The Lord Is My Banner

In one paragraph

On Tribe's ninth birthday, Brian walked through Exodus 17 and a just-returned trip to Saudi Arabia, where he and Lissa visited the site many believe is the biblical Rephidim. The message followed Israel's surprise attack by the Amalekites and what that pattern means for anyone who has ever had life go sideways right when things were finally going well. The discussion was collaborative, with the...

Read together

1. John 16:33 quoted to show that Jesus promised trouble in this life but told his followers to take heart because he has overcome the world
2. 1 John 4:4 quoted to show that the spirit living in believers is greater than the spirit living in the world, as the basis for standing against Amalekite attacks
3. Philippians 4:6-8 referenced loosely as the basis for the instruction not to worry when an unexpected bill or attack arrives

What was said

• Write down 'tribes next home' in your new journal and add it to your regular prayer list between now and the tenth birthday.
• When an Amalekite attack hits this week, say out loud: 'Should have known this was coming, I am ready' instead of letting the wheels fall off.
• If you are facing a bill or a problem you have been ignoring, take one concrete step toward confronting it head on rather than hoping it disappears.
• Identify one person in your life who can be an Aaron or a Hur for you, someone to hold your arms up, and reach out to them this week.
• If you are at a crossroads about a decision, take one small, even noncommittal step toward the direction you sense God calling you, so you can begin to hear his voice more clearly.

Talk about it

1. Moses, Aaron, and Hur all had a specific role in the battle against the Amalekites. Brian talked about the importance of knowing who is on your believing team. Who are the people in your life who hold your arms up when you are tired, and how did you find them?
2. Brian said that obedience in one area that seems completely unrelated to what you are going through can have a supernatural connection to victory in another area. Has there been a time in your life when you experienced something like that?
3. Brian described two forms of distraction that an Amalekite attack can take: opposition and opportunity. Which of the two do you find harder to recognize in your own life, and why?
4. Lissa shared that she auditioned for a worship team even though she did not have peace about it, and that the fear of the Lord came over her the moment she was offered a spot. Have you ever had to take a step in a direction just to hear clearly from God that it was not the right one?
5. Brian mentioned that for nearly five years the vision God gave him for Tribe was just two words, stay close, and that some people left because that was not enough for them. How do you personally handle seasons when God is not giving you a clear next step, only a call to stay close?