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The Lord Gives Water and Victories - The Book of Exodus · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. Behold, I will stand before thee there
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  Speaker 1: upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock,
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  Speaker 1: and there shall come water out of it, that the
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  Speaker 1: people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight
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  Speaker 1: of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17.6. Dear Heavenly Father,
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  Speaker 1: as I look back on my life, I will not
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  Speaker 1: become like the children of Israel and live with entitlement.
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  Speaker 1: forgetting all you've done for me. I will be mindful
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  Speaker 1: of the many blessings you have brought and are continuing
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  Speaker 1: to bring into my life. When fear and doubt try
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  Speaker 1: to drive me out of my promised position and land,
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  Speaker 1: I will no longer look at myself as a slave
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  Speaker 1: to limited thinking, but as a warrior, hungry to keep
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  Speaker 1: my freedom. I will not back down when the enemy
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  Speaker 1: tries to attack my peace. Instead, I will lift my
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  Speaker 1: hands like Moses in worship and fight like Joshua to
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  Speaker 1: keep the freedom that you've blessed me with. I declare
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  Speaker 1: that a new dawn is rising over my mind. I
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  Speaker 1: declare that courage and hope is rising up within me.
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  Speaker 1: I am an overcomer, and I am powerful beyond measure.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord, that your promises always come with the
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  Speaker 1: ability for me to overcome any and every thought, that
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  Speaker 1: is contrary to the marvelous vision you've shown me about
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  Speaker 1: my life. I am a fighter and an overcomer because
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  Speaker 1: you are the God that refreshes me like water and
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  Speaker 1: brings me victory over the challenges in my life. In Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Continue listening for
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  Speaker 1: an incredible Bible story brought to you.
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  Speaker 2: The Lord gives water and victories. In our last story,
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  Speaker 2: we learned about the protecting power of God. Pharaoh had
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  Speaker 2: pursued the Israelites to recapture them, but God parted the
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  Speaker 2: seas so they could run to freedom. God defeated Pharaoh
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  Speaker 2: once and for all. We also learned about the providing
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  Speaker 2: power of God and how He gave Israel water and
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  Speaker 2: food when they were wandering in the wilderness. In this story,
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  Speaker 2: we will learn about God's continued provision and how the
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  Speaker 2: Israelite slaves are forced to become warriors as well, as
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  Speaker 2: inspired by the book of Exodus.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of The Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year. In our last episode, we saw God
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  Speaker 3: lead the Israelites to safety. delivering them from Pharaoh's hand
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  Speaker 3: and out of bondage into freedom. And they crossed the
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  Speaker 3: parted waters of the Red Sea. What a miracle. We
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  Speaker 3: also witnessed the Israelites complaining and grumbling like impatient children
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  Speaker 3: who quickly forgot about God's care for them. Through it all,
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  Speaker 3: God continued to provide and promised that as long as
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  Speaker 3: they followed him and trusted him, things would go well. Today,
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  Speaker 3: we will see how God provides once again even as
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  Speaker 3: complaints continue. Listen to Moses' exasperated response to the people,
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  Speaker 3: calling them out for their forgetful, unfaithful hearts. Then listen
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  Speaker 3: to what God commands Moses to do. We'll also hear
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  Speaker 3: a new chapter in their story. Their wandering will stop
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  Speaker 3: as they set up a camp in enemy territory, and
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  Speaker 3: God will call them to battle. Let's listen now to
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  Speaker 3: this reading.
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  Speaker 2: The sweet joys of freedom from slavery lasted only a moment.
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  Speaker 2: Now they wandered in the heat of day and slept
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  Speaker 2: in the cold of night. Their lips were parched and
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  Speaker 2: their feet were tired. Israel camped at Rephidim, and there
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  Speaker 2: was no water for them to drink. Already forgetting the
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  Speaker 2: past provision of God, the people quarreled and complained. Give
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  Speaker 2: us water, they demanded to Moses. Growing more and more
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  Speaker 2: annoyed with their childish complaining, Moses replied, Why do you
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  Speaker 2: argue with me as if God has not already been faithful?
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  Speaker 2: But the people continued to grumble. Thirsty and tired, they
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  Speaker 2: cornered Moses and said to him, Why did you bring
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  Speaker 2: us out of Egypt just to kill us and our
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  Speaker 2: children with thirst? They grew more and more violent, angry,
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  Speaker 2: and entitled towards Moses. Moses rubbed his forehead, also thirsty
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  Speaker 2: and tired. He turned to God and said, What am
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  Speaker 2: I going to do with these people? Lord, they are
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  Speaker 2: getting ready to stone me. God spoke to Moses with
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  Speaker 2: a patient and loving voice. Depart from the people with
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  Speaker 2: some of the elders. Make sure to take your staff
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  Speaker 2: with you. So Moses did as God commanded and departed
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  Speaker 2: to the rock of Horeb. Strike the rock and water
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  Speaker 2: shall come out of it for the people to drink,
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  Speaker 2: God said. And Moses did so in front of all
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  Speaker 2: the elders of Israel. He took his staff and broke
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  Speaker 2: the rock and water flowed endlessly from it. God commanded
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  Speaker 2: the elders to watch so they might see his provision
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  Speaker 2: with their own eyes. They would need to see God
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  Speaker 2: at work and trust him for greater problems than thirst
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  Speaker 2: were approaching. In the land of Rephidim, where Israel camped,
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  Speaker 2: was the kingdom of Amalek. Desiring to drive them out
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  Speaker 2: of the land, the Amalekites attacked Israel frequently. Men, women,
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  Speaker 2: and children were killed and taken. This was a new
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  Speaker 2: threat Israel had not expected. Israel, once slaves, had to
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  Speaker 2: become warriors. Moses called Joshua, a young man who had
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  Speaker 2: shown great promise and leadership. Choose men to go out
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  Speaker 2: and fight with Amalek, Moses commanded. Tomorrow I will stand
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  Speaker 2: on the top of the hill with the staff of God.
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  Speaker 2: Joshua left to go gather men able and willing to battle.
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  Speaker 2: They armed themselves with spears and swords they had taken
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  Speaker 2: from Egypt, along with any staffs, hammers or farming tools
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  Speaker 2: they had with them. Israel was not yet a polished nation.
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  Speaker 2: They had no commanders, no armor, and no battle strategy. Instead,
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  Speaker 2: they had a group of men hardened from years of slavery,
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  Speaker 2: desperate to keep their freedom. They had faithful leaders who
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  Speaker 2: loved them. And they had a God who was able
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  Speaker 2: to call fire from heaven and part seas to free them.
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  Speaker 2: So Joshua gathered his men and they marched to fight
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  Speaker 2: the Amalekites. They marched forward, afraid and untested in battle,
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  Speaker 2: but hearts filled with confidence in God. Their marching turned
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  Speaker 2: to running as they clashed swords and clubs with the
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  Speaker 2: armies of Amalek. Screams from battle could be heard in
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  Speaker 2: the distance. On the hill overlooking the battle stood Moses.
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  Speaker 2: Moses held up his staff as he had done when
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  Speaker 2: God parted the Red Sea. His hands were held high,
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  Speaker 2: the universal symbol of victory. Moses' old bones grew tired.
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  Speaker 2: While his arms were up, Israel would begin to prevail
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  Speaker 2: over the Amalekites. When his arms waned or rested, the
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  Speaker 2: Amalekites would begin to overtake Israel. Moses' arms grew weary
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  Speaker 2: and his shoulders trembled. Sweat beat down his brow and
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  Speaker 2: his eyes were fixed on his people below. Aaron and
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  Speaker 2: Hur came up the hill with Moses and held up
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  Speaker 2: his arms under him. Moses would not leave and the
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  Speaker 2: sun began to set over the battle. Joshua swiped his
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  Speaker 2: sword through the crowded battlefield, drenched in the blood of
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  Speaker 2: his enemies. His movements were like a dance as he
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  Speaker 2: cut the flesh of the Amalekites. Roars of righteous anger
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  Speaker 2: bellowed from his throat. Occasionally, Joshua would catch a glimpse
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  Speaker 2: of Moses with his arms stretched out over the battlefield.
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  Speaker 2: The strength of the Lord filled Joshua and all the
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  Speaker 2: warriors with him. As the sun departed over the horizon,
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  Speaker 2: God gave Israel their first victory. Blood and dust covered
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  Speaker 2: the men of God. Weary smiles laced their faces and
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  Speaker 2: tired laughter could be heard for miles. Moses gazed at
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  Speaker 2: his men from a distance, hearing the voice of the
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  Speaker 2: Lord in his ear. Write this as a memorial in
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  Speaker 2: a book and recite it to Joshua continually, God said.
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  Speaker 2: And Moses said, built an altar to the Lord there.
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  Speaker 2: God had freed Israel from slavery, parted seas to protect them,
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  Speaker 2: and provided sustenance for them to survive. Now God had
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  Speaker 2: given them a new work. They unified and protected one another.
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  Speaker 2: They bled for each other and put their lives on
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  Speaker 2: the line to save the ones they loved. The beautiful
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  Speaker 2: beginnings of a mighty nation was unfolding before their eyes.
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  Speaker 3: God has faithfully provided passage and provision for his people,
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  Speaker 3: but their hearts are so easily filled with faithlessness and
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  Speaker 3: fear and dissatisfaction. Scarce water at camp drives them to
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  Speaker 3: complain again. The grumbling spreads like a virus toxic through
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  Speaker 3: the camp as they go to Moses once again and complain.
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  Speaker 3: Why isn't God coming through? Why is God not taking
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  Speaker 3: care of us? So Moses is exasperated with his people.
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  Speaker 3: He is angry, angered that they seem to be so
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  Speaker 3: easily forgetting what God has done. So he rebukes the
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  Speaker 3: people sternly. Why do you act like God is not faithful?
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  Speaker 3: God speaks to Moses and has him call elders to
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  Speaker 3: witness as God commands Moses to strike a stone with
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  Speaker 3: his staff. Water freely pours from this place where water
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  Speaker 3: shouldn't be, a miracle in the desert, water in the desert,
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  Speaker 3: something that only God could do. The elders and the
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  Speaker 3: people needed to see this with their own eyes because
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  Speaker 3: they were about to face conflict in a whole new way.
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  Speaker 3: As they settled in the camp near the Amalekites, they
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  Speaker 3: find themselves under attack. They're like sitting ducks. Men, women,
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  Speaker 3: and children are killed by Amalekite warriors. These former slaves
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  Speaker 3: knew nothing of battle, but they believed God and gathered
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  Speaker 3: weapons and tools. A young man by the name of
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  Speaker 3: Joshua steps up as a leader. He'll be a leader
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  Speaker 3: for many years to come. Joshua leads them into battle
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  Speaker 3: and Moses, led by God, watches from a hill with
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  Speaker 3: his staff in his hands. And Moses raises his arms,
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  Speaker 3: calling on the Lord in prayer to win the fight
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  Speaker 3: for the people of God. As long as his hands
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  Speaker 3: are raised, the Israelites prevail in the battle. He may
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  Speaker 3: not actually be engaged on the front lines of the battle,
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  Speaker 3: but Moses is being the man of prayer, the leader
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  Speaker 3: that God has called him to be. Moses is now
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  Speaker 3: a different man. He is no longer that fugitive living
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  Speaker 3: in the desert, but his encounter with God in the
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  Speaker 3: burning bush and to see the hand of God moving
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  Speaker 3: in Pharaoh's palace and through the Red Sea, Moses is
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  Speaker 3: now a man of God, one of the greatest men
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  Speaker 3: who ever lived. He's filled with God's power, and he prays,
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  Speaker 3: and he prays with victory in his heart and in
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  Speaker 3: his hands. But Moses, being an older man, begins to
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  Speaker 3: tire and his arms begin to sag, and the Amalekites
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  Speaker 3: begin to get the upper hand. But Aaron and a
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  Speaker 3: man named Hur support his arms. It's a beautiful picture
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  Speaker 3: of prayer. Joshua and his army are given the victory.
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  Speaker 3: So untrained, weary slaves emerge victorious over seasoned Amalekite soldiers.
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  Speaker 3: But the people know it was God's protection, not their
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  Speaker 3: own strength. And Moses is built an altar to acknowledge
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  Speaker 3: the victory that God gave them. It can be tempting
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  Speaker 3: to take credit for what God does when something amazing
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  Speaker 3: happens in our lives or to forget that God gives
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  Speaker 3: us the victory or even forget to pray and ask
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  Speaker 3: for the victory. But let today's reading be a reminder
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  Speaker 3: that God is the one who gives us victory over
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  Speaker 3: every enemy in our lives. In spiritual warfare, we have
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  Speaker 3: victory in Christ. Though we do not build physical altars
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  Speaker 3: to remember our victories, let us find ways to show
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  Speaker 3: ourselves and others that God goes before us to fight
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  Speaker 3: our battles. It is not our own strength that brings deliverance,
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  Speaker 3: but God's strength, his power working through us. In fact,
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  Speaker 3: our victory is in Jesus. Next time, we'll hear God
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  Speaker 3: reaffirm his covenant and give his people simple rules for life.
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  Speaker 3: Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for today's scripture, that
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  Speaker 3: you miraculously delivered your people in the face of a
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  Speaker 3: seasoned army and in a battle that apparently they could
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  Speaker 3: not win but did win because of the power of
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  Speaker 3: prayer and your power upon the people's lives. We thank
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  Speaker 3: you that in our battles you are fighting for us
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  Speaker 3: and that we fight our battles on our knees praying.
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  Speaker 3: Help us to pray for one another and hold each
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  Speaker 3: other's arms high in victory today. In the name of
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  Speaker 3: our Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you for listening to
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  Speaker 3: today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham
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  Speaker 3: from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com app and make prayer
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  Speaker 3: a priority in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast,
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  Speaker 3: share it with someone you love. By sharing this podcast,
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  Speaker 3: you can make a difference in someone's life. And if
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: you want more resources on how to tap into God's
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  Speaker 3: power for successful Christian living, be sure to visit jackgraham.org.
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  Speaker 3: God bless.