Moses and Joshua | Part 1
“Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.”
After failing to trust God who had already proven He could be trusted (Exo. 17:1-8), the nation of Israel was to face another test in who would become one of their fierce nemesis’s: The Amalekites:
Exo. 17:8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
Amalek was the grandson of Esau (Gen. 36:12). Esau symbolizes a type of the flesh in Scripture, as exampled in Hebrews 12:16, where he is called a fornicator and profane person. So, the attack by the Amalekites against God’s people who had been delivered from Egyptian bondage, pictures the battle between the flesh and the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-17). It is in this context that we are first introduced to Moses’s understudy or disciple, Joshua.
Exo. 17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
The initial introduction to Joshua comes without details, however Moses entrusts him in the heat of battle. This implies that Moses knew of Joshua’s military capabilities and that a relationship of some kind had been formed. A critical observation for disciplers emerges here: as Joshua’s leader, Moses instructed Joshua in war.
Every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has three enemies:
The world (John 15:18-19).
The flesh (Gal. 5:17).
The devil (1 Pet. 5:8).
What the Amalekites were to Israel, these three are to the believer. Until physical death or the rapture, the believer will wage war with these three every second of their existence. However, of the three, the chief enemy is the flesh. While the devil and his world system (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph 6:12) are far more powerful than a believer in their weak flesh (Matt. 26:41), their influence is limited to the extent that the believer is not walking in the Spirit. Therefore, one of the most critical lessons that disciplers teach Christ’s disciples is how to walk in the Spirit.
According to the Apostle Paul, this is the only way not to fulfil the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). The nature of the flesh is lustful (Rom. 6:12, 13:14; Eph. 2:3). While Satan is not omniscient, he is a fine student of human history, which has taught him that the flesh is weak. Therefore, Satan knows better than anyone that if a believer does not walk in the Spirit of God, they will need more than a miracle from God to endure the avalanche of temptation that he will bring against them in this world.
Obviously, God’s Word is foundational to walking in the Spirit, but Moses exhibited something that is also essential in waging spiritual battle. When Moses held his hand up, Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exo. 17:11-12). As Moses’ hands were stayed up with the rod of God, his dependence on the power of God in prayer was exhibited. As long as Moses’s dependence rested in the power of God in prayer there would be victory, and when his hands went down there was defeat. This is one of the reasons believers are told to pray with without ceasing (1Th. 5:17).
“It is critical that disciplers teach that praying always is the difference between a walk of victory and a walk of defeat.”
It is certain that Joshua learned a great deal about the importance and power of prayer that day. Even though he was a highly skilled military commander and God would use that on the battlefield, Joshua's talent was not the reason for victory on the battlefield that day. It was prayer.
The focus of Ephesians 6:10-18 is spiritual warfare. We are told there to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (v.18). The reality is, walking in the Spirit of God compels and empowers the believer to pray always in the Spirit. Therefore, it should be evident to the disciple that prayer is much more to the disciple than an obligated regiment or lesson in the workbook. It is critical that disciplers teach that praying always is the difference between a walk of victory and a walk of defeat.
Joshua knew how to wield a sword (Exo. 17:13), which represents the word of God (Eph. 6:17). Teaching the disciple how to use the sword of the Spirit is obviously very critical. Subconsciously though, we tend to equate Bible knowledge with someone knowing how to wield the sword in battle.
“Satan always returns with more temptation.”
Knowing the Bible is of no benefit to the believer if they frequently quench the Spirit of God who prompts them to frequently meditate on God’s word and to pray without ceasing. Quenching the Spirit guarantees defeat in battle regardless of how much Bible knowledge someone has acquired.
The urgency in stressing the importance of walking in the Spirit and praying without ceasing goes next level when considering the language used to describe the outcome of Israel’s battle with Amalek:
Exo 17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Joshua defeated Amalek temporarily Amalek but he had not defeated the Amalekites permanently. There would be more battles with the Amalekites to come (Exo. 17:16;). Although Jesus was tempted of the devil and won, the devil did not lose and refrain from ever attacking Jesus again. The Bible tells us that the devil departed from him for a “season (Lk. 4:13).”
Satan ALWAYS returns with more temptation. If the believer has not learned to walk in the Spirit, which is synonymous with the word of God dwelling richly in them (Eph. 5:18-20; Col. 3:16), and if they have not learned to pray without ceasing, they will most certainly be a casualty of war.
