I AM ON THE WINNING SIDE

There are moments in life when everything feels like a battle. Some battles are obvious – circumstances, opposition, conflict. Others are quieter – discouragement, fatigue, spiritual dryness.

In Exodus 17, Israel has just crossed of the Red Sea out of Egyptian captivity. Now, they are facing their first real enemy after leaving Egypt. The Amalekites come out against them – not because Israel provoked them, but simply because they were vulnerable.

And what unfolds in this passage is a powerful truth:

Victory is not just determined on the battlefield – it is determined by the preparation and positioning ourselves before God.

• You’ve got Joshua in the valley with a sword.
• You’ve got Moses on the hill with a staff.
• And you’ve got Aaron and Hur beside him holding him up.

Different hands… different responsibilities . . . but all leading to the same victory.

And that’s what I want to preach on this morning: I AM ON THE WINNING SIDE.

WARRIOR HANDS (vv. 8 – 10a) “Some hands are called to fight.”

The Bible says Amalek came and fought with Israel. This was an unprovoked attack.

Moses tells Joshua, “Choose us men, and go out, fight with Amalek.”

Joshua doesn’t hesitate—he steps into the battle. his is the first time Joshua appears in Scripture – and he appears in a fight. Because following God does not remove battles from your life. In fact, it often introduces them.

It’s like a firefighter. Nobody becomes a firefighter expecting a quiet, comfortable life. When the alarm sounds, they don’t debate – they respond.

In the same way, when spiritual battles arise, God’s people don’t retreat – we engage.

Some of you are in a battle right now:

• A battle for your family
• A battle against sickness
• A battle for your faith
• A battle against temptation

And the answer is not to run – it’s to stand and fight. Because Faith doesn’t remove the fight – it gives you strength in it.

WORSHIPPING HANDS (vv. 10b–11) “Some hands are lifted in dependence.”

While Joshua is in the valley fighting, Moses is on the hill holding up the rod of God.

And the Bible says something remarkable:

• When his hands are raised – Israel prevails.
• When his hands fall – Amalek gains ground.

DON’T MISS THIS: The battle below is connected to the posture above. Victory is not just about swords – it’s about surrender.

Think about a power outage. You can have all the best equipment in the world, but if it’s not connected to the power source, it’s useless. Israel had soldiers – but the power came from God.

Some of us are trying to win battles with effort alone, but we haven’t lifted our hands in surrender.

• Prayer is not weakness – it is dependence
• Worship is not routine – it is alignment

What happens on the hill determines what happens in the valley.

WILLING HANDS (v. 12) “Some hands are needed for support.”

Moses’ hands grow heavy. Even the strongest leaders gets tired. Because as we learned last week, YOU CAN GET WEARY IN WELL DOING!

So Aaron and Hur step in. They sit him on a stone and hold up his hands—one on each side. They didn’t take his place – they supported his purpose.

I know we have a few gym rats in here. It’s like someone trying to hold a heavy weight at the gym. Alone, they can only hold it so long – but with a spotter, they can going a little longer, lift a little more weight.

Aaron and Hur became Moses’ “spotters.”

There are people around you whose hands are getting tired.

• A pastor
• A spouse
• A friend
• A fellow believer

And they don’t need criticism – they need support.

And here’s the truth: One day, you’ll need someone to hold your hands up too. Because God’s work is never meant to be carried alone.

WINNING HANDS (vv. 13–16) “All hands point to God’s victory.”

Joshua defeats Amalek.

But God makes it clear – this victory wasn’t about Joshua’s sword or Moses’ strength.

Moses builds an altar and calls it:

“The Lord is my Banner” (Jehovah-Nissi).

A banner was a rallying point – a declaration of identity and victory. That’s why we named our Church Rally Point, we are making a bold statement that “the LORD is OUR Banner.”  

Moses is saying: “This wasn’t our victory – this was God’s.”

After a championship game, the team celebrates – but they also raise a banner. That banner represents the victory – but it also reminds everyone who won.

God says, “Don’t forget who gave you the victory.”

Some of you are standing in victories right now – and it’s easy to take credit.

But every victory:

• Every answered prayer
• Every breakthrough
• Every moment of strength

It all comes from God. When God’s people align their hands, God reveals His power.

Conclusion

In this story, we see four kinds of hands:

• Warrior hands that fight
• Worshipping hands that lift
• Willing hands that support
• Winning hands that give God the glory

Imagine an orchestra.

You’ve got different instruments – strings, brass, percussion. Each one plays a different role. But when they follow the same conductor, they create something powerful.

That’s what we see here. Different hands…same purpose…one God.

So let me ask you:

• Are you fighting the battles God has called you to fight?
• Are your hands lifted in worship and dependence?
• Are you holding someone else up – or just watching from a distance?

Because victory doesn’t come from strong hands alone – It comes from surrendered hands, supported hands, and steadfast hands lifted to the Lord.