Battle
Recently, I read an article about how soldiers prepare for war in the desert. I was intrigued by the necessity of intense preparation for a battle of this nature. Being completely ripped out of the environment they are comfortable in and throw into unfamiliar territory with drastically different living conditions and survival means, requires steadfast determination and devotion to their training program. Learning to conceal themselves in desert environment, becoming undetectable to their enemy, training with endurance to clothe themselves in garments that protect them from war elements, but cause great discomfort due to the heat and climate in the desert are only a small portion of the lengths they go to in preparation of what’s to come. Learning to fire weapons in the hottest part of the day in order to become accustom to “heat haze” and migraines, familiarizing themselves with the enemy’s attack strategies. Learning what motivates and how their foe operates, gives them a clearer sense of what might be to come and how to engage. They literally play war, before war so they are ready for the battle to come.
Some time ago, I began to sense that I was hearing the Lord tell me to “get ready.” I began to pray, asking for clarity and one morning I woke up just before my alarm, which never happens, and before I was actually roused from my sleep I heard “Joshua 1”. I knew then, without a doubt He was speaking. I crawled out of my bed in the 4 o’clock hour and stumbled to the coffee maker half terrified and half excited for what He had for me. You see, over the weekend I had been drawn to Joshua 1 multiple times, so when I was nudged from a deep sleep hearing an audible voice in my waking moments saying “Joshua 1”, it was confirmed. I knew battle was coming. It was time to get ready.
Joshua 1 occurs just after Moses has passed away, and God is preparing Joshua to lead His people into the land He has promised. Joshua doesn’t know exactly what is to come, or what he will face, but it’s clear that the Lord is using this time before the battle to prepare him. A common theme in chapter 1, is God’s faithfulness. First He implores Joshua to get ready. Then he reminds him of His Sovereignty in verse 5, “No one will be able to stand against you.” After that, He dwells on His constant provision and faithfulness. Time and again, He says to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified.” “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” “I will be with you wherever you go.”
Through that passage, other scripture and my prayer time, the Lord began to prime and prepare my heart for a season of refinement. Some of it is just too personal to leave the safe harbor of my desperate dependence on Him and flow into this post. Days passed and a time or two I thought the battle had arrived. And though those things were probably moments of training, helping me become aware of the enemy’s tactics and opportunities to apply what I had learned during the days He was speaking to me about Joshua 1, I was merely playing war, for the battle that was to come.
Eventually, the advancement of the Enemy that would set battle into motion became very evident to me and I was fully engaged in a spiritual war. I walked a mile or two through the desert in shoes that didn’t feel like they belonged to me, and yet suddenly they did. Circumstances I never expected to find myself in, and yet here I was. It was painful. But you know what’s beautiful? Whenever I’d begin to doubt that God could bring healing and restoration in this area, He’d speak Joshua 1 over me. “No one will be able to stand against you. Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Be very careful to obey my commands. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged for I am with you, wherever you go.” Yes, even here. I had to actively choose to believe that. And then I had to intentionally pursue obedience-clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another, offer forgiveness as the Lord has freely offered me, and put on love which binds together in perfect unity. As someone who feels emotions very deeply and more sensitively than some, when I first began to pray that prayer over my heart, it seemed impossible. But quickly the Lord revealed His faithfulness even still, and my heart began to be transformed into His likeness. Hear me: that is ONLY possible because of his love and the grace that flows from Him into us.
Through this battle, I learned some new things and have been reminded of some things. First, God is such a personal God. He sought me out, He prepared my heart for battle, He was before the battle and by Him alone all things were held together during it. Another thing God is continually speaking to my heart about over the last six months or so, is the sin of silent opinion. How easily it is to think discouraging thoughts about someone walking through circumstances we don’t understand or haven’t experienced. We may not intend to cast judgment, but if we are being anything less than encouraging to our brothers and sisters in Christ during their struggle, let’s just call it what it is. Satan disquises even judgment in our hearts to look like something else. Let me tell you this-none of us, not one of us, is immune to an attack from the Enemy. He is after our lives, our health, our families, our marriages, our reputations, our identity, our minds, our hearts. He wants to take us down. It’s easy to think, “I’d never do that.” “That will never happen to us.” “I don’t have to worry about that struggle...” until you find yourself or someone you love smack in the middle of it before you ever saw it coming. Think about this, if even Jesus wasn’t immune to temptation by the Enemy, then what in the world makes us think we’ve got it together enough that that stupid devil wouldn’t come after us in a particular area? The difference is, Jesus alone is immune to the actual succumbing to temptation. The rest of us? We better be ready. I’m so thankful God is with us. More still, I am reminded of how God provides accountability for us through relationships and how He brings just the right people into our lives. Not everyone has to know everything we experience, but He’s faithful to provide one or two who can join us on the journey and speak life into our struggles. I’m reminded that after we’ve suffered for a little while, God will restore us and make us strong and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). I’ve experienced how God’s peace far exceeds all of my anxious and fearful thoughts (Philippians 4:5-7). He is the God who will accomplish immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine, as we allow His power to work through us ( Ephesians 3:20). He comforts us in our difficult times so that we may comfort others with the comfort that flows from Him unto us. Finally, He is the One who fights for us (Exodus 14:14). In our own strength we are weak. We lose. Every time. But by his power, and in His Name ours is the victory. Remember, though battles rage on, the war is already won.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Isreal, your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-4
Some time ago, I began to sense that I was hearing the Lord tell me to “get ready.” I began to pray, asking for clarity and one morning I woke up just before my alarm, which never happens, and before I was actually roused from my sleep I heard “Joshua 1”. I knew then, without a doubt He was speaking. I crawled out of my bed in the 4 o’clock hour and stumbled to the coffee maker half terrified and half excited for what He had for me. You see, over the weekend I had been drawn to Joshua 1 multiple times, so when I was nudged from a deep sleep hearing an audible voice in my waking moments saying “Joshua 1”, it was confirmed. I knew battle was coming. It was time to get ready.
Joshua 1 occurs just after Moses has passed away, and God is preparing Joshua to lead His people into the land He has promised. Joshua doesn’t know exactly what is to come, or what he will face, but it’s clear that the Lord is using this time before the battle to prepare him. A common theme in chapter 1, is God’s faithfulness. First He implores Joshua to get ready. Then he reminds him of His Sovereignty in verse 5, “No one will be able to stand against you.” After that, He dwells on His constant provision and faithfulness. Time and again, He says to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified.” “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” “I will be with you wherever you go.”
Through that passage, other scripture and my prayer time, the Lord began to prime and prepare my heart for a season of refinement. Some of it is just too personal to leave the safe harbor of my desperate dependence on Him and flow into this post. Days passed and a time or two I thought the battle had arrived. And though those things were probably moments of training, helping me become aware of the enemy’s tactics and opportunities to apply what I had learned during the days He was speaking to me about Joshua 1, I was merely playing war, for the battle that was to come.
Eventually, the advancement of the Enemy that would set battle into motion became very evident to me and I was fully engaged in a spiritual war. I walked a mile or two through the desert in shoes that didn’t feel like they belonged to me, and yet suddenly they did. Circumstances I never expected to find myself in, and yet here I was. It was painful. But you know what’s beautiful? Whenever I’d begin to doubt that God could bring healing and restoration in this area, He’d speak Joshua 1 over me. “No one will be able to stand against you. Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Be very careful to obey my commands. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged for I am with you, wherever you go.” Yes, even here. I had to actively choose to believe that. And then I had to intentionally pursue obedience-clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another, offer forgiveness as the Lord has freely offered me, and put on love which binds together in perfect unity. As someone who feels emotions very deeply and more sensitively than some, when I first began to pray that prayer over my heart, it seemed impossible. But quickly the Lord revealed His faithfulness even still, and my heart began to be transformed into His likeness. Hear me: that is ONLY possible because of his love and the grace that flows from Him into us.
Through this battle, I learned some new things and have been reminded of some things. First, God is such a personal God. He sought me out, He prepared my heart for battle, He was before the battle and by Him alone all things were held together during it. Another thing God is continually speaking to my heart about over the last six months or so, is the sin of silent opinion. How easily it is to think discouraging thoughts about someone walking through circumstances we don’t understand or haven’t experienced. We may not intend to cast judgment, but if we are being anything less than encouraging to our brothers and sisters in Christ during their struggle, let’s just call it what it is. Satan disquises even judgment in our hearts to look like something else. Let me tell you this-none of us, not one of us, is immune to an attack from the Enemy. He is after our lives, our health, our families, our marriages, our reputations, our identity, our minds, our hearts. He wants to take us down. It’s easy to think, “I’d never do that.” “That will never happen to us.” “I don’t have to worry about that struggle...” until you find yourself or someone you love smack in the middle of it before you ever saw it coming. Think about this, if even Jesus wasn’t immune to temptation by the Enemy, then what in the world makes us think we’ve got it together enough that that stupid devil wouldn’t come after us in a particular area? The difference is, Jesus alone is immune to the actual succumbing to temptation. The rest of us? We better be ready. I’m so thankful God is with us. More still, I am reminded of how God provides accountability for us through relationships and how He brings just the right people into our lives. Not everyone has to know everything we experience, but He’s faithful to provide one or two who can join us on the journey and speak life into our struggles. I’m reminded that after we’ve suffered for a little while, God will restore us and make us strong and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). I’ve experienced how God’s peace far exceeds all of my anxious and fearful thoughts (Philippians 4:5-7). He is the God who will accomplish immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine, as we allow His power to work through us ( Ephesians 3:20). He comforts us in our difficult times so that we may comfort others with the comfort that flows from Him unto us. Finally, He is the One who fights for us (Exodus 14:14). In our own strength we are weak. We lose. Every time. But by his power, and in His Name ours is the victory. Remember, though battles rage on, the war is already won.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Isreal, your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-4
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