The Power of Prayer | Daniel Bentley

Oct 22, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the enemy's strategy of attacking the weary.

The enemy often chooses to attack when we are at our most vulnerable, preying on our weariness and exhaustion. He targets those who are lagging behind, those who are tired and worn down by the pressures of life. This is a consistent strategy, designed to exploit our moments of weakness and frailty. In these seasons, it is crucial to be spiritually alert and aware of his tactics. We must remember that our adversary is relentless, but our God is our strength and shield. [12:42]

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” (Exodus 17:8-9 ESV)

Reflection: When you feel most weary and vulnerable, where do you typically sense the enemy’s attack focusing? What is one practical way you can strengthen your spiritual defenses in that area this week?

Day 2: Engaging in the fight with confidence in God's presence.

The call to engage in spiritual battle is not a suggestion but a reality of the Christian life. We are not left to fight in our own strength or with our own limited resources. Our confidence comes from the abiding presence of Almighty God, who fights our battles for us. The same power that parted seas and provided miracles is available to us today. When we step onto the battlefield, we do so with the assurance that if God is for us, no foe can ultimately stand against us. [20:05]

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31 ESV)

Reflection: In what current battle are you most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than remembering that God fights for you? How might your approach to that situation change if you operated from a place of confident dependence on Him?

Day 3: Wielding the secret weapon of intercessory prayer.

Prayer is our most powerful weapon in the spiritual realm, particularly intercessory prayer where we stand in the gap for others. This form of prayer actively wages war on behalf of someone else, impacting the outcome of their battles. The fervency of our prayers can shape circumstances and alter the course of history, as it did for an entire nation. It is a profound privilege and responsibility to partner with God in this way, believing that our prayers make a tangible difference. [29:30]

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18 ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that God is placing on your heart to intercede for with greater consistency and fervency? What specific need or battle are you being called to lift up for them in prayer?

Day 4: Building a team for support in spiritual warfare.

Spiritual battles are not meant to be fought alone; we need the support of faithful prayer partners. When our own strength fails and our spiritual arms grow tired, others can come alongside to hold us up and help us persevere. This community of support provides strength, encouragement, and accountability, ensuring that our prayers do not faint. Being part of a praying community multiplies our effectiveness and reflects the body of Christ functioning as it was designed. [34:19]

And when Moses' hands grew weary, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while 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. (Exodus 17:12 ESV)

Reflection: Who are the Aarons and Hurs in your life that you can call upon to support you in prayer? Is there someone for whom you could intentionally become that kind of prayer support this week?

Day 5: Remembering that ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.

While we are called to fight and engage in the spiritual battle, we must always remember that the victory itself belongs to the Lord. Our role is to be faithful and obedient, to prepare ourselves and step onto the field, but the outcome rests in His sovereign hands. We look to the hill of Calvary, where Christ secured our ultimate victory over every enemy. This truth allows us to fight from a place of assured victory, not for it, infusing us with hope and confidence. [39:55]

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD. (Proverbs 21:31 ESV)

Reflection: Looking back at a past victory in your life, how can you raise a "banner"—a reminder of God's faithfulness—to encourage your heart for the battles you face today?

Sermon Summary

The Exodus account at Rephidim illustrates prayer as a decisive, God-ordained weapon in spiritual warfare. The Amalekite ambush targeted the weary and vulnerable, exposing how the enemy exploits fatigue and fear. Joshua, pressed into leadership with a ragtag force, engaged the foe with the sword while the visible sign of God’s presence—the staff—rested in Moses’ hands on the hill. The battle swung with the posture of intercession: as Moses held his hands raised the Israelites prevailed; when his arms fell, the Amalekites gained ground. Aaron and Hur sustained Moses until sunset, modeling the necessity of mutual support in prayer and the communal nature of spiritual victory.

Scripture frames prayer not as optional devotional activity but as a strategic, world-shaping practice. The narrative ties the immediate military victory to a larger theological claim: God will remember and wage war against Amalek from generation to generation, and victory ultimately rests with the Lord. The staff symbolizes God’s fighting presence; the altar named Jehovah Nissi—“the Lord is my banner”—anchors identity and past victory as sources of future confidence. The text pushes past passive religiosity: preparation and faithful engagement on the ground matter, yet final victory depends on God’s power exercised through prayer.

Intercessory prayer appears as a demanding, sustaining labor. The posture of uplifted hands communicates surrender, praise, and dependence and signals a specific kind of intercession that fights on behalf of others. The story also exposes human limits and the need for prayer partnerships; sustained intercession requires teams who will help keep hands raised. The horizon of this victory points to Calvary: the cross and the risen Christ secure the ultimate victory, and Jesus’ ongoing intercession ensures that present battles can be fought from a place of assured triumph. The practical summons is clear—prepare the horse, take up the sword, look to the hill, and lift holy hands in persistent, communal prayer until the sun sets on the contest.

Key Takeaways

1. Prayer is a secret weapon Prayer functions as an active, strategic instrument that shapes outcomes beyond human ability. The narrative insists on prayer’s efficacy: the posture and persistence of intercession directly affected the battle’s course. Treating prayer as optional misunderstands its role; praying changes timelines, protects the vulnerable, and enlists divine power into contested human arenas. Cultivate disciplined, expectant prayer that moves beyond habit and seeks tangible intervention. [21:54]
2. Enemy targets the weary heart Spiritual attack often lands on those who are exhausted, distracted, or lagging behind. The Amalekites ambushed Israel at a place called Rephidim—literally “place of rest”—showing the enemy’s tactic to strike when people most need respite. Recognize vulnerability as a spiritual reality and cultivate rhythms of renewal and communal vigilance so fatigue does not become a foothold for defeat. Resist isolation; fortify the tired with focused intercession and practical care. [12:42]
3. Intercession can change history One person’s persistent prayer altered the fate of a nation in the Rephidim narrative, proving that intercession carries cosmic weight. The story asserts that fervent, sustained prayer can shape communal destiny, redirect atmospheres, and alter governmental or generational outcomes. Approach regular intercession not as private hobby but as stewardship with potential to transform family lines, communities, and nations. Persist in intercession with the conviction that prayers author history’s turning points. [29:05]
4. Surround yourself with prayer partners Sustained prayer fatigue requires teammates who will lift weary hands and hold the line with you. Aaron and Hur physically supported Moses so that intercession could persist until victory came, modeling the necessity of prayer teams and mutual bearing of burdens. Build relationships that include honest confession, strategic praying, and reciprocal lifting when strength wanes; such networks multiply endurance and enlarge impact. Invest in others’ prayers and invite them into yours for battles that demand communal strength. [34:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:29] - Launching the Joshua series
[01:21] - Nehemiah Fund and Israel support
[06:43] - Title: The power of prayer
[10:03] - Exodus 17: Amalekite attack at Rephidim
[15:01] - “Time to fight” — Joshua commissioned
[21:54] - Prayer as the secret weapon
[34:19] - Aaron and Hur: prayer partners
[38:22] - Jehovah Nissi: the Lord is banner
[43:10] - Calvary, Christ’s intercession, and victory

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Exodus 17:8–16 (ESV)
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while 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.

Observation questions

According to Exodus 17:8–11, what specific action did Moses take on the hill, and how did it directly affect the battle below?
What role did Aaron and Hur play when Moses grew weary, and what was the result of their support? [21:34]
How does Deuteronomy 25:17–18 describe the character of the Amalekites’ attack and whom they targeted?
What new name did Moses give to the altar he built, and what did it signify? [38:22]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think God designed the battle in such a way that Moses’ raised hands—not just Joshua’s military skill—determined the outcome?
In what ways does the lifting of hands in prayer symbolize surrender, dependence, and praise? [25:30]
How does the image of Aaron and Hur supporting Moses illustrate the importance of community in spiritual warfare?
What does the name Jehovah Nissi (“The Lord Is My Banner”) communicate about God’s relationship with His people in both identity and victory? [40:37]

Application questions

Prayer is a secret weapon that shapes outcomes beyond human ability. [21:54] How can you move prayer from a routine habit to a strategic, expectant practice in your current battles?
The enemy often targets the weary and vulnerable. [12:42] What practical steps can you take to protect your heart and mind when you’re tired or discouraged?
Intercessory prayer can alter the course of history. [29:05] Who in your life—family, community, or nation—neights fervent, persistent prayer right now? How will you commit to standing in the gap for them?
Sustained prayer requires teammates. [34:19] Who are your “Aaron and Hur”—those who will support you when you’re weary in prayer? How can you intentionally build or strengthen those relationships?
The Lord is our banner—our identity and reminder of past victories. [41:52] What specific victories has God given you in the past that can fuel your faith for current struggles?
We are called to prepare for battle but depend on God for victory. [39:55] What does “preparing the horse” look like in your life (e.g., reading Scripture, worship, obedience), while still looking to the hill for help?
Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us. How does knowing He is praying for you right now change the way you approach your spiritual battles? [44:11]

Sermon Clips

31s

#PrayersChangeNations

“Think for a moment about what hung in the balance with Moses' prayers, and this is the part of the sermon that just wrecked me this past week. I mean, it's not just the outcome of this battle that we're talking about. It was far bigger than that. Israel in this fight is fighting for their very survival. I mean, think about it. The fate of an entire nation and people group hinged on the fervency of one man's prayers.”

37s

#PrayerShapesHistory

“The very course of history was shaped by Moses' prayer life. If that doesn't underscore the impact and the importance of prayer, I don't know what will. I mean, what if you knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that your prayers could change the outcome of situations, that your prayers could impact communities, that your prayers could affect atmospheres, that your prayers could determine or shape in some way what takes place at a national or even governmental level?”

24s

#BuildYourPrayerTeam

“Moses had Aaron and Hur, and I would suggest that you build a prayer team that includes a couple of hims and a couple of hers. We need them all. We need prayer partners. Why? So that when our arms are faltering, they can lead you to the rock. Who's the rock? It's Jesus. And then you can rest on him, and then they can come under you. They can support you and help lift your arms.”

41s

#DevilTargetsTheWeary

“And who does the devil like to pick off? It's the worn out and the weary, the tired, those who are lagging behind. I love watching animal shows, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, all of these things. And and if you've ever watched, you know, a pride of lions as they hunt a herd of gazelle or whatever, it's always the gazelle that lags behind, the one that's injured, the the young or the infirmed that the lions tend to go after. And that's exactly what the devil does to us. He waits until you're weary, bone tired, worn down by life, and that's when he ambushes.”

40s

#GodFightsForYou

“While it's true that this world and this life is going to be marked and characterized by battle after battle after battle. Battles in the home, battles in the workplace, battles in your relationships, battles in your career, battles in the spiritual arena. It's true that you're gonna have to fight battles, but you need to know that the Lord fights the battles for you. And it doesn't matter who comes against you if God stands behind you. Amen? That's what Paul tells us in Romans eight thirty one. He says, if God is for us, then who who who can stand against us? I mean, you're coming against me, but you're really fighting the Lord. Praise the Lord.”

36s

#DoesPrayerWork

“After reading carefully through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, the judge opened the his ruling by stating, this is a tough one. I don't know how I'm gonna decide this case, but one thing's clear. We have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer and a church that doesn't. But for anyone who's ever wrestled with or doubted the efficacy of prayer, the difference that prayer makes, can I just bring you back to the story we just read?”

35s

#PrayerIsTeamSport

“Jesus said, men ought always to pray and not to faint. Now it's interesting that he would say that because as I as I survey the landscape of the world today, what I see everywhere is people giving up on prayer and fainting. We're anxious. We're we're we're we're grief stricken. We're just overwhelmed by life. Well, perhaps we'd see more praying and less fainting if we had more people surrounding us who can lift our arms when we feel weak. Christianity and prayer are not solo sports, they are team efforts.”

39s

#StaffRepresentsGod

“The same staff that had God used to bring a series of judgments on the Egyptian people. The same staff that he stretched out over the Red Sea and the waters parted. The same staff that Joshua had just seen Moses strike a rock with, and out of that rock comes water. I mean, this was a a powerful stick. Now, mind you, there was nothing magical about this staff. I mean, it was just just a shepherd's staff. It wasn't imbued with mystical, magical properties. It's what it represented that made all the difference. And what that staff represented was the power and the abiding presence of almighty God.”

37s

#UnderdogArmy

“Joshua didn't have much to work with. He had less than twenty four hours to assemble an army from this ragtag group of survivors. I mean, the Israelites were disadvantaged and disadvantaged in every conceivable way. They were more familiar with being a slave than they were with being a soldier. They had no weapons or battlefield experience to speak of. They're traveling with the elderly, women, and children. Meanwhile, their counterparts, the Amalekites, were well versed in the art of warfare.”

36s

#PrepareForSpiritualWarfare

“It's why Paul told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith and endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and to wage warfare in the spiritual realm. Let me tell you something, Christian. If you're going to follow Christ, then you better prepare yourself for a fight. You say, when do I get a break? When you get to heaven. Okay? But between now and then, just expect the battles to keep coming. Now to lead this fight, Moses taps a man named Joshua on the shoulders. Now here's where we first get introduced to Joshua.”

30s

#YoureNotAloneGodFights

“And so Moses tells Joshua this because he wants him to know, you're gonna go into the fight tomorrow, but you won't be fighting alone. There's a God in heaven who fights your battles for you. So while the Amalekites might have superior weaponry, and they might have camels, Joshua, you can have the confidence of knowing that God is on your side. And can I just say that makes all the difference? And what Moses told to Joshua is equally true for every one of us.”

48s

#LookToPrayerForConfidence

“But the weapons we fight with are mighty in God to pull down strongholds, to defeat every enemy, every attack. Now one of our greatest weapons is prayer, and that's what this scene depicts. Prayer is again our secret weapon in the fight against the enemy. And I can picture Joshua. Just go back in your mind's eye and and allow the scene to unfold before you, and there he is in the midst of the fight. And from time to time when there's a lull in the battle, he can look up through the fog of war, and there silhouetted against the the setting sun, he can see the image of Moses standing on the hill with his outstretched arms, the staff of God resting in his hands, and it gives him confidence.”

36s

#LiftHandsInPrayer

“First, it is a sign of surrender when you lift your hands. What does a cop say to a robber when he catches him in the act and he pulls out his gun and he says, freeze. And he says, raise your arms. It's a sign of surrender. Not only that, it's also an act of praise. You know how it is when you're watching your favorite football team later this afternoon, or you're at a game and they score a touchdown. Involuntarily when your team scores, your arms go up in praise and in celebration. And then thirdly, it's a sign of dependence.”

22s

#BoilerRoomPrayers

“And he said, gentlemen, this is my boiler room. The boiler room is the factory. It's it's where the power is produced. And Spurgeon, oh, man of faith, he rightly understood that the powerful sermons he preached were a direct result of the prayers that were being offered on his behalf in the basement below.”

41s

#ChristianLifeIsWarfare

“The word of the Lord through Moses to Joshua back then is the word of the Lord to many of us today. It's time to stand up and fight. I think that the church needs to regularly be reminded of the fact that the Christian life is not a picnic, nor is it a stroll through a park, just kind of a leisurely afternoon, a sunny Sunday afternoon. No. The Christian life, at its essence, at its core, is a battle. And this imagery of warfare is something that weaves its way throughout the whole of scripture, and particularly in the New Testament, like a thread.”

29s

#PowerOfIntercession

“Think about a kid who wants to be picked up, and their their mom or dad walks in the front door, and when my kids were little, they would run up to me and they would just hold up their arms as a sign of, daddy, I want you to pick me up. And when we lift our hands in prayer, it symbolizes all these things. But in addition to this important posture of prayer, it also speaks of a particular kind of prayer. You see, there are all different forms of prayer that you find in scripture. You find things like adoration,”

30s

#FerventPrayerMatters

“confession, supplication, and thanksgiving, just to name a few. But but none of those describe the kind of prayer praying that Moses is doing in this scene. This scene depicts intercessory prayer, and I wanna talk for a moment about intercessory prayer. What is it? Quite simply, intercessory prayer is when you begin to pray for others, and it is quite possibly the most powerful form of prayer that exists.”

34s

#ChurchThatPrays

“In this story, we see not only the incredibly powerful aspect of intercessory prayer, but it also highlights something else for us. It shows us how exhausting prayer can be. You can only lift your hands for so long before they become tired and they give out, they start to fall. And that's why the story highlights the need for building a team of prayer partners. You see, luckily for Moses, he didn't go into this fight alone, and you shouldn't be fighting your spiritual battles alone either.”

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The Power of Prayer | Daniel Bentley

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing the enemy's strategy of attacking the weary.

Day 2: Engaging in the fight with confidence in God's presence.

Day 3: Wielding the secret weapon of intercessory prayer.

Day 4: Building a team for support in spiritual warfare.

Day 5: Remembering that ultimate victory belongs to the Lord.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

The Power of Prayer | Daniel Bentley

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