Jehovah Nissi: Our Banner of Victory and Strength

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is My Banner**

**Bible Reading:**
1. Exodus 17:8-15 - The battle with the Amalekites and the first mention of Jehovah Nissi.
2. 1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind; your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
3. Romans 8:37 - In all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

---

**Observation Questions:**

1. What was the significance of Moses building an altar and naming it Jehovah Nissi after the battle with the Amalekites? [45:30]

2. How did the Israelites' approach to battles change during the encounter with the Amalekites, and what role did Moses play in this change? [52:08]

3. What was the role of Aaron and Hur during the battle, and how did their actions impact the outcome? [01:01:20]

4. How does the concept of Jehovah Nissi as "The Lord is my Banner" relate to the historical use of banners in warfare? [42:42]

---

**Interpretation Questions:**

1. How does the principle of first mention help us understand the significance of the name Jehovah Nissi in the context of spiritual battles? [43:44]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that prayer is a crucial component of our spiritual battles, and how does this align with the biblical examples given? [01:03:46]

3. How does the sermon illustrate the importance of community and support in facing life's battles, and what biblical examples support this idea? [01:14:13]

4. What does it mean to be "more than conquerors" through Christ, and how does this concept apply to the challenges we face today? [01:19:44]

---

**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a current battle you are facing. How can you actively engage in this battle while relying on God's strength rather than your own? [52:08]

2. Consider your prayer life. How can you make prayer a more consistent and faith-filled part of your battle strategy? What specific steps can you take to pray the solution rather than the problem? [01:05:24]

3. Identify a person or group in your life who can support you in your spiritual battles. How can you reach out to them for prayer and practical help? [01:14:13]

4. Think about a time when you felt isolated in a struggle. How can you ensure that you are not fighting alone in the future? What steps can you take to build a supportive community around you? [01:12:09]

5. How can you lift the banner of Jehovah Nissi in your daily life, acknowledging God's power and presence in your victories? What specific actions can you take to declare His sovereignty in your current challenges? [01:18:19]

6. Reflect on a past trial where you experienced growth in faith. How can you apply the lessons learned from that experience to your current situation? [01:09:27]

7. How can you encourage someone else who is currently in a battle? What practical or spiritual support can you offer them this week? [01:15:25]

Day 1: Jehovah Nissi: Our Banner of Identity and Strength
The name Jehovah Nissi, meaning "The Lord is my Banner," serves as a profound reminder of God's presence and victory in our lives. In ancient times, banners were used as symbols of identity and encouragement during battles. Similarly, Jehovah Nissi represents God's covering and strength over us in our spiritual battles. This name was first mentioned in the Bible during the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites, where Moses built an altar and named it Jehovah Nissi after their victory. This act signified that the Lord was their banner and source of triumph. Understanding this name helps us recognize that God is our identity and strength, guiding us through life's challenges. [39:29]

Exodus 17:15-16 (ESV): "And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, 'A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to acknowledge God as your banner and source of strength today?


Day 2: Actively Engaging in Spiritual Battles
We are called to actively participate in the battles we face, relying on God's strength rather than our own. The Israelites had to shift from being passive observers to active participants in God's work, a lesson that applies to us as well. This means recognizing that our battles, whether external challenges or internal struggles like depression or anxiety, are not fought alone. We must engage actively, trusting that God fights alongside us. By doing so, we align ourselves with His will and experience His victory in our lives. [52:08]

2 Chronicles 20:17 (ESV): "You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you."

Reflection: What is one specific battle you are facing today, and how can you actively engage in it with God's strength?


Day 3: The Transformative Power of Prayer
Prayer is an essential component of our battle strategy. It aligns us with God's will and invites His intervention. Like Moses, who interceded on the mountain while Joshua fought in the valley, we must lift our hands in prayer, trusting that God intervenes when we call upon Him. Consistent, faith-filled prayer is crucial, and we must pray the solution, not just the problem, trusting in God's authority. This approach transforms our perspective and empowers us to face challenges with confidence. [01:03:46]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: How can you incorporate consistent, faith-filled prayer into your daily routine to align with God's will?


Day 4: The Importance of Community Support
We are not meant to fight alone. Just as Aaron and Hur supported Moses by holding up his arms, we need the support of others in our lives. Community and fellowship are essential, providing encouragement and practical help when we grow weary. By surrounding ourselves with a supportive community, we can face challenges with renewed strength and perseverance. This support system reminds us that we are part of a larger body, working together for God's glory. [01:14:13]

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV): "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"

Reflection: Who in your life can you reach out to for support, and how can you be a source of encouragement to others?


Day 5: Declaring Victory by Lifting the Banner
By lifting the banner of Jehovah Nissi, we declare God's power and presence in our lives. In every trial, we have the opportunity to grow in faith and trust in God's sovereignty. We are more than conquerors through Christ, and our trials are opportunities for growth and deeper trust in God's sovereignty. By raising His banner, we proclaim His victory and acknowledge that our strength comes from Him alone. This act of faith empowers us to face life's challenges with confidence and hope. [01:18:19]

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Reflection: How can you lift the banner of Jehovah Nissi in your life today, declaring God's victory and presence in your circumstances?

"After the Israelites won the battle with the Amalekites, Moses built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi. Jehovah Nissi. The Lord, my banner. Now, I know that perhaps, again, it's not inspiring you yet, but I hope that this message will encourage you to recognize the power of this name. And you'll make it a name that you use every day of your life." [00:45:30] (32 seconds)


"Because just because we follow Jesus doesn't mean that his problems won't affect us. The problem is, these sins, you know, they're going to affect us. None of us are super people. I mean, you're super, yes, I love you. You're all, you're really wonderful people. But it doesn't mean that you're immune to attacks of the enemy." [00:50:56] (24 seconds)


"Instead of being observers of God's work, Israel was being challenged to be participants with God's work. As are we. Okay? I mean, I love the songs that we sang today, and it's so very true. He fights our battles, but it's not a solo act with God. He wants us to partner with him." [00:57:04] (29 seconds)


"When you do what God tells you to do and you fight the way God tells you to fight, then God will give you the ability to overcome things you could not overcome on your own. But, you know, it's when you're partnering with him that he does these things." [00:58:09] (15 seconds)


"Jehovah Nisi reminds us that Lord is our victory. The victory belongs to him. And we have to trust him. Are you hearing me? We have to trust him to help us whatever battles we're facing. I'm reading now from James 1, 2, 3, 4. Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." [01:09:27] (32 seconds)


"Because lifted hands is the posture of prayer. And when Moses was praying for the battle, the Israelites beat back the Amalekites, which is a lesson for all of us. Right? 1 Timothy 2, verses 1 2, and part of 2 in verse 3. First of all, I ask you to pray for all people." [01:01:20] (33 seconds)


"Because when we pray, he intervenes. Because Moses was up interceding on the mountain, then God intervened in the battle. And when we pray, God intervenes. This is how we fight our battles. We provide intercession. Now, all of us should pray consistently and fervently." [01:03:01] (27 seconds)


"Life is too difficult to do it all by yourself. And some of us are carrying battles or carrying weights that are burdens that are just too heavy for us to carry alone. We need people in our lives who will battle with us and help us." [01:14:13] (23 seconds)


"After the battle was won, Lord told Moses to write everything down and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua because God wanted to wipe the name of Amalek off the face of the earth because of their cowardly attack on God's people. And once, you know, Moses did that, then he built an altar and he called the altar Jehovah Nissi, the Lord's my banner." [01:18:19] (25 seconds)


"Which says, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Now, there's more than conquerors. One commentary called it being hyper conquerors. So I think I need to stress this. What does more than conquerors means to you? Please, this is not about somebody else. Not about me. It's not about the Israel. This is about you. Hear this because you are more. Than a conqueror." [01:22:48] (32 seconds)

Are you all doing? Thank you for, well, joining us here in the building and online. It's warmer today. Praise God.

Okay, what do you call me? Mama Chris. Mom, yeah, Pastor Chris. Babe. Each of these names refers to me, but they're different because of a relationship—relationship and how I act and interact.

So what's your favorite name for yourself? I want you to turn to your neighbor and say, "My best friends call me," and tell them. Some of you, it's boring. It's like, "Yeah, my name is..." But you know, God is so amazing, so complex, so vast, so awesome, that just one name can't describe him.

That's what this series is really all about. God has so many different names, and each one is significant because they describe a different aspect of God, of who He is, what He does, and what He's all about. Each name describes a different facet of His character and His nature. If you want to know God better, study His names.

And Yahweh, Jehovah, is translated as the existing one, or Lord, in all capital letters in your Bible. It's a covenant name that God gave so He would have a more intimate relationship with His covenant people. And there are seven major compound names of Jehovah.

And now the one we're going to study today, no news, no surprise, what are we talking about today? Jehovah Nisi. And you know, we sang the song, we talked about it a little bit, but you know, Jehovah Nisi—the Lord, our banner—might not seem like such a big deal unless you dig in. And that's what we're going to do today. We're going to dig in and really discover the treasures.

Now, throughout history, banners—you're going to see some of them on the screens—have been used in war. Now, the Romans used banners in front of their column of soldiers really to identify to their enemies, "We're coming." You know, it's kind of an intimidating factor that the Romans used.

Now, in the Civil War, the banners, the flags were raised high and proudly because it really helped soldiers to identify where the battle line was and to recognize whether they were retreating or advancing. And if the flag would fall, the nearest soldier would drop their weapon, pick up the flag, and keep moving forward because that's what really encouraged everyone to fight.

Now, probably the most inspirational banner ever raised was raised in World War II at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Now, during the battle, this picture—it's an iconic picture that shows six marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi. Now, of this picture, three of those soldiers died in the battle. But it continues to be an inspirational banner for us today.

Now, I'm just going to leave the banners for a second, just to ask you, quite frankly, are any of you in a battle today? No? You can raise your hands, you know. By the way, it's good exercise. Raise your hands. Yeah, now, the battle could be financial. It could be a recent diagnosis. It could be your child walking away from you or from God. Or it could be just one problem after another problem after another problem, and it's the cumulative effect.

Yeah. That is so overwhelming. Anybody here know what I mean? Yeah, because that's mine right now. It's just one after another and after another. But, you know, maybe it's internal. The battle is with depression or addiction or bouts of anxiety that just come like wave after wave after wave after wave.

But maybe, you know, it's not you in a battle. Maybe it's someone you love that's in a battle. And that's even harder, I think. And you just don't even know what to do for them. Now, if you're not in a battle yourself or you're not battling for someone you love, please put this all in your back pocket. Because I'm letting you know that someday you will need this. Amen. Trust me on that.

Now, this message really is about giving hope and help in times of battle. Now, to better understand the name Jehovah Nissi, we're going to look at how it was first mentioned in Scripture. It's called the law or the principle of first mention, which states if you want to understand a word, then you have to look in Scripture to the first time that it's mentioned because there you're going to have a foundational truth that is key to understanding it every other time.

And so the name we're talking about today was first mentioned in Exodus chapter number 17. After the Israelites won the battle with the Amalekites, Moses built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi—Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, my banner. Now, I know that perhaps, again, it's not inspiring you yet, but I hope that this message will encourage you to recognize the power of this name. And you'll make it a name that you use every day of your life. All right?

Oh, come on now. Talking about battles, two of my dogs had diarrhea. They were in for three days. So, I need your help. My whole life has been about—okay, not going into detail about that. But, yeah, I need your help today.

We're going to give a little background now to when Jehovah Nissi was first mentioned. Now, when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, they were rejoicing. They were singing. They were dancing. But soon, their rejoicing turned into doubting and complaining. When they were at Marah, they complained about the quality of the water.

So, the Lord revealed Himself as Jehovah... Nah. Nah. Nah. Okay, I'll tell you. I'll tell you. He revealed Himself. He revealed Himself as Jehovah Rophi, the God, my healer, because He healed the waters and turned them from bitter waters to sweet.

And then they went from Marah to Elam to the wilderness of sin, where there was no food. So, they started doubting God and complaining again because they were hungry and they were longing for the flesh pots of Egypt. Have you ever wondered what a flesh pot is? I mean, it doesn't sound good, does it? You know? But it must have been good because they were longing for it.

Maybe it was like potato chips. Or chocolate. What do you long for? Come on, come on. Give me a name. Huh? Pasta? Yeah, potato chips. Yeah. Tamales. Yeah, some other. What? What? What kind of things do you long for? Steak. Yeah, you see? These are the kind of things. They sound better than flesh pots.

But I'm kind of getting sidetracked here with all the food. I'm getting hungry, actually. But anyways, it was here at the wilderness of sin that God revealed Himself as Jehovah Jireh because He met their needs by giving them manna to eat.

So then they went to Rephidim and there was no water there. So guess what they did? They doubted God and complained again. Do you see a pattern going here? Every time they faced with a problem, they doubted God and they complained every single time. But this is where God allowed water to gush out of a rock to quench the thirst of millions of people.

And there were two million people quenching their thirst when the Amalek attacked. They had gone out of their way to come after them. They were the children of God because the Amaleks didn't even live anywhere close to Rephidim. They'd gone out of their way. In fact, they had stalked them ever since the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.

And they followed them and they waited until they were worn out and weary and chose at that point to attack them, which is kind of what Satan does with you and me. He waits until we're distracted or we're tired or we're weary when we least expect him. Really, Scripture says that the enemy is waiting for just the right moment to attack us, a moment to strike.

And Peter challenges us in 1 Peter 5:8. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." So the enemy wants to isolate you or wear you out or make you feel insecure or rob you of joy or anything that will make you feel like giving up and quitting.

Because just because we follow Jesus doesn't mean that His problems won't affect us. The problem is, these sins, you know, they're going to affect us. None of us are super people. I mean, you're super, yes, I love you. You're all really wonderful people. But it doesn't mean that you're immune to attacks of the enemy.

And even Jesus said that we would have trouble. He just told us flat out, if you think the Christian life is trouble-free, ha! No. No. No life is trouble-free, right? But Jesus said, "I have told you all of this that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart because I have overcome the world." Amen.

So take heart. Be brave because of Jesus. The enemy will not win. He will not win unless you let him. Now, just put that away for a moment and think about that. When Moses received word that the Amalekites had attacked at the rear, at the very back of the assembly, he told Joshua, "I want you to go and pick out some of our men and I want you to fight with Amalek, and I will go with the rod of God up to the mountain."

Okay, so the first step in any battle is to engage. Now, the reason I say that is because a lot of us... Okay, let me just put it this way. I'm going to turn it to a positive spin, okay? Okay, are we just going to let him win? No. Okay, see, that's much more positive than what I was going to say.

So, yeah, are we going to let the enemy win? No. So we are going to engage him. We are going to fight. You know, please understand, this was a big paradigm shift for the Israelites because up to this time, the Lord had fought all their battles. They had not had to fight themselves, you know.

And when thinking that the Lord fights all your battles, you know, we sing it, we go, "Oh, the Lord fights all my battles." But the problem with the Israelites is because God was doing all the work, they had become passive. And as the back story shows, they became doubtful and complaining. Complaining.

So at this battle, God decides, "You know what? You're going to fight. You're not going to be passive anymore. You are going to be active in this battle." And the same is true for us, you know. We can't sit back and do nothing.

Which, honestly, some of us do. You know, because here's what we do. We pray and we tell God, "Do this. Do that." And we make God like our errand boy to do all the work while we sit back and wait for Him to bring us the victory. Not good.

And then there's some of us who are like the opposite. We try to do everything ourselves. Anybody here know what I'm talking about? How many of you ever said, "I got this?" Yeah. Yeah. So that's kind of where some of us lean. Because we think we got this. We do it all ourselves. But we can't do that either. You know? Some battles we just cannot win.

But we do need to do something. Turn to your neighbor and—no, don't pinch him. That was going to be rude and mean. Now turn and look at him and say, "Man, you've got to fight." Okay? Because, yeah. Yeah, you might not win the battle by yourself, but you still need to do something.

You need to be obedient to whatever God whispers to you or what His word tells you to do in His strength, in His wisdom, and His ability. Not in our own, all right? We must engage in the battle that God has called us to. Did you hear that last part? He's called us to fight. He's called us to a battle.

Now, Joshua could have said, "You know, us, fight them. I mean, the Amalekites, they're fighters. They're bandits. They're land pirates. They know how to fight. We know how to make bricks. Don't know how to do this. We just know how to, you know." Remember, Israel had never been in a battle before this. They never had. God had beat the Egyptians by Himself.

And so this was the first time, but they chose to fight because God said so. You know the phrase? How many parents have ever said, "Because I said so?" You know, and that's kind of like, that's the bottom line. That's the last. No more discussion, because I said so. And God is telling you to fight. And you're going to do it because He said so. Absolutely.

Instead of being observers of God's work, Israel was being challenged to be participants with God's work, as are we. Okay? I mean, I love the songs that we sang today, and it's so very true. He fights our battles, but it's not a solo act with God. He wants us to partner with Him.

And everybody turned to your neighbor and said, "That means you." Yeah. Yeah, God does. I don't want to take away from the songs because the songs are absolutely accurate, because God does fight your battles. But that doesn't mean you sit back and wait for Him to defeat the enemy for you.

No. You know, you have to follow God's orders and fight like Joshua and the Israelites did against Amalek. Then, okay, hear me now. When you do what God tells you to do and you fight the way God tells you to fight, then God will give you the ability to overcome things you could not overcome on your own.

But, you know, it's when you're partnering with Him that He does these things. Because Jehovah Nissi means God, our banner, right? So what does that mean we are? If, yeah, I was going to say soldiers, but I like warriors better. That was more aggressive. Yeah, we're warriors.

But if God is Jehovah and He is Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, our banner, then we are supposed to be soldiers. We're supposed to be warriors, and we're supposed to fight. Ephesians 6:12 says our fight is not with people on earth. We are fighting against rulers and authorities and powers of the world's darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.

When you were saved, you were drafted into God's army. And it doesn't matter whether you realized it or not or even if you want to be or not. You are. Turn to someone you haven't talked to yet and smile real, real big and say, "You've been drafted, bud."

No. You know, Jehovah Nissi also means mighty warrior and victory. So when you engage in battle, you don't have to be afraid because Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, our banner, the Lord, our victory is flying over you. And so you don't have to be afraid. You really don't have to be afraid.

But I do need to give this reminder before we move on. And that is simply this: You're not fighting against people. Ever. You're not fighting against people. You're fighting against the evil rulers and spirits that are behind the scenes doing the work.

So that's where you go to the root of the problem. You go to the very foundation of the problem, not people. But you fight against those evil spirits. And that fight, obviously, it's going to have to take place in prayer. Right?

So that's the second point. You know, we need to pray. And so Joshua fought the Amalekites in the valley, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur were up on the hill. And, you know, Moses was lifting up the staff of God, lifting up his arms. And when they were ready, they were ready to go. They raised. Israel was prevailing. When he got tired and his arms lowered, the Amalekites prevailed.

So it really didn't take long for them to see what was going on there. So the next time that Moses became weary and started lowering the staff of God, they brought up a stone, a rock, and had Moses sit on it. And they went on both sides of him and held his hands high.

Because lifted hands is the posture of prayer. And when Moses was praying for the battle, the Israelites beat back the Amalekites, which is a lesson for all of us, right? 1 Timothy 2, verses 1-2, and part of 2 in verse 3: "First of all, I ask you to pray for all people. Ask God to bless them, you know? And give them what they need. And give thanks. You should pray for rulers and for all those who are in authority. This is good and pleases God, our Savior."

We need to pray not just for ourselves, but for everyone. And that includes those who are in authority. That includes leaders you don't like. I could have been much more mean with that one, but, you know. Because when we pray for those leaders that are in authority, this pleases God.

Because when we pray, He intervenes. Because Moses was up interceding on the mountain, then God intervened in the battle. And when we pray, God intervenes. This is how we fight our battles. We provide intercession.

Now, all of us should pray consistently and fervently. Not just people that, you know, are identified as intercessors. You know, we say, "Well, they got it. They're praying." No, no, no, no. Turn to your neighbor and say, "You've got to pray."

I told you you have to help me today with this message. You've got to pray. Because if you're losing ground to the enemy in this battle, it's probably because prayer has not been a priority with you lately.

So if you're losing ground, you've got to make prayer that absolute priority. Because in times of battle, prayer is incredibly important. Now, obviously, prayer is always important, and I'm not saying that. But when you're in a battle, oh, prayer is just so crucial. Crucial.

So I want to just give you a few suggestions, I guess, that will help you fight more effectively in prayer. And the first is to pray the solution, not the problem. Okay? The solution. Don't just tell God how bad everything is. He knows. You pray. You pray the solution, not the problem, which means that you are praying God's will, not your own will.

You have to determine. You have to find. You have to ask God. You have to research. But when you pray, you need to be praying God's will about the situation, not your own. And everybody says, "Oh, me."

It gets worse. You need to pray in faith. Otherwise, don't bother. I told you I was going to be mean. But really, prayer cannot be a last resort or hail Mary pass. We're just going to try. When you pray, you must believe. Otherwise, it's not going to work. Faith is the key.

So when you pray, you're going to be praying the solution. You're going to be praying God's will. You're going to be praying sincerely with faith. And if you need to, you can do like the father who was bringing his child for healing. He says, "I believe. Help my unbelief." You know, God will honor that.

But we've got to step out knowing. Knowing. Everybody say knowing. Knowing that God's got this. Knowing that God is going to take care of it. Yeah. And we need to pray in Jesus' name. But Jesus' name is not a password. You know, I prayed in Jesus' name, so now God's got to do it. No. No.

Jesus' name is not a password or even a magic word. Praying in Jesus' name is praying in the authority of Jesus. So when you're coming to pray, you're coming in His authority. Again, it's a matter of faith. It's a matter of praying His word and His will. So you're going to come in His authority.

And you need to walk in obedience to everything that God has said to you and in His word has told you to do. James 4:7 says, "Submit yourself unto God, period." Thank you. Perfect. "Submit yourself unto God, period. Then resist the devil and he will flee from you."

So the first step—the first step is just being obedient and submitted to God. And God will do the work. 1 Timothy 6:12 says, "Fight the good fight of faith." Remember, we're soldiers. Fight the good fight of faith.

But we need to keep Proverbs 21:31 in mind, which reads, "The horse is made ready for the day of battle. But victory, what is it? Rest with the Lord." So, yes, we pray. But we don't get to do it. We have to rely on God's power.

That's point three. We got to rely on God's power. Jehovah Nissi represents victory and triumph that God gives His people, right? The battle against the Amalekites, honestly, it wasn't about the courage or the, I don't know, the strength of the Israelites. What won that battle? Come on, not a trick fun question. What won that battle?

Yeah, it was not the strength of the Israelites. It was the strength of God. It was the power of God. And it's the same way in our spiritual battles. We can't rely on our own strength, our own wisdom, our own abilities to fight battles that range anywhere from temptations to hardships of any kind. We can't do that in our own strength.

Yes, we have to do something, but we got to rely on God's strength. We must rely on God's strength. Jehovah Nissi reminds us that the Lord is our victory. The victory belongs to Him. And we have to trust Him. Are you hearing me? We have to trust Him to help us whatever battles we're facing.

I'm reading now from James 1:2-4. "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Whatever you're fighting right now, whatever you're going through right now, whether it's you or your loved one, whatever you're going through right now, whatever is happening, whatever battle you're going, recognize this is an opportunity for great joy.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow. Let it grow. For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. Remember, when trials, tests, temptations, battles of any kind come your way, it's an opportunity for you to grow in your relationship with the Lord and in your dependency with God.

So everything—everything you're going through, the worst thing that you're going through right now, it is an opportunity. We have to look at it. So we can look at it. "Oh my God, what's happening now?" Oh God, you've given me another opportunity to grow. Because I guarantee you, if you trust God through this, you will be stronger on the other end of the battle.

You will grow and you will be stronger on the other side. Have you ever met someone whose life seemed to be absolutely falling apart, but they were still smiling and singing God's praises? They're not weird. But what they're doing, they're living this verse. They're living this verse. And they've chosen to look past the pain and the suffering to focus on God—suffering and God and His purpose and His plan. They are trusting in the sovereignty of God.

So the battle is over. The battle was taking all day, and Moses was growing weary. And you may become physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally weary in the middle of your battle. It's normal. But it's also problematic. Because when you're fighting a battle, it is not time to shirk back or shrink back. It's not time to be weak in your faith. It's not time to doubt God.

You're not killing on any way. When you're in a battle, you must trust God. Pat your neighbor on the back a little bit and just say, "Yeah, I know you're doing that already." When you're in a battle, you have to trust that He is your victory, the Lord, your banner. You have to look to Him, but you also probably need to look to others.

That's the fourth point. Don't fight alone. Now Moses was on the hill with his hands raised with the staff of God intervening in the battle below. He prayed until he couldn't keep his hands up any longer. And seeing what was happening, Aaron, Moses' brother, and Hur, probably his brother-in-law, brought that stone and let him sit down on the stone.

We talked about that a moment ago, but I want you to remember the stone for the end of this message. You know, they helped. They helped Moses. You know, Moses was fervently battling in prayer. And it's such a blessing when we have people who are fighting in prayer for us. It really is a blessing to have people who are praying for you in your life.

You know, I have a group of six ladies who pray for me every day. And I'm honest, I do not know how I would make it through without their faithfulness and prayers. I have the strength and the courage to keep fighting because of their prayers. So I'm thankful for that.

But sometimes we need more than people praying for us. What's it? I've talked about it twice now, but what did Aaron and Hur do? They helped him in a practical way. And sometimes we need people in our lives that can help us in a practical way.

You know, how about you right now? Are you fighting a battle all by yourself? Are your arms grown weary and the enemy is advancing? Are you doing this in all your own strength? Because I'm telling you, you don't have to fight on your own. You don't have to do this by yourself.

Sometimes we think it's all on us, but it's not all on us. We can—life is too difficult to do it all by yourself. And some of us are carrying battles or carrying weights that are just too heavy for us to carry alone. We need people in our lives who will battle with us and help us.

I know we're kind of in a break with small groups, but you need to get in a small group. You need to get in a ministry team. You need to get involved with people in your life who can help you. Yes, pray for you, but also encourage you. Or help you with practical things or just be with you when you're tired and you're weary and they can just hold you up.

You need people in your life. We should never hesitate to ask for or receive assistance. Never hesitate. We should welcome encouragement and be ready to give it to others. Because I guarantee you're not the only one. You're not the only one going through a battle.

So look around yourself. I'm not meaning look around this auditorium. I mean, look around in your life and see who you can lift up with your prayer or your encouragement or practical ways. You know, be there for others and allow others to be there for you.

Point five, we're closing. Quickly. Hopefully. Number five, lift up the banner. After the battle was won, the Lord told Moses to write everything down and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua because God wanted to wipe the name of Amalek off the face of the earth because of their cowardly attack on God's people.

And once, you know, Moses did that, then he built an altar and he called the altar Jehovah Nissi, the Lord's my banner. Because Moses recognized that the only way they were able to win was because they were fighting under the banner of God. Jehovah Nissi, the protector, their defender rose up against the enemy and he won the battle.

Friend, the same Jehovah Nissi who fought for Israel is presently—hear the word I just chose—He is presently fighting for you. He is presently fighting for you. He is presently fighting for you. He's presently defending you. And even when the enemy fights dirty with sneak attacks, which is his favorite, the Lord is there to cover you with His banner of victory.

He is there when you lift up His victory. God's people continue to say, "The Lord is my banner," because His power is what vanquishes the enemy. Are you hearing me? It is the Lord's power that ultimately vanquishes the enemy. When His banner is lifted, when we lift up the banner of Jehovah Nissi, then we will be victorious.

Now, the following passage is found in Psalms, and it's a beautiful picture of how God's people call on Jehovah Nissi, the Lord, our banner. "May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God."

Yes. "May the Lord grant all your requests." Now, this I know. The Lord gives victory to His anointed. He answers him from His heavenly sanctuary. And with the victorious power of His right hand, some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we will trust in the name of our Lord God.

They are brought to their knees and fall, but we will rise up. We will. But the Bible makes it clear that we are victors because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. We need to stand on Romans 8:37, which says, "In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Now, there's more than conquerors. One commentary called it being hyper conquerors. So I think I need to stress this. What does more than conquerors mean to you? Please, this is not about somebody else. Not about me. It's not about the Israelites. This is about you. Hear this because you are more than a conqueror.

And that means to conquer is to be victorious over an adversary. But to be more than a conqueror means not only achieving victory but being overwhelmingly victorious. Just overwhelmingly so. A conqueror defeats his enemy, but one who is more than a conqueror subjugates his enemy.

I couldn't even find a difference. I couldn't even find a word for that because it's so powerful. More than a conqueror subjugates his enemy. A conqueror nullifies the purpose of the enemy, but a more than conqueror makes the enemy serve his own purpose.

Remember the songs we're singing, you know what the enemy meant for evil. The Lord is going to turn. That's being more than a conqueror. That requires your participation. Shove the neighbor next to you because they're kind of falling asleep now. So just someone saying, "You are more than a conqueror."

You are more than a conqueror. Psalm 60:12 says, "With God, we will gain the victory and He will trample down our enemies." Remember, enemies are not people; they're the spirits behind it. Keep that in mind.

Jehovah Nissi is a banner that represents God's presence and God's power and His protection over His people in times of trouble and uncertainty. We can raise the banner of Jehovah Nissi trusting in His faithfulness to give us the victory.

So we're going to lift high His banner. Psalm 20:5 says, "We will shout for joy when you are victorious and we'll lift up your banners, our banners in the name of God. May the Lord grant you all your requirements."

So we're going to get ready to rejoice here in a minute. You probably need to get in your rejoice position. Stand up. There we go. Right now, it might not look very good. I get that. Your arms may be tired. You may feel worn out like Moses felt worn out. God understands that. He does.

And here's what He wants you to do. He wants you to sit on the rock—Christ Jesus, our rock—and rest in Him. Just because you're weary doesn't mean you're defeated. Hear that. You know, Moses was tired. He sat on a rock, lifted his hands. Even though he was tired, God was still fighting.

And He was still fighting. And even if you're tired, take a rest. But remember that you are victorious. You are victorious. Come on, stand with me. I am victorious. You are more than a conqueror. That's what you need to know.

Let's praise God. Here's just what we're going to have, what we're going to close. Because, you know, some of us are really going through a battle right now. I know that. We've gone through death and heartache and problems and struggles. Some of us, it's just problem after problem after problem.

But know this. Know this. You are still victorious. No matter what is going on in your life, you are victorious. You are victorious because of Jehovah Nissi, the God of banners. We're going to lift up the banner of Christ right now. We're going to lift His name. We're going to praise God.

Regardless of what we're going through right now, we're going to praise God with all of our heart. We're not going to do the golf clap. We're going to rejoice. We're going to praise. We're going to exalt the name of Jesus. We're going to exalt the name of our God because He's the one that is giving us our victory.

Whether we even see it now or not, it is coming. Victory is coming. It is coming. Let's hold our hands.