THE POWER OF PREVAILING PRAYER

message. General George Washington and his Continental army had secretly crossed the Delaware River that morning and were advancing on Trenton, New Jersey where the Hessians were encamped.
The spy was denied an audience with the commander, and instead, wrote his message on a piece of paper. A porter took the note to the Hessian colonel, but because Rall was involved in a poker game, he stuffed the unread note into his pocket.
When the guards at the Hessian camp began firing their muskets in a futile attempt to stop Washington’s army, Rall was still playing cards. Without time to organize, the Hessian army was captured. The battle occurred the day after Christmas, 1776, giving the colonists a late present—their first major victory of the war.2

B. The Attack Came When Israel Was Exhausted.

Deut.25: 18b “How he met thee by the way…when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.”

NOTE: [1] Israel was walking through a dry, barren desert. Though they were headed to the Promised Land, and though God led them and sustained them, they still found the journey tiring. The same is true of God’s present-day people. We are promised the presence, power, protection and provision of God as we make our way heavenward. But that doesn’t mean that we won’t find ourselves weary and faint at times. It is particularly important during these times of physical or spiritual weariness that we remain vigilant; for it is then that we are most vulnerable to the enemy.
[2] One thing we had better learn right away is that Satan almost never attacks us when we are on top of everything. He is a sly adversary. He often attacks when we are weary, exhausted and frustrated. It is for this reason that we are exhorted by Paul not to live in the power of the flesh, but by dependence upon God’s power. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Eph.6: 10).
[3] Sometimes Satan’s strategy is to instigate a series of annoyances, geared to reduce us to a state of weakness and frustration. Once in that state, he often goes for the coup de grace. This is the reason Christians need to obey the exhortation of James, who said, “…Pray one for another…” (James 5: 16b).
[4] One of the lessons learned from this event in Israel’s wilderness journey is that it is often spiritual conflict that drives home to us the necessity of prayer.

C. Moses Orders That Warriors Be Enlisted.

Ex.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.”

NOTE: [1] An evangelist named, Mickey Bonner, who is now with the Lord, once said, “All real prayer is warfare.”3
[2] Folks, when the enemy attacked, Moses and the children of Israel did not sit passively by hoping it would all turn out all right. Warriors were enlisted for the battle. We are also in the midst of a great spiritual warfare. Churches are cold, lost hearts are calloused, and Christians, on the whole, are casual about their Christianity. God is looking for men and women of faith, willing to stand in the gap through prayer and supplication. God told Ezekiel, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezek.22: 30).
[3] The battle for the hearts and souls of