Lifting holy hands

What is the significance of lifting up holy hands in Paul’s instruction regarding prayer in I Timothy?

1 Timothy 2:8

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

When Paul talks about lifting up holy hands, he’s referring to ‘defeating the flesh’ through prayer and the word. 

John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Ephesians 6:17-18

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Paul is referencing Exodus 17 where Israel is fighting Amalek and would prevail only when Moses held up his hand.

Exodus: 11-12

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek [a type of the flesh] prevailed. But Moses’ [who represents to Israel God’s Word, the Law] 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 [a symbol of prayer], 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.

There is a lot of symbolism in this passage.  Moses represents—to Israel—God’s word,  the Law; and Moses’ upheld hands represent prayer.  Through the word and prayer you defeat the flesh (Amalek).

Galatians 5:16-17

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

Hopefully this helps! 

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