Lifting Up Holy Hands

The Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:8 – I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

• When we lift our hands to heaven, we are presenting everything we are, everything we have done, everything we have to God.
• When we lift our hands to the Lord we are lifting up our families, our loved ones, our relationships, our work, our money and everything else to God.
• When we lift our hands in praise and worship we are saying, Father, we adore You, we love You!
• When we lift our hands in prayer and song we are saying, we exalt You; we praise You; we trust You; we surrender to You.
• In fact, holding up your hands is and was a sign of complete surrender and dependence. You can’t touch your weapons when your hands are lifted.

Paul specifically said he wished all men everywhere would pray in every place, public and private and that they would lift up holy hands. The word “holy” is the Greek word “hosios” which describes something that is consecrated or dedicated to God. So when Paul wrote of lifting up holy hands he was expressing his deeply felt longing that men everywhere would present themselves as dedicated and consecrated to God. Pure from all known sin. Lifting up holy hands without wrath. What is wrath? Is it anger? Every temper or emotion of our soul that is not according to LOVE – is wrath. And then also Paul said, lifting up holy hands without doubting – which is contrary to faith.  When you lift your hands to heaven, what does God see?

• When we lift up our hands it is an act of thanksgiving.

According to Strong’s no 8426 the word “thanksgiving” (todah) is derived from the verb “yadah”.  It means to hold out the hand, an extension of the hand, especially to revere or worship with extended hands. It is to thank and praise God with one’s hands extended. The word for hand is “yad” and in 2 Chronicles 5 when Solomon had finished building the temple and it is time to dedicate it, the ark of the covenant is brought in, singers begin to sing, instruments begin to play. King Solomon stands to pray the prayer of dedication…and pictures depicting the scene have the priests (4000 of them) standing all around with their hands raised (their YADS raised) and the king says, “Hallelujah! For He is good!” and the entire company of Levites proclaims in unison, “and His mercy endureth forever!” And God blessed them by giving them the Shekinah glory. It was so bright that the priests could not minister.

• Holding up your hands means you have put all your faith in the Most High God/His plan.
• Holding up your hands, whether you know it or not, is an admission of weakness and that you have no power apart from the power of His Holy Ghost and His anointing.
• Holding up your hands means you have VICTORY!!!

A great example of this is when Moses’ hands were used to win a war in Exodus 17. I love this. Moses’ hands were used to combat physical war and spiritual war. When Moses lowered his hands, the enemy won. That physical sign of keeping his hands in the air no matter how hard it was for him revealed his devotion to God and that he knew he needed God’s help.

I love this because sometimes when I put my hands up in worship they suddenly feel like lead. So heavy, but I remember Moses and his devotion and I pray to the Lord for His help because I am ever so aware that I can do nothing unless He helps me, even keep my own hands raised up in praise and surrender. When you raise our hands we are are praising God and both publicly and physically demonstrating to Him that we know we need Him.

Moses kept his hands raised with help from others during this great battle and it was then that God revealed Himself as JEHOVAH NISSI – THE LORD IS MY BANNER. What is the purpose of a flag or a banner? The most important thing is that it identifies you. (OLYMPICS) But a banner also is a mark of victory. It is well understood that the conquering army in any battle has the right to remove the defeated country’s flag and replace it with their own, usually in the highest spot possible for all to see. The country with the conquering flag has won and now they are in control. Now remember this as you read EXODUS 17:11-16.

¹¹ And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. ¹² But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. ¹³ And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. ¹⁴ And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. ¹⁵ And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi: ¹⁶ For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

We can be victorious by lifting our hands in worship! Here instead of raising a flag, Moses shows us that He raises God HIMSELF. After the victory instead of raising a flag at the highest point, Moses built an altar because, in those times, an altar was often used as a place of remembrance or marking an important event. Here Moses called God, Jehovah Nissi because he understood the revelation that GOD HIMSELF is our banner, GOD HIMSELF is our victory. He is the one who won Moses’ battles. He still winning our battles today. When Moses wrote that story down for Joshua, he was also writing it down for our benefit so that we will remember it as we go into battle. When you gather under Jehovah NISSI as your banner, trust Him that the outcome of your battle will be the same as it was for Moses and Joshua at Rephidim. As long as we are on this earth, there will always be war; don’t be surprised by it. Because we are also reminded in this passage that – Our GOD, JEHOVAH NISSI, HE IS ALWAYS THE WINNER!!!

What is your battle right now?

Drugs? Bitterness? Loneliness? Sickness? Jealousy? Depression? Hopelessness? Bankruptcy? Injustice? The list goes on and on…if I didn’t name yours, you can fill in the blank. You know what you are at war with and you know that in the heat of battle it is hard to see the victory at the end. BUT Remember JEHOVAH NISSI. Call upon JEHOVAH NISSI. Raise your hands in prayer the way Moses did. Don’t give up. Ask others to hold your hands up if you get tired. God is faithful to fulfill his Word.  When your battle is over you will have the right to replace your enemy’s flag with your own. Why? Because HE IS ALWAYS THE WINNER….and we know today that if YOU are in Christ Jesus you already have the victory too….so lift your hands and set your banner on high for all to see that Jehovah Nissi is your God. He has secured your victory.

God bless you today!!!