When Moses lowered his hands

" Hands Up! "

“Hands up” is not a sign of surrender for us when in the midst of the battle against the enemy, but it is quite the contrary. In this case it is a symbol of prayer and support (I Kings 8:54, Psalm 144:2). When Moses lowered his hands in the battle due to fatigue, Aaron and Hur interceded by holding up his hands, and the enemy was defeated (Exodus 17:8-13). Truly, Moses was in good hands! This Biblical account is a powerful example of the role that intercessors play in the success of a ministry. Likewise, intercessors can stand in the gap and help carry the burdens by holding up the hands of our ministers and those who lead the fight in the spiritual battles of the Church so that the victory may be wrought! 

The Apostle Paul stated, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith” (II Thessalonians 3:1-2). Even earlier, Paul had expressed “Brethren, pray for us” in I Thessalonians 5:25. It is evident that one of a minister’s primary responsibilities is to deliver the messages that God has given. Prayer provides a covering from the attack of the enemy and other hindrances that would attempt to prohibit the Word from going forth. 

The Apostle Paul needed a helping hand and requested prayer so that the message he was carrying would have free course (go forth unhindered) in God’s full power and anointing. Paul also recognized that the enemy would try to impede progress directly through the work of wickedness and evil men, as he often faced opposition. Likewise, it is so for all ministers who have a message that God has given to relay. 

Do not allow the adversary or your flesh to hinder you from prayer for the Ministry. When either attempt to do so, say “talk to the hand” and shun any opposition. Get that hand up in the air with the other one in prayer and support. If the Apostle Paul needed prayer, then surely all ministers today need it too! 

Let’s put our hands up in prayer today and pray for the Ministry greater than we have ever prayed before! Surely, “the Hand of God” will work on behalf of the ministry, and because we put our “hands up,” we will win, “hands down!”

Flo Shaw
Director
World Network of Prayer

(Information from: Prayer Connect Newsletter - World Network of Prayer - floshaw@wnop-upci.ccsend.com) 

He did in fact recover

All For One…

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15...).

Many years ago, in the late 1980s at our General Conference, I heard a message that greatly affected me. I do not recall the name of the minister speaking that night, but I profoundly remember the message he preached. He was recalling a story he had read in a magazine.

The story went something like this: A man was in a terrible car accident and was paralyzed from the neck down. He was unable to speak or move, but he had all of his mental faculties. His wife would come faithfully every day and visit with him, talk, and comfort him.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. She came in one day to explain that she was divorcing him and marrying another man. He said that in his mind he was screaming “NO, NO, NO! Im going to get better, Im going to walk again!” He wanted to scream out of frustration because she could not hear his desperate cries nor respond to him.

He did in fact recover, but he never forgot the horrible vexation of being fully aware of everything around him but unable to move or express himself.

CONTINUES at: https://files.constantcontact.com/aebf4de5001/a2e5f7da-d66b-480c-9c0d-4bed8ef096a5.pdf