Newsletter October 2020 Part 2

Walking in victory

“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.  Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  (Joshua 1:2-6)

     God spoke these words to Joshua when his time had come to lead the people of Israel into the Land He had promised them.  The land before them was theirs and all they had to do is enter it in the knowledge that God was with them and would give them the victory over anyone who would stand in their way.  However, for Joshua, who was used to being an assistant to Moses the prospect of himself the leader to whom everyone would look must have been daunting.  Therefore God reassures him that He will be with him and that he should be strong and of good courage.

     It is easy to miss God’s calling and fail to do what He calls us to do because we have no confidence in our ability.  Yet that is precisely the point – fulfilling our purpose does not depend on who we are, but on who God is in us.  We cannot do nothing of ourselves but through His power working in us we are able to do far more than we can even ask or think (Ephesians 3:20).  God reiterates that admonition to be strong by repeating it twice – but He links it to obedience.  God’s presence and the fulfilment of His promise is conditional on obedience to His will.  Disobedience, as we see later in the story, will result in defeat (Joshua 7).  However, it is our fear and lack of confidence that prevents us from experiencing victory in our lives and our ministry to others. 

     In the following chapters we read how Joshua and the people of Israel prepared themselves for the conquest of Canaan and cross over Jordan.  As they are about to attack the heavily fortified city of Jericho, Joshua encounters a man of war with his sword drawn.  (Joshua 5: 12)  Joshua asks him to identify himself. “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” But the man’s reply is quite unexpected. He says, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”  Joshua recognises this Man (spelt in the NKJV throughout with a capital letter) as the Angel of the LORD.  He falls on his face and worships, and he asks “What does my Lord say to His servant?” (v.14). 

     Joshua needed to have this encounter with God’s presence (Theophany) before the impending victory with the conquest of Jericho to remind him who was in charge.  He was to be bold, have confidence, but his confidence was not to be in himself but in God.  It was not about getting God on His side, but about himself getting on God’s side.

     Our view of God is easily distorted; we want Him on our terms to do our will.  He promises to be with us, to give us the victory – but on His terms and for His purpose.  He is in charge, and we follow His command.  He is the Lord and we are His servants.  He will go before us and give us the victory if we remain faithful to Him.  Boldness and confidence in our ability depends on His power in us and consequently, on our obedience to Him.  As we pray according to His will and purpose, we have all that we ask. (1 John 5:14)

     Jesus is our Lord and Saviour; but He is also our example of perfect submission and obedience to the Fathers will.  He went the way of the cross, despising its shame, because He knew that His death would lead to resurrection and exaltation.  In Hebrews 12:1-2, we are admonished to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

     Therefore let us not become weary and discouraged in your souls (v.3) but let us take up our cross and follow Him.  For it is only the way of the cross that leads to victory; God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Pastor Konrad