Helping Hands

Hello everyone. My name is Pastor Roderick caesar the third on the lead Pastor of Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Jamaica queens new york and my prayer is that you would be blessed. You would be encouraged and strengthened by this word. Hope you enjoy God bless praise the Lord everyone in this difficult and trying season. We’re all facing some opposition. We’re facing some battles and so today I want to speak about fighting our battles with helping hands. I’ll be coming from the book of Exodus chapter 17 verses eight through 16. Exodus chapter 17 verses eight through 16. And that the text reads then Angelique came and fought with Israel at refa deem. So moses said to Joshua choose for us men and go out and fight with Emelec. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand. So Joshua did as moses told him and fought with um elec while moses, Aaron and hur went up to the top of the hill and whenever moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed and whenever he lowered his hand, Emelec prevailed. But moses hands grew weary so they took up a stone and put it under him and he sat on it while Aaron and hur held up his hands 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 Emelec and his people with the sword. Then the Lord said to moses write this as a memorial in a book and recited in the ears of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the memory of a malek from under heaven and moses built an altar and called the name of it. The Lord is my banner saying I hand upon the throne of the Lord. The Lord will have war with Angelique from generation to generation. I fight my battles with helping hands. Dear God, I thank you so much for this time. I thank you for this message, I thank you for this word, I thank you that as it’s communicated, you will be glorified. We thank you, We give you glory. We ask these things in jesus name, Amen, Amen and Amen. Israel at this point in time is accustomed to fighting battles and there are also accustomed to God coming through for them in different situations. We see there was a time prior to this that they needed bread. They were hungry and bread literally fell from heaven. The living word water was, they were thirsty and parched and moses had water come from Iraq. God is the living water and the living word. And then God had given them victory. Also in prior battles when uh they completely walked through the Red Sea and were able to completely annihilate Egypt on their way through. So we see that Israel was no stranger to adversity. There is no stranger to pain and they’re no stranger to God being their deliverer. And in this text we see in verse eight it says then Amil, it came and fought with Israel at referendum. There are battles to be fought, Israel had just left Egypt. They had just walked through this red sea, they had just gotten to know this God who proved himself again and again by feeding them by giving them something to drink. And then another battle ensues. This lets us know one thing it lets us know that there are always battles to be fought. There are always wars to be won. First Peter chapter five verse eight tells us to be sober minded and be watchful because your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking for someone to devour. He’s seeking someone don’t let it be, you don’t let it be you. That’s why Peter says, be sober minded. Be watchful. There’s a lot going on in society, There’s a lot going on in our lives today, but we have to be watchful and be sober minded because the enemy is seeking. So as a result, we see that paul writes in Ephesians chapter six we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. We fight a different fight. Instead, we fight against the rulers against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. Therefore, as a result of this take on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. Having done all to stand firm paul again in second Corinthians lets us know that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God and they have the divine power to pull down strongholds. So we fight with spiritual eyes with spiritual eyes. We fight Principalities with spiritual eyes. We fight circumstances with spiritual eyes. We fight connected to the true and living God. And so moses says to Joshua in verse nine, choose for us men and go out to fight with um Elec John 1010 says the enemy comes, the thief comes to kill to steal and to destroy. We have to fight. We have to resist, we have to engage, we have to stand strong, we have to fight. Who will you choose to fight with you? Who will you choose to fight with you moses says to Joshua choose for us men to go out and fight, choose for us men and go out and fight. Who will you choose to be in your corner? Who will you choose to help you hold your shield? Who will you choose to help you hold your sword? Who will you choose to fight alongside you? Who is fighting with you? Who is fighting for you? Who is interceding for you on your behalf? Who is going to battle with you? Who is defending you when you can’t defend yourself, Who is the one that is lifting up your name and prayer that is going to the Lord with your name on their lips. Who is that individual Choose for us men and go out and fight with em. Like we see in Luke. Chapter five there was a man that was paralyzed. He could not get to Jesus for himself, He was paralyzed. He could not get to jesus for himself, but that did not stop him from getting his miracle. That did not stop him from getting his breakthrough. Why? Why? Because he had individuals that were willing to work for him, that we’re willing to go to battle for him, That we’re willing to think outside the box for him. That we’re willing to do what he could not do to get the deliverance, he could not get on his own. So they see jesus in this crowded space and they say okay, we can’t get through the front door, we can’t get through the back window, we can’t get through the side window. Let’s try the roof. Let’s think outside the box and try the roof and they lower this man through the roof in the middle of jesus sermon, stop everything. Just so this man could get his healing just so this man could get his deliverance. And the text says that when jesus saw their faith, not his faith, their faith. Then he goes on to heal this man forgive him of his sins and cleanse him and his life is forever changed because he knew who he had with him. What about us? The people in our circle, are they a help to us? Or hindrance to us help or a hindrance, who you have on your team is very important? This is a very perilous time. It’s a time of struggle. It’s a time of stress. It’s a time of strain sometimes in our lives. And are you, do you have individuals that are willing to pray for you, willing to perhaps so a financial seed to help you, willing to be able to help you out in these times? Give a word of encouragement. Give you some practical advice. Perhaps give you some groceries or whatever the situation may be. Who do we have in our corner And those times when your strength is low, when you can’t go to battle for yourself, Do you have people that are willing to go to battle for you? He says to Joshua, he says, tomorrow moses says this, I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand. You have to know what God has done before and that if God did it before he can do it again. The staff of God, how does moses? No, this is the staff of God. Earlier in the book of exodus. When when God says to moses, take this staff in your hand and the staff has turned into a serpent. And then with the staff. Much later on, miracle is done when he extends the staff and the seas part and Israel walks through on dry ground. So moses says, I’m going to stand with the staff of God in my head And then what is, what is it so important if we look at verse 10? So Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with um elec while moses, Aaron and hur went up to the top of the hill, Joshua was a man under submission. Not yet in full authority, but listen to the authority of moses as moses. Listen to God, Joshua didn’t say, wait a minute, wait a minute. So you’re sending me to go fight while you go chill on the hill. No, no, no, I don’t like that. He said, no, okay, moses, I’m under authority. I’m listening to you now. It may seem like moses didn’t know what he’s doing, but he said, look, I’m gonna trust what the man of God is saying. I’m going to trust that the man of God has heard from the Lord, I’m gonna trust. Why is it important that Joshua trusted what moses said, Even though he didn’t see the full picture. Why does that matter to us? It matters because God, sometimes in our lives reveals things in phases. He doesn’t give us the whole picture at once. Our finite minds. We want the whole picture. We want to know exactly how it’s gonna work out exactly how it’s gonna end exactly how things are going to play out exactly what the end of our story will be. We want to know what that’s gonna look like. But sometimes God just wants you to rest in the fact and know that he’s on your side. Sometimes God just wants you to know that he’s got your back. Sometimes. God just wants you to know that he’s in your corner. Sometimes God just wants you to trust the word that he’s given you and see if you can take one step at a time. Sometimes God just wants you to walk with him one step at a time. For that season. He wants to know if you can be trusted with a little and then he will give you more. The Lord said to Moses Exodus. Chapter four. What’s that in your hand? A staff. The staff of God with this staff. You will do great wonders. Look at what you have in your arsenal. It’s the same staff that moses used to part the sea. The same staff that God used through moses is the same staff that he went on that hill with. Sometimes God will take the most unlikely gift and turn it around for his glory. The same mouth that used to tear people down can be used to build people up the same legs that were swiftly running to sin. Can now lead others to the house of God and moses case. The same hands that were used to kill someone and take a life. We used to bring God’s people the victory In this situation Verse 11, whenever Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed. And whenever he lowered his hands and Malek prevailed, Israel’s victory was tied to and linked with moses actions in the same way our victories in life and our battles that we win over the enemy and over our circumstances and situations is not just tied to what we believe, but our actions. Why? Because Faith without works is dead is dead. Verse 12, but moses hands grew weary. I want us to pay attention to this. His 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 on one side and one on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the Sun. Because he had help. He could hold his hands up longer than if he didn’t have help. He had individuals to bear his burdens. But I want to I want us to to focus on something here. It says that, but moses hands grew weary. His hands grew weary every so often. We grow weary every so often in life. We are facing difficulty in opposition. And there are some, some words we can say to give ourselves some assistance in that time. When were growing weary, Some a trick of the trade or a word that we can say to encourage us or to give us assistance in that time. You guys ready for that word. The words are this, we say I need help moses was weary but he didn’t push through all by himself. He didn’t make it through all by himself. He said, I need help, he said, I’m not okay. There are many strong people in scripture who needed help. Elijah needed assistance mary we see needed some assistance. Jesus said, watch me while I pray. Even Jesus, the son of God said, watch with me, pray with me. This is my darkest hour. Wait with me. Don’t grow weary in doing well. But what happens when you do? What happens when you do? What happens when your tank is almost empty? You must say look I need help, I need assistance. I can’t do this by my self. Let us not grow weary in doing well, Galatians says, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then as we have the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially those who are of the household of faith. Don’t grow weary and doing well, but do good to everyone. Those in the household of faith. What does that mean? That means we’re in community with people. That means even if we are growing weary we can reach out to someone and say look, I am growing weary and doing well, will you help me stay on track, Will you help me stay on course. Will you help me keep my hands up and lift up this banner? Will you help me? We need to know that we need one another. So we see that moses hands were up. But then they grew tired, they were up but then they grew weary they were up. But then they felt like faltering, but then Aaron on one side, her on the other side, hoisted them up, held them up. So the victory was won. I wonder how this took place. Perhaps moses was just watching and he says God okay, you told me to stand here and God says okay raise your hands moses. He says why? He says raise your hands So moses raised his hands, he puts them down, go outside and tell you to put your hands down most just keep them raised. He raised his hands again and then he realizes that when he’s raising his hands, Israel is winning. Which means that like I said, his victory, their victory is tied to moses actions. So he realizes he needs some assistance because he can’t do this all day. And many of us, we have to have a self awareness to say you know what, I need some help. You know what? I’m in some trouble. You know what? I need some assistance in this time. We need to understand in verse 13. That with that help with that assistance with that encouragement verse 13, it says that Joshua overwhelmed Emelec and his people with the sword that lets me know that what paul writes in romans eight. No in all things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. No weapon that is formed against you shall succeed. You shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication is for me, declares the Lord. We see that Israel won the battle. Why? Because everyone played their part. Joshua was on the ground fighting moses was on the hill raising his hand. The individuals to his right and left. We’re holding them up. And the only way that we can get through this battle, the only way we can get through this season, the only way we can get through this time of isolation is together. It’s difficult. It’s not easy but we must be connected. We must be connected. Yes, so we’re quarantined. Yes. So we’re living in in in in this area and that area were separate but we can still be connected. We can still be those that are bound together through the blood of jesus christ. The only way we’re going to move forward is together. The only way we’re going to stay connected to overcome is together. And then verse 14 moses the Lord says to moses write this as a memorial in the book and recited in the ears of Joshua that will utterly blot out the memory of Amyloid from under heaven. God wants to eliminate some things from our lives. but we need the endurance to let him, I will blot out the memory of a malek from under heaven. God wants to eliminate some things in our lives but we need the endurance to let him in this time and this season, this is the perfect time to come out of this season better than you went in. And we need that endurance to make the shifts and the changes that God is calling us to make. We have to remember that the enemy is under our feet, remember that the enemy is defeated and that when he rises up and tries to look you in your eye, you remind him and you say devil, we are not on the same level, you are a child of God, you are a son of God, you are a daughter of God. You are living in victory through christ jesus and as a result of that there are things you can’t do as a result of that. There are ways that God has called you to live as a result of that. We have to move differently And then the Lord said to moses write this, I’m gonna block them out from under heaven. And what moses doesn’t in verse 15 moses built an altar and calls the name of it. The Lord is my banner saying the hand of upon the throne of the Lord. The Lord will have war with Angelique from generation to generation, from generation to generation, from generation to generation. What this shows us is that the victory that you obtained today, The battles that you overcome today. The victory is not just for you. It’s not just for you. There are others behind you that are being blessed as a result of your press that are being blessed as a result of your push that are being blessed as a result of your moving forward. You’re winning this battle not just for you, but this battle is for your Children and your Children’s Children. From generation to generation, you’re breaking down and tearing down strongholds that are in high places. You are restructuring, tearing down family patterns and putting in some new ones. And if you don’t fight it, listen, listen, hear me. If you don’t fight it, your Children will have to if you don’t take this time to fight through some of these things, your Children will have to if you don’t take some of these top this time to address some of these things together in unity to your Children that have maybe been wrestling and fighting with these things, then they maybe won’t get as free from it as they could be in this season. We need to understand that it’s not just about the lives we live, but it’s about the legacies we leave behind from this generation to the next generation. I don’t know about you, but I do know that we are connected. I do know that the generations that passed and the generations that are to come we are all connected. There’s a ripple effect in life that we need to understand a ripple effect in life that we need to take care of and we need to understand that look, we need helping hands. We’re not gonna make it through this alone. We are all connected and no man is an island. Do not be afraid to fight your battle with helping hands. Do not be afraid to fight your battle with helping hands to help those that are in trouble. And to also accept the help of those when you desperately need it, you have a banner, Saints of God, a blood stained banner that you can hold up that has been given to you until you win the battles or hold it high. Know that God is for you know that God is with you and know that look it’s okay to say I need help. It’s okay to say I need assistance. It’s okay to say I am weary, it’s okay to say this is difficult, it’s okay to say this, this load is too heavy and I’m breaking under the burden of it, it’s okay to say that because help will come your way. Even jesus said look I can’t do this. Let this cup pass and God gave grace. There’s so many different situations in scripture where people were overwhelmed and said I can’t do this on my own God gave Grace. But in moses case and in our case as well, helping hands were sent to hold those up in battle and for you, you may say, look, that’s that’s I see myself in this. I’m weary. I’m at the end of my rope and I need help. I’m weary. I’m at the end of my rope and I need some assistance. I just want to pray with you. Dear God, I just thank you so much for this time. Thank you for those that are listening. I thank you for those that need assistance right now. Let’s say, look, I’m at the end of my rope right now and I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know what to do. I just know I need some help. I pray that you would be their help. I pray that you would be their strength. I pray that you would bring to mind someone that’s dependable that they can reach out to. I pray that they would reach out to the church or reach out to individuals in their lives who have been reliable. I thank you God for the strength that you’ve given to each person. I thank you God that greater is he who is in us than he that is in the world. I thank you God for the endurance, the resilience that you’ve given to us. I pray that we would not throw in the towel. I pray that we would accept the help that is being offered. I thank you, I praise you. I give you glory. I pray that we will make it through this season better as a result of accepting the help we thank you and we praise you, we ask these things in jesus name. Amen, Amen and Amen. Perhaps you’re listening and you don’t know jesus, I’m just going to pray with you if you don’t know jesus right now they’re God, I thank you for those that are listening. Perhaps they don’t know jesus and they want to father. I pray that they would accept and accept the extended helping hand that you’ve given them. Your helping hand is pierced with nails. God, it’s nail pierced, has the scars in it because you died on calvary’s cross so that we could be free so that we could be whole. I pray that they would accept you jesus. And if you have accepted christ, I pray that you would pray this prayer to God. I thank you Lord, that you died on the cross so that I could be set free so I can be healed and whole. I believe that you didn’t just die, but you rose again from my sins rose again so that I can know how to live this life. I accept the fact God that you’ve cleansed me and made me new and I’m new in you. I thank you and I give you glory in jesus name. Amen and Amen. Let’s praise God together. Amen. Amen and Amen. God bless. Hello again. Pastor Roderick sees a third here. Thank you so much for watching my prayer is that you were blessed. You are encouraged and strengthened by that message. If you would like to be a blessing to the ministry, you can text B g t F I 277977 again, you can text B g t F I 277977 to sow a seed into the ministry and we thank you. Thank you so much for your generosity. Or you can visit our website at b g t f I dot us for more information. Thank you so much. Once again, I hope you were blessed. I’m praying for you. We love you here at Bethel, God bless.