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  AND HIS HANDS WERE STEADY UNTIL THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN
  by C.H. Spurgeon
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Summary: To overcome spiritual conflict, we must learn to pray with
faith, perseverance, and devotion, relying on God's special strength to
persevere.

Topics: "The Power of Prayer", "Perseverance in Faith"
Scripture References: Exodus 17:11

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C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the power of prayer through the example of
Moses, whose intercession was crucial in the battle against the enemy,
demonstrating that both prayer and action are necessary in spiritual
warfare. He highlights the importance of private prayer, where one must
wrestle with sin, and encourages believers to hold up God's promises in
their petitions. Spurgeon notes that even Moses grew weary, reminding us
that we too may struggle in our devotion, but we can find support in
faith and hope. He urges the congregation to seek strength from the Holy
Spirit to maintain steadfast prayer until the end of life, when we will
transition from prayer to eternal praise.

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CONTENT
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So mighty was the prayer of Moses, that all depended upon it. The
petitions of Moses discomfited the enemy more than the fighting of
Joshua. Yet both were needed. No, in the soul's conflict, force and
fervour, decision and devotion, valour and vehemence, must join their
forces, and all will be well. You must wrestle with your sin, but the
major part of the wrestling must be done alone in private with God.
Prayer, like Moses', holds up the token of the covenant before the Lord.
The rod was the emblem of God's working with Moses, the symbol of God's
government in Israel. Learn, O pleading saint, to hold up the promise
and the oath of God before Him. The Lord cannot deny His own
declarations.

Hold up the rod of promise, and have what you will.

Moses grew weary, and then his friends assisted him. When at any time
your prayer flags, let faith support one hand, and let holy hope uplift
the other, and prayer seating itself upon the stone of Israel, the rock
of our salvation, will persevere and prevail. Beware of faintness in
devotion; if Moses felt it, who can escape? It is far easier to fight
with sin in public, than to pray against it in private. It is remarked
that Joshua never grew weary in the fighting, but Moses did grow weary
in the praying; the more spiritual an exercise, the more difficult it is
for flesh and blood to maintain it.

Let us cry, then, for special strength, and may the Spirit of God, who
helpeth our infirmities, as He allowed help to Moses, enable us like him
to continue with our hands steady "until the going down of the sun;"
till the evening of life is over; till we shall come to the rising of a
better sun in the land where prayer is swallowed up in praise.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/ch-spurgeon/and-his-hands-were-steady-until-the-going-down-of-the-sun/
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