Watch Your Back!
Deut 25:17-19 (KJV)
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
Such a reading! This "warning" begin with, "REMEMBER", and end with the words, "YOU SHALL NOT FORGET!"
Amalek was the enemy of Israel since they were come out from Egypt. And we as "Spiritual Israel," who were call out from Egypt, have face the same kind of enemy, who launched the same kind of strategy.
Amalek’s strategy:
- How he met thee by the way, (Luk 10:30-36, John 10:10)
Amalek is one of many description about Satan. They are in the same side. They always try to steal something from us.
- [and] smote the hindmost of thee,
- even all that were feeble behind thee,
Do you think this kind of enemy will launch a frontal assault? No! He use the back door so he can launch a suprise attack.
Sometimes we prepare a new year so well with so many hope and faith, but we didn’t watch the day after that. He will not launch an attack when you are so full of optimism, confidence, and faith! He launch an attack when you begin to feel feeble, right behind your own back.
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? " Gal 3:3
- when thou wast faint and weary;
He attack your weak points!
- [and] he feared not God.
What a kind of enemy we must face! I pray in the end of this year and entering this new year, we can defeat this enemy!
In what areas this enemy try to attack?
I. Our Witness - Judg. 3:12-22.
What is Israel weak point? (v.12) The children of Israel again did evil in the eyes of the Lord...
Where was the Amalek launch their attack? (v.13) Eglon got together Ammon and AMALEK and they went and overcame Israel and took the TOWN OF PALM-TREES.
Ps 92:12-15
"THE RIGHTEOUS shall flourish like the PALM TREE: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be FAT and FLOURISHING; TO SHEW that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."
Palm-trees is talks about RIGHTEOUS MAN’S TESTIMONY about GOD!
Satan (Amalek) hates if we stand in righteousness, because we will be different person, and that is why we can testify about Jesus. If we just like the worldly person, we don’t have anything to testify at. But when we have a new life in Christ, we can testify! That is why psalmist said, they bring forth fruit [of the spirit], changing character or changing life, to SHOW the world that Jesus is The Lord!
Amalek put Eglon, a very fat man, talks about fleshly desires, as king over Town of Palm Tree. Flesh upon spirit! What a terrible condition!
What is our weapon? What must we do?
1. Two edged sword (Heb. 4:12)
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Two edged sword is talking about God’s word. It must pierce our fleshly desires.
2. Gilgal (Josh 5:2-11)
Gilgal is a place where there will be no shame of Egypt. Gilgal is a place where they celebrated passover. Gilgal is a place of every worldly and lustful desires rolled away, is talks about a life of Cross, a circumcision life!
II. The Word of God - Judg. 6:1-6.
What is Israel weak points?
- Judg 6:1. Sin or evil deeds.
- Judg 6:2. Sin produces strongholds, fear.
Where was the Amalek launch their attack? Judg 6:3
Amalek attack at the "field" of our heart. They attack the seed of the Word of God (Mark 4:14).
No wonder, people can be so frigthened, so in despair, in fear (vv.1,2), because they did not have the spiritual food. The Amalek take every Word of God in our heart, whenever we are in sin!
Let’s look another picture of the loosing the Word of God in our lives.
1 Sam 15:1-3, 22-25.
What is Saul’s weak point?
1. He thought he win; he didn’t guard his heart.
Remember, Amalek ALWAYS attack us right behind our back, when we unguarded. Pride always open our back for the enemy to attack us.
2. He did not listen to the Word of God. OR, He did listen, BUT he didn’t listen WELL!
To do half of what God tell us to do, is just like doing nothing at all!
Our only weapon is to guard and to fill our heart with God’s word daily.
Living in the strength of His Word, walk by the direction of His righteousness, doing all His commandments, bless in His promises, and listening to His sayings.
"And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast REJECTED THE WORD OF THE LORD, HE HATH ALSO REJECTED THEE FROM BEING KING."
III. Family - 1 Sam 30:1-8
What is they weak point?
"WHEN David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had INVADED the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way."
They went to the war! This statement might shock some of us, but its true. Sometimes, as God’s worker, we must do so many jobs, so we might enlarge the Kingdom of God. BUT, while we doing the ministry, "Amalek" attacks our family.
You see, our own ministries for God can be our own weak point. That is why, I believe that a person who wants to enter a ministry, first must be a minister in his or her family.
It will be a BIG MISTAKE, if we entering a ministry without we first be a minister in our family! I saw too many preacher loosing their son and daughter to the narcotics, free sex, alcohol, and many others, JUST BECAUSE their parents too BUSY serving the Lord!
What is our weapon?
1. v.6, "but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." - FAITH
2. vv.7,8 "I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David enquired at the LORD, ...And He answered him,..." - PRAY
If you don’t have faith, DON’T PRAY! But if you pray, HAVE FAITH in what you pray for!
Look: Exod 17:9-11
If you raise your hands up, God strecth His hands down! Our most powerfull weapon to guard all our family are Faith and Prayer.
Let us close this old year and open the new year with a victorious life in Christ. Let our testimony, God’s word, and our family still in our possession. Don’t ruin it, guard it with God’s word, faith, and prayer! God blesses you, Happy New Year!
