspective in this regard. It is an impractical standard that cannot be met.

Consider this: if you are terminally ill and incapacitated, what works can you perform? If you wait until you can perform works, you will be dead. It is impossible. It is only by faith, by claiming God's promises, that you are restored to life. Many of us have survived solely by God's grace. Why then would you revert to relying on your own works and walk back into a curse? Do not take that path. Anyone who relies on the works of the law is under a curse.

Let us analyze the facts: the Book of James was written because James was deeply unsettled by the Epistle to the Galatians. If you compare the two texts, James is a direct, adversarial response to Paul's Galatians. They are diametrically opposed. You must choose either Galatians or James; they cannot be reconciled. Was Abraham flawed? Yes, he was. Yet, through faith, he established the path of faith. Do not rely on your own works. Were the Israelites flawed? They were highly undisciplined, yet God granted them victory because Moses stood on the hill with raised hands, and the heavenly hosts fought for them. Therefore, abandon self-reliance. The more flawed we are, the more desperately we need faith and reliance on God.

Is that clear? God does not reject you because of your flaws. His purpose is to rescue you from your pathetic state. What a benevolent God! I will trust Him all my life. He helped me when I was at my lowest. Now that I have made some progress, do I have cause to boast? Absolutely not. I remain far below God's standard. But that is irrelevant; day by day, I will claim God's promises until I reflect His image.

Our God is our deliverer, and today He is our banner of victory. Even in your weakness, God will grant you victory. Therefore, give glory to Him and praise Him continually. Just as in the days of Moses, the Amalekites were defeated, and a flawed people prevailed. Why? Because it was a spiritual battle.

Faith is the Foundation of Victory

Simply believe. You may have offended God N times, but do not risk an N+1th time. You do not know if that next opportunity will ever come. Begin to believe, turn back to God, and do not repeat the mistakes of the Israelites. God extended grace to them repeatedly, yet they refused to enter the Promised Land. Why? Because of fear. They foolishly believed they were fighting in their own strength, viewing themselves as cannon fodder. That is a fallacy; God fights for you. If you have faith, you will prevail. The logic is simple: if we rely on ourselves, we will face nothing but defeat.

Why have you achieved nothing? Because you lack faith. Why do you suffer constant defeat? Because you lack faith, relying instead on your own sword. Today, you must change your strategy. Rely on God, which means to have faith. Stop obsessing over your flaws; they are irrelevant. Simply believe that Jehovah is our banner of victory. Once this banner is raised, the heavenly hosts will march ahead of us. When the banner is lifted high, victory is assured.

Amen. May God bless you all.