The Holy Spirit calls to me this morning. The trials of late always seem to be a battle royal and the battle always has sides; opposing sides, lines drawn, choices made that oppose things central to my core.
The Holy One calls me this morning to speak into the situation and give me His perspective. In the distance Jericho sits impenetrable from the human point of view, the troops are antsy, ready to engage the enemy and Joshua is looking at the huge fortress of a city, contemplating. The Spirit takes me to His word and Joshua 5:13.
"Now, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand". (This has been interpreted to be an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Himself.) Joshua went to Him and asked if this Warrior was "for" Israel, or their enemies. The Man with the sword replied, "neither, but as the Commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come."
Joshua was told to remove his sandals for he was standing on Holy Ground, yet more evidence that this was an encounter with Holiness.
Joshua fell face down in reverence and asked what message the Lord had for (Joshua) His servant. Being of a warrior type mentality, I see life as a battle. When the Holy One speaks to me through His Word, very often He takes me to the great battles of Biblical history. I see things from a perspective of good vs evil, light vs dark. I know that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but truly against powers of darkness in the heavenly realms.
On the eve of the battle to push forward into the promised land, the Lord wanted to make one thing clear. Joshua was commissioned to fight God's battle not the other way around. Even on the issue of opposing sides or points of view, God has only one...His. The nation of Israel was called to represent the One True God to the world.
The titanic battle, the epic struggle is against the devil and his hordes of fallen angels, (demons).
The nature of this epic struggle is to win the hearts and minds of God's most beloved creation (humanity).
Since the very beginning of the existence of man; when Adam and Eve fell in the garden, the devil has used lies and 1/2 truths about our Creator to destroy the relationship that God desires to have with us, yet God continues to speak and to appear in our lives and circumstances to reveal Himself. Throughout history from Old testament to New, God has always revealed Himself to those who were searching. And so it is today.
The Holy Spirit speaks if we will but give Him audience. Joshua fell face down in reverence and in anticipation of a "word" from the Divine Messenger.
When we are in contemplation of our life circumstances, looking at the battles we face or situations we encounter, are we open to a visit from the Holy One? Joshua was. As a result, he was given the most incredible and unique battle strategy to ever come out of a Commander-in-Chief. But before the strategy was given, Joshua needed a better perspective of the battle and his position in it.
We are called to battle, but as much and as personal as it may be or become, the truth is that we, as Christians, are servants of a Holy God. We are to be servants of His Holiness in whatever life circumstances may become ours to face or fight because the battle belongs to the Lord, and it is His. We are to represent Him to a lost and dying world.
Joshua has this amazing encounter with the Lord Himself, and in his humility and awe received his commission to be at the head of God's human army to lead God's people, God's way.
I pray we all might have such an encounter. I pray we will always remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. It is for His Glory, and His Honor, and His purposes that we are commissioned to fight.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
The Holy One calls me this morning to speak into the situation and give me His perspective. In the distance Jericho sits impenetrable from the human point of view, the troops are antsy, ready to engage the enemy and Joshua is looking at the huge fortress of a city, contemplating. The Spirit takes me to His word and Joshua 5:13.
"Now, when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand". (This has been interpreted to be an Old Testament appearance of Jesus Himself.) Joshua went to Him and asked if this Warrior was "for" Israel, or their enemies. The Man with the sword replied, "neither, but as the Commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come."
Joshua was told to remove his sandals for he was standing on Holy Ground, yet more evidence that this was an encounter with Holiness.
Joshua fell face down in reverence and asked what message the Lord had for (Joshua) His servant. Being of a warrior type mentality, I see life as a battle. When the Holy One speaks to me through His Word, very often He takes me to the great battles of Biblical history. I see things from a perspective of good vs evil, light vs dark. I know that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but truly against powers of darkness in the heavenly realms.
On the eve of the battle to push forward into the promised land, the Lord wanted to make one thing clear. Joshua was commissioned to fight God's battle not the other way around. Even on the issue of opposing sides or points of view, God has only one...His. The nation of Israel was called to represent the One True God to the world.
The titanic battle, the epic struggle is against the devil and his hordes of fallen angels, (demons).
The nature of this epic struggle is to win the hearts and minds of God's most beloved creation (humanity).
Since the very beginning of the existence of man; when Adam and Eve fell in the garden, the devil has used lies and 1/2 truths about our Creator to destroy the relationship that God desires to have with us, yet God continues to speak and to appear in our lives and circumstances to reveal Himself. Throughout history from Old testament to New, God has always revealed Himself to those who were searching. And so it is today.
The Holy Spirit speaks if we will but give Him audience. Joshua fell face down in reverence and in anticipation of a "word" from the Divine Messenger.
When we are in contemplation of our life circumstances, looking at the battles we face or situations we encounter, are we open to a visit from the Holy One? Joshua was. As a result, he was given the most incredible and unique battle strategy to ever come out of a Commander-in-Chief. But before the strategy was given, Joshua needed a better perspective of the battle and his position in it.
We are called to battle, but as much and as personal as it may be or become, the truth is that we, as Christians, are servants of a Holy God. We are to be servants of His Holiness in whatever life circumstances may become ours to face or fight because the battle belongs to the Lord, and it is His. We are to represent Him to a lost and dying world.
Joshua has this amazing encounter with the Lord Himself, and in his humility and awe received his commission to be at the head of God's human army to lead God's people, God's way.
I pray we all might have such an encounter. I pray we will always remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. It is for His Glory, and His Honor, and His purposes that we are commissioned to fight.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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