Introduction

We continue our discourse on the theology of victorious warfare. This theology is critical. Many problems in the church arise because we refuse to fight. Even when we do fight, if we do not win, we face endless trouble. Let me tell you plainly: Jehovah is our banner of victory. This is our fourth lecture on the theology of victorious warfare: Jehovah Nissi—The Lord is Our Banner. Do you know where this phrase comes from? It was spoken by Moses in the Book of Exodus. It is, in fact, a brilliant, concise summary of Moses' profound understanding of God.

Consider the Israelites when they left Egypt. What did they look like? Can you picture it? It was certainly not like Donald Trump inspecting a guard of honour in China. Far from it. They looked like a rabble in rags—dishevelled, impoverished, wearing tattered clothes and broken hats. It was a grim sight. After a lifetime of slavery, what else could you expect them to have? They were a ragged crowd, some picking their noses, others rubbing dirt off their skin. That was the reality.

If you have ever seen a proper military parade, and then you look at these Israelites leaving Egypt, you would understand Moses' utter bewilderment. Moses must have said, "Lord, spare me. Is this truly Your army?" They looked nothing like it. Yet, it was this very rabble, under Moses' leadership, that defeated the mighty army of Pharaoh. Is that not remarkable? It is. Moses himself was astonished. Once they crossed the Red Sea, Moses declared: "The Lord is a warrior."

When we say "The Lord is a warrior," we mean it was not the Israelites doing the fighting. How did they ever become the army of the Lord? They did not look the part at all. Was Moses confused? Absolutely. I tell you, it was the same when I first established this church. We looked nothing like a disciplined, victorious army; we looked like a band of beggars. How does such a crowd win? They win solely by relying on God.

I often wonder: did God do this on purpose? Indeed, He did. If the Israelites had marched out of Egypt looking sharp, dressed in immaculate, splendid uniforms like a ceremonial guard, we would have no hope. We would be utterly disqualified. But thank God, such a ragged group could defeat Pharaoh's army. This means there is hope for us.

Look at our church today. Do not be complacent. I must be frank with you: our attitude is often lacking; we are loose and undisciplined. It is shocking. Yet, thank God, it is precisely this undisciplined crowd that constitutes the army of the Lord. We are intellectually average and physically weak. If this is true of our present state, it was infinitely worse in the early days. Make no mistake: our early days resembled the Israelites fleeing Egypt.

Although we claim to be a victorious, fighting church, our victory is never due to our own performance. Absolutely not. It is God who gives us the victory. Understand this: God goes before us. Looking back, the one I am most grateful to in my life is God, and He is the one I desire to praise above all. Not because we did well, but because we were thoroughly incompetent. We were truly a mess.

When we first started the church, did we have courses on healing and deliverance? No. Did we have training on how to study the Bible? No. All of that was added much later. Did we have a "101 Course"? We had nothing. We were simply groping blindly in the vast ocean of theology. We would grab a random concept, think it was good, find a book, and try to apply it. Good heavens, we created an absolute mess in the church.

Yet, despite the chaos we created, the results were remarkable. The church was neither united nor holy, but our deliverance ministry was highly effective. We had nothing but sheer audacity. We took a few brothers and sisters and stormed psychiatric hospitals. When some of our students were committed to mental institutions, we went in with our young believers, and they were actually delivered.

I recall a student of mine who was bound hand and foot by the police, looking absolutely demonic. She was brought in and tied to a bed—a terrifying sight. Her eyes were bulging; she was clearly possessed. A few of us held hands and prayed fervently, babbling in tongues. And to our amazement, the demon was cast out. At that time, we only knew one thing: God would give us victory. Where that faith came from, I do not know, but we stumbled into success. The demon left, the hospital cleared her of mental illness, and she returned home. Later, she was admitted again, we cast the demon out again, and she was released once more. Let me describe the reception area of the psychiatric hospital where we did this.

The patients there wore hospital gowns. When they came out, their faces bore the unmistakable mark of demonic oppression. Yet, right there in the hospital reception area, we prayed for deliverance. The demons left. I was astonished. How could a church so flawed, with so many problems, achieve such victories?

The truth is, it was not our victory, but God's. It was not because we were good, but because our God is good. It was not our competence, but our God—the God of salvation, our banner of victory. It was overwhelming. Back then, we operated on sheer passion, simply outlasting the devil by one minute. If you listen to the older version of my "102 Course" on how to minister healing and deliverance like Jesus, you will see that raw, stubborn determination. We had little understanding, but we resolved to hold on just one minute longer than the demon.

Surprisingly, this concept of "outlasting the devil by one minute" spread widely. One day, someone called me and said, "Pastor, we simply held on for one minute longer than the demon, and I was healed! I used to practice all sorts of spiritual exercises that invited demons, but now they are all gone, completely defeated." He was amazed and encouraged.

I told him, "You still need spiritual understanding." But gaining that understanding is difficult. Nevertheless, the demons were cast out. It proves that our victory does not depend on our goodness, but on God's goodness. How wonderful it is to trust Him all our lives. Never abandon this mindset. Do you hear me? Even if you have improved, do not change this attitude. Always tell God: "I am never good enough." It is our God who goes before us to fight our battles.

Do not think that because we have progressed, we no longer need God's grace. From now until eternity, we must believe that God fights and wins for us. He is our banner of victory. My topic today is "Jehovah is Our Banner of Victory." This was true during the Exodus, and it remains true today. This is not an excuse for complacency; rather, it is the very catalyst for our growth. The most destructive theological fallacy in this world is the belief that we can approach God based on our own works.

Do you understand? What do your works show? Only a ragged laborer, dirty and unkempt. The most toxic theology is to believe we are good enough to deserve God's grace. Worse still is the delusion that we are doing God a favor by helping Him. That is the ultimate corruption. Whenever you see a pastor trying to "help" God, you know disaster is imminent. Mark my words.

Therefore, we must thank God that Abraham was flawed; otherwise, we would have no chance. Isaac and Jacob were flawed, which gives us hope. The twelve disciples chosen by Jesus were thoroughly inadequate, yet that is precisely why we have an opportunity. If these men had been perfect, where would we stand? Would we ever be chosen? We would be disqualified. Thank God for their imperfections.

Jesus trained twelve disciples. Do you think they were exemplary? He trained them for about three months and then sent them out to cast out demons. In truth, deliverance is the simplest task in the Christian faith. Why did it take three months? Even after three years, those disciples were still highly flawed. As Jesus was preparing for the crucifixion, they were busy arguing over who was the greatest and who would sit at His right hand.

Their minds were completely cluttered with nonsense. They ignored all of Jesus' teachings and remained in their pathetic state. If three years yielded so little, what do you expect from three months? At three months, they were useless. Yet, when these twelve went out to cast out demons, they returned astonished. Their surprise mirrored my own in the early days: "Even the demons submit to us!" Jesus promptly corrected their pride: it was not their doing, but God's. God was going before them.

My brothers and sisters, you must understand this: casting out many demons proves nothing about your own merit. It proves only one thing—our God is the banner of our victory. Do not take credit for it. To do so is fatal. Do not think, "I have done well." It is not about you. The seventy disciples who followed later were no different.

When I first read the Scriptures, I was troubled by how flawed the disciples were. Later, I realized: thank God they were flawed, for it gives us a chance. This is God's design. He is the God who gives us victory. In Exodus, the Israelites were a complaining lot, murmuring constantly. Yet, their victory over the Amalekites revealed a fundamental truth: Jehovah is our banner of victory. Do you understand?

God gives us victory. It is not by your power or mine, but by His. He goes before us, shielding us, so that we may trust Him completely. Do not take His grace for granted; cherish it. Do not fear or panic. Your weakness is not an obstacle; indeed, it is because of your weakness that God helps you. If you were perfect, you would have no need of Him. God gives you grace, and attention to detail is the foundation. Do you understand?

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, it was his faith that sustained the entire congregation. The Israelites themselves were a disorganized rabble. The goal was for them to inherit Moses' faith and become warriors of faith. Jesus Christ did the same; His faith sustained the disciples, with the expectation that they would follow His example. Later, in building the church, it was Paul's faith that sustained the ministry, so that we might emulate him.

I thank God that there is a people here willing to emulate Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul, drawing upon God's grace. Come forward by faith alone. If you are weak, tell God: "I am weak, but You are still the God of my victory." Begin to emulate them. Every victory is an act of grace, a catalyst for change, and an exercise in faith. Let us build our faith today. This truth remains absolute and unchanging.

In the spiritual realm, God has prepared a great salvation for us. He holds the keys of Death and Hades. He has granted us victory, empowering us to trample upon the devil, snakes, and scorpions. Who can stand against us? We are God's disciplined army, raising the banner of victory in Christ Jesus, overcoming all obstacles. We are changing history, reforming church theology, and impacting this generation.

Look at this people who trust in God—a victorious army of soldiers who believe that Jehovah is our banner of victory. We are changing history. I tell you, the Mingding Doctrine will have a far greater impact on future generations than Martin Luther's theology. Luther's theology was not a theology of victory. What we believe is the theology of victorious warfare.

Arise! No matter what circumstances you face, God can and will give you victory. Do not give up. You may say, "Pastor, I was complaining just yesterday." Yes, the Israelites complained too. But having seen God's grace, will you continue to complain? You must eradicate this bad habit of complaining. Stop being a source of negative energy; become a force for good.

Scripture

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.

When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. He said, "Because hands were lifted up against[c] the throne of the Lord,[d] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:8-16)

Prayer

God, open our minds today to see how utterly corrupt our flesh is. Deliver us from the bondage of our flesh. By Your power, let us overcome the flesh and defeat the Amalekites within us. God, 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.

God, You will surely raise us up to put to death the misdeeds of the body, to build Your glorious church in this generation, in complete unity with Jesus Christ. God, 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 know that by relying on You, we—corrupt and broken as we are—will be transformed into people who please You. Grant us this grace 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 know the history of the Israelites after they left Egypt. It is a history of constant complaining. They left Egypt, marched on, and found themselves trapped by the Red Sea. This is typical human behavior. 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, was it not? If you look at a modern military honor guard and compare it to the Egyptian army, they were much the same. And look at Pharaoh with his headgear, flanked by blue embroidered patterns. Good heavens! Now look at our side: Moses, an old man. Could this old man Moses defeat Pharaoh?

In those days, a king had to be a champion fighter, a highly skilled warrior. Look at our Israelites, and then look at the Egyptian soldiers. It defies logic. The Egyptian army could not even handle a crowd of unarmed civilians. Not only did they escape Egypt, but who did it? God did it! God swiftly struck down all their firstborn. If He had not done that, do you think Pharaoh would have let the Israelites 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. They said, "Take it, take it, take it! My son is dead, just leave!" That was the reality. Now, here is the absurdity: if they could escape like that, why did they think they could not cross the Red Sea? Yet, they complained at the edge of the sea. After they complained, God's mighty arm parted the Red Sea, and the Israelites crossed on dry land.

And what happened next? Once they crossed, everything seemed fine. Moses summarized it in one sentence: "The Lord is a warrior; He goes before us." Then Pharaoh’s army was buried in the sea. Good heavens, God is powerful! I think Pharaoh must have been out of his mind. What was he doing trying to fight God? He must have had a screw loose. The result was total destruction.

After crossing the Red Sea, you would think their faith was established, wouldn't you? Logically, it should have been. But it was not. When they found no water at Marah, and the water there was bitter, 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 complained. Their words were incredibly irritating. Frankly, it is a good thing I am not God. With my limited patience, I would have crushed these useless people on the spot.

But God is long-suffering. Why is it so hard for people to believe in Him? Was the water problem that difficult? No. But for humans, having faith is extremely difficult. Yet, God did not destroy them. The water became drinkable, and what did they do? They forgot again. Then they reached the Wilderness of Sin, and there was no food. The Israelites complained again: "In Egypt, we sat by the pots of meat. Why did we come to this wilderness?" Many people today are exactly the same. They say, "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. You hit a wall. It is not that your past was good; you are simply habituated to complaining. The moment a problem arises, you complain. Let me tell you, Christians are often no different, behaving in 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 heavens, had they never seen meat before? As a result, many died. 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 quite real. Personally, I watched it on video. It is much better on video—you just sit on your sofa, press a button, and there it is. Now, after all this complaining at Rephidim, let me ask you: were these Israelites useless or not? They were worse than useless; they were rotten to the core. 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. This is a supernatural reality. 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 secular perspective, there is no common ground, and I have no interest in explaining it to you. Does God not have the sovereign right to wipe out a group of people? Not only does He have the right, but He can easily do the same to any group 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, you must raise the banner and shout. Why? Because the banner is the signal. When the banner is raised, you attack; when it is lowered, you retreat. Thus, the Lord is our banner of victory.

This is highly interesting. Was it Moses who fought the battle, or was it Joshua leading the Israelites? It was certainly not because Joshua had superior weapons, nor because the Israelites had advanced armaments. It was because when Moses raised his hands on the hill, something happened in the spiritual realm. In the spiritual realm, legions of angels and heavenly hosts were fighting on behalf of Israel.

The moment his hands lowered, the heavenly hosts saw it and retreated. Once they retreated, the Amalekites counter-attacked. That is how it worked. Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must understand that all battles are spiritual battles. Do you understand this? If victory is secured 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 continuously, and then something remarkable happened. Previously, this sister faced immense challenges at work. The employees she managed were extremely difficult to handle. They were highly emotional and prone to outbursts. It was a nightmare to manage.

But once victory was won in the spiritual battle, things changed. She returned to work, and her performance metrics shot up. Even though her execution was mediocre, her sales figures increased. She was managing private domain traffic, and not only did her sales rise, but the emotions of her subordinates suddenly stabilized. Her problems vanished.

Let me tell you a fundamental truth: if you do not win in the spirit, you can work yourself to death, but you will never defeat the Amalekites. Do you understand? If you face endless trouble at work, that is exactly why. It is to show you that you cannot win by your own hands. Your two hands can never compete with the thousands of hands of this world. So what must you do? You must win in the spirit first. If you fail in the spirit, 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. She was actively serving, casting out demons, and leading prayers. And what happened? Sales contracts started coming in, and she closed deals effortlessly. Good heavens, God is indeed miraculous! Remember, everything in this physical world depends on spiritual victory. If your spirit is weak, you can try all you want, but the Amalekites will beat you black and blue. This is no joking matter.

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. That is the reality. We are fighting a spiritual war.

Some of our brothers and sisters tell me that they secured their sales contracts 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 scripture. Moses held up his hands until sunset, and Joshua defeated the king of Amalek and his army.

Now look back at the Israelites. They were still the same ragged, complaining crowd, were they not? Yet, this complaining crowd managed to wipe out the Amalekites. It was not because of their own merit, but because Moses stood on the hill with his hands raised. Some brothers and sisters say, "I am in a victorious church." Remember, winning the battle is only the beginning. Why? Did the Israelites actually learn the lesson of faith? No. The faith belonged to Moses, and Moses' faith sustained the army. But if you learn faith for yourself, you become a person who pleases God. Do you understand?

In the end, although they defeated the Amalekites, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died there. They never learned the lesson. The only thing they mastered was complaining. When difficulties arose, they failed to trust God. They worked themselves into a frenzy, but what is the use of being busy if you do not have victory? This is the lesson we must learn.

Why did this happen? Let me tell you: why did God bring the Amalekites? Yes, God brought them; they did not just show up. First, He wanted to address their complaining. You like to complain? Go ahead, complain as much as you want. Now that the Amalekites are here, let us see if you still have time to complain. Second, God wanted to teach the Israelites a lesson through Moses raising his 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. Humility is recognizing that God is all-powerful and you are utterly inadequate. If you believe 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 yardstick of the universe? You are not. Just because you lack the capability does not mean others do. You may not know how to develop AI, but DeepSeek does, OpenAI does. Frankly, what little you do know is of no consequence in the real world.

Let us be clear. Your victory may have very little to do with your own effort. But through it, you must learn the lesson of victory and walk the path of faith. Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul have set the precedent before us; we must emulate them. Do not make the foolish mistake of concluding, "I belong to a victorious church." That is utterly useless. What became of those people in the past? They died in the wilderness. Do you want to be among those Christians who perish in the wilderness?

If 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 tolerate, tolerate, and tolerate. He tolerated your grumbling at the Red Sea, your complaints at Marah, your murmuring in the Wilderness of Sin, and your protests at Rephidim. He tolerated countless complaints. But before you enter the Promised Land, if you still lack faith, if you are paralyzed by fear and cowardice, then you will simply perish in the wilderness.

War 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 symbolizes two opposing forces within every individual: one is Amalek, the other is Israel.

What does Israel represent? Israel is the name given by God, meaning to strive with God and with men and prevail. Is that clear? Then who is Esau, and who are the Amalekites? Esau lived by his sword, relying entirely on his own hands. This curse reached its peak in Amalek—the purely carnal man.

What, then, does it mean for a Christian to wage war against Amalek throughout his life? It means the spiritual part of us is at war with our carnal nature. This is not a battle between God and demons. Dealing with demons is simple; when Peter and the twelve disciples cast out demons, it was child's play. But putting to death the deeds of the flesh—that is a grim and severe battle. Yet, despite how pathetic the Israelites were, God still granted them 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. Our carnal nature must be broken. What must we destroy? The carnal passions and desires. Look at the Israelites: their constant grumbling, their toxic negativity, complaining about one thing today and another tomorrow, always self-righteous. They act as if they are the sole arbiters of truth, complaining about everything and failing to overcome.

If you persist in this behavior, the Amalekites will inevitably come. This is a natural consequence. You must understand that to enter the Promised Land, you must pass the test of Amalek. If you cannot overcome Amalek, you cannot fight the larger battles. Is that clear? You will never enter the Promised Land.

Therefore, I want you to examine yourselves closely: how much of Amalek remains in 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 hard logic of the New Testament—you cannot enter the Kingdom of God. The flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. This is precisely what the perpetual war against Amalek represents.

This is a Spiritual War

How do we put the flesh to death? This is a spiritual war. First, we must have faith. When Moses held up his hands, Joshua prevailed. Was Joshua winning by his own strength? No, Joshua was merely executing the physical actions. This was a spiritual battle. The spirit behind Amalek is the devil. When Moses raised his hands, the angelic hosts went to war. You say you cannot see them? There are many realities you cannot see. Let us not be foolish; your physical sight is a poor measure of reality.

How is victory achieved? It is achieved through God's triumph in the spiritual realm. When the angelic hosts fight for us, 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 destroy the Amalek within. This is a spiritual battle; do not rely on human effort. When I speak of understanding, do not reduce it to carnal intellect, physical strength, or personality traits. This is strictly a spiritual war.

Spiritual warfare is waged by faith. We may be deeply flawed, but we do not rely on ourselves. We are weak, and we desperately need God to secure our victory. If you have this resolve, I assure you, victory is guaranteed. Do not despair. You may have failed in past encounters with Amalek because you relied on your own strength. Today, you must rely on God.

Let me give you a highly practical piece of advice: pray extensively in tongues. Test this method. When you pray in tongues, you build up spiritual capacity 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. Arise today, fight this spiritual battle, and you will find that your personal struggles are easily resolved. Laziness, for instance, is a carnal trait—it is pure Amalek. The flesh is inherently lazy. Foolishness is another product of carnal logic.

God is Our Banner of Victory

Brothers and sisters, if you are willing to trust in God and rely on Him, He will ensure your victory, for He is your banner of victory. Lift up your hands today. Emulate Moses. Lift up your hands to praise God, wage war through prayer, and put to death the deeds of the flesh. You may find these words familiar. We declare this vision and mission every Sunday; there is no reason to be surprised.

It is a fact that you still harbor carnal desires. That is to be expected; you are, by nature, carnal. But God is our banner of victory. Lift up your hands, be strong, and trust Him implicitly. Granted, we do not look like a victorious army. We look ragged and undisciplined—much like the ancient Israelites. When we look in the mirror, we do not look like conquerors 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 a slack, hesitant, and complaining people. It is precisely because of our flaws that we desperately need God. Leaving Egypt required God; crossing the Red Sea required God; water and food required God; and defeating Amalek required God. Thank God, there is no failure with Him. What must we do after securing victory? We must subdue our carnal deeds, and our grumbling will cease. Grumbling is a clear symptom of carnality.

"The Lord is my Banner"—this was the ultimate conclusion of Moses' life. At Rephidim, after defeating Amalek, Moses finally understood that victory did not depend on his own strength, but on spiritual warfare and the power of God. Jehovah was his banner of victory, and he trusted Him for life. If you face relentless trouble in your workplace, wage spiritual war. If your home is plagued by constant friction and misfortune, wage spiritual war. You desperately need victory, and you desperately need this banner. Do not fall behind. Arise and march with the army of God.

These Amalekite habits within us are highly destructive. Make no mistake, Amalek is within you, seeking to destroy you and wage war against you. But you have a choice: will you fight a spiritual war or a carnal war? The Amalekites are the classic example of people who rely solely on their own hands and swords to survive.

If you look in the mirror and realize you are an Amalekite, understand this: God will wage war against Amalek from generation to generation, and He will blot out his name. Do you want to be identified with Amalek? What kind of Christian starts on the path of faith but ends up in the camp of Amalek? How did you manage to defect to the enemy? To fight the battle only to realize you have become Amalek is an absolute absurdity.

Do Not Rely on Your Own Works

I tell you, we desperately need victory. When we look in the mirror, we do not look like overcomers, which only underscores our need for victory. But let us be honest: are we victorious today? No, we are not. What works, then, can we present before God? None. Do not even try.

Our only recourse is to say, "God, I trust in You; You are my banner of victory." That is the reality. We do not reform ourselves first and then present ourselves to God, claiming we are good enough. In God's eyes, your self-effort is never sufficient. Do not fall into this trap. The most destructive theology in the world is the reliance on self-righteous works. I tell you plainly, the most problematic book in the Scriptures is the Book of James. It is utterly impractical!

Let me ask you a practical question: if you are terminally ill and bedridden, what works can you produce? If you wait until you can perform works, you will be dead. It is impossible. It is only by faith that you lay claim to God's promises and survive. Many of you have come this far solely by the grace of God. Why, then, would you revert to relying on your own works and walk straight back into a curse? Do not take that path. Anyone who relies on the works of the law is under a curse.

Let us look at 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; you cannot reconcile the two. They are fundamentally incompatible. Was Abraham flawed? Yes, he was. Yet, by faith, he pioneered the path of faith for us. Do not rely on your own works. Were the Israelites flawed? They were highly undisciplined, yet did God grant them victory? Yes, because Moses stood on the hill with raised hands, and God's heavenly hosts fought for them. Do not rely on your own works. Since we are already flawed, we need faith and reliance on God all the more.

Is that clear? God does not reject you because of your flaws. His purpose is to rescue you from your pathetic state. What a magnificent God! I will trust Him all my life. He helped me when I was at my worst. Now that I have made some progress, do I have any right to boast? Absolutely not. I am still far from God's standard. But that does not deter me. Day by day, step by step, I will appropriate God's promises until I reflect His image.

Our God is the God of our salvation, and today He is our banner of victory. Even when you are weak, God will grant you victory. Give Him the glory, and praise Him constantly. Just as in the days of Moses, the Amalekites were defeated—and they were defeated by a deeply flawed people. Why? Because this is a spiritual war.

Faith is the Foundation of Victory

Simply believe. You may have offended God N times, but do not risk the N+1th time. You do not know if that opportunity will ever come again. Begin to believe, turn back to God, and do not repeat the mistakes of the Israelites. God showed them grace repeatedly, yet they refused to enter the Promised Land. Why? Because of fear. They mistakenly believed they were fighting in their own strength, viewing themselves as mere cannon fodder. That is a complete misunderstanding. 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 continuous, miserable defeat.

Why have you achieved nothing? Because you lack faith. Why do you suffer constant defeat? Because you lack faith. You are still trying to survive by your own sword. Today, you must change your strategy. Rely on God. Have faith. Stop obsessing over your own flaws; they are irrelevant. Simply believe that Jehovah is our banner of victory. When that banner is raised, God's angelic hosts will march ahead of us. When that banner is lifted high, victory will inevitably follow.

Amen. May God bless you all.