The Importance of Fellowship

Every Thursday, I attend my fellowship meeting with the Kingdom Men of Bethel Temple Church, 1705 Todds Lane, Hampton, VA. We were recently asked what the Kingdom Men group meant to us. God led me to Exodus 17: 8-13, emphasizing the importance of fellowship in overcoming battles.

Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and God performed many miracles, from parting the Red Sea to supplying quail, daily manna, and water from the rock at Horeb. All the while, they grumbled and even asked if God was still with them despite all they had witnessed. The story picks up after the Israelites had gone through the Desert of Sin and arrived at Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 10. NIV tells us, “The Amalekites came to attack the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill.

Notice how Moses had his boys with him. Moses knew he was going to dictate the battle as evidenced by his wielding the Staff of God, but he still took his boys for support.

Exodus 17:11. (NIV) “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hand, the Amalekites were winning.”

Now remember, there is nothing wrong with the power of the Staff of God. It’s Moses who was struggling to hold it up.

Exodus 17: 12; “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ”13 “so Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.”

Moses, like many of us today, was fighting a battle. Yet, unlike Moses, many men buy into the lone wolf mentality of fighting their battles alone. It’s important to recognize that it’s a trick of the devil. It encourages isolation and secrecy, and many times brings about pride and shame, which serve to weaken the Spirit. In addition, the devil knows you are more vulnerable on your own, and he can wear you out. We are sheep, and there’s a reason the Good Shepherd will leave the 99 to save 1. He knows that one, by himself, is in trouble.

Furthermore, Moses was very particular, he only took two, Aaron and Hur. Aaron was big brother, there from day one. They had been through all the battles together. Out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, into the Desert of Sin, out of the Desert of Sin, into Rephidim. He also had Hur, a nephew, who you see as the third in charge.

So, Moses, a mighty man of faith, is battling. Yet as the battle goes on, he gets weary, and when he’s wearied, the enemy gets the upper hand. As the battle goes on and intensifies, his two partners are there to assist him. They put him on a rock, and that rock is the Word of God. They don’t mention the time between sitting and holding the hands up, maybe it was simultaneously, maybe it took a while before he needed it. What we do know is they stood beside him and held his hands up for him. It was with his hands held up by his friends that the power of the Staff of God could be unleashed, and they held him up until victory was won. A victory won by the Sword, the Sword of the Spirit.

Remember this: God never told us we can only win if we hold on to that staff with our own might. When engaged in a battle, you need fellowship. You need someone who can hold you up when your hands are going down, to allow you to wield the Staff of God. That’s what Kingdom Men is about. Holding each other up. We have all experienced freedom from bondage, gone through our personal Desert of Sin, and despite God working miracles in our lives, have had moments of questioning, and struggled in battles. The Kingdom Men are about understanding that we all get weary, and it is important to have strong, like-minded, God-fearing men who can come and stand beside you in battle. That is why our motto is,” Fellowship, Hold him up”.

I thank God for my brothers. In their presence, I can discuss my battles, be vulnerable about my weakness, and know they will support me with the word, and hold me up until Victory is won. If you don’t have that kind of support, I invite you to join us.

Dr. Michael A. Murphy