Did you find yesterday’s teaching beneficial? Were you more courageous? Did you find strength of heart?
The message the Lord gave to Joshua impacts our daily circumstances the way it did his. Joshua was given a mighty task. He was responsible to lead the million plus Israelites into the land that God had promised them. He was to lead them as they battled and destroyed their enemies who were living there.
No wonder the Lord spoke those words to Joshua, “be strong and very courageous”. He was facing some real battles. His battles were against real people, real obstacles, and life-threatening circumstances.
The battles that we face probably aren’t that extreme. However, they are battles all the same. Addictions…low self-esteem. Relationships…finances…health…grief…anxiety. Acceptance…promotion. We can spend a lot of time trying to figure out just the right way to deal with the enemies in our life but if we’re not looking for God’s instruction those ways are futile.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25 KJV
Our thinking or reasoning, outside of God’s leading, is never the best.
Let’s learn from Joshua. The Lord told Joshua that Jericho would be the first city they were to capture. Jericho was a walled, well fortified city, many people lived there and the city was guarded. And I’m sure Joshua was developing a battle plan when the Lord spoke to him.
“Meanwhile, the people of Jericho had been locking the gates in their town wall because they were afraid of the Israelites. No one could go out or come in.
2-3 The Lord said to Joshua:
With my help, you and your army will defeat the king of Jericho and his army, and you will capture the town. Here is how to do it: March slowly around Jericho once a day for six days. 4 Take along the sacred chest and have seven priests walk in front of it, carrying trumpets.
But on the seventh day, march slowly around the town seven times while the priests blow their trumpets. 5 Then the priests will blast on their trumpets, and everyone else will shout. The wall will fall down, and your soldiers can go straight in from every side.” Joshua 6:1-5 CEV
Seriously?! No one takes a city by marching around it and blowing trumpets?! No, we take a city by being obedient to what the Lord has said!
“The priests blew their trumpets again, and the soldiers shouted as loud as they could. The walls of Jericho fell flat. Then the soldiers rushed up the hill, went straight into the town, and captured it.” Joshua 6:20 CEV
What is the Lord saying about our “Jericho”? If we’ve been trying to figure this battle out on our own it’s time to listen to the One who has the right strategy. When we do, we’ll be victorious!