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“So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 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. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword” (Exodus 17:10-13).

The lesson from Joshua’s battle against the Amalekites is crystal clear: when you pray, you win; if you stop praying, you lose. Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of the ridge for a strategic view of the battlefield. Moses stood with his arms raised holding the staff of God to intercede for Joshua and the Children of Israel. When Moses prayed, Joshua won; when Moses’ arms fell, so did Israel’s army. This story has direct fundraising applications.

Pray

Fundraising is spiritual warfare. At what point do you think they realized the position of Moses’ arms impacted the outcome of the battle? Recruit a team to fervently pray for open doors, great donor conversations, and God’s favor. Paul asked the Colossian believers, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message” (Col. 4:3).

Help

Just like the disciples, Moses’ spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak. As much as he wanted to hold his arms high in prayer, it was too difficult for him to continue. So, they pulled up a stone for Moses to sit on while Aaron and Hur stood on each side holding up his arms. Ask for help from some trusted confidants. Send out regular prayer emails. You don’t need to share details about your donor visits, just ask for prayer.

Fight

Your organization needs soldiers on the field telling your story. You recruit an executive director, development director, or fundraising staff with the expectation they can raise money. But even the most talented team members will fail if they attempt to fundraise in their own human efforts. Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with his sword, but the Lord was his banner (Exo. 17:15).

Tell

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it’” (Exo 17:14). Joshua would face many battles and needed this reminder of God’s faithfulness. We are quick to ask for prayer, but sometimes we forget God’s amazing answers. Paul invited his prayer partners to join him in the battle so they could enjoy the victory, “many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Cor. 1:11).

Think About This: Who was the MVP of this battle? Would you vote for Joshua wielding a sword, Moses lifting his staff in prayer, or Aaron and Hur holding up Moses’ arms? The correct answer is everyone. Fundraising is a team sport. The people on the front lines won’t succeed without a prayer chain supporting them.

Response: Lord, give us perseverance to pray fervently for our fundraising needs.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising workshops at ministry conferences and has written fundraising articles for  Christian Leadership Alliance’s Outcomes magazine.

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