Joshua was born a slave. He was taught to believe he was property. It was all his family had known for 400 years. Then one day a man who grew up in the royalty of Egypt named Moses demands this nation of slaves be set free. Pharaoh of course refuses. Then Joshua witnesses God do 10 plagues and set them free. Can you image the first day free? Then God divides the Red Sea as they walk across on dry land. The Egyptian army follows behind only to have God crush them with the sea. Then they are led by fire by night and cloud by day where to go. 3,000,000 people wake up each day to food on the ground for them to eat. God gives this group of people who do not have military training victory in battle miraculously. Joshua knows God is awesome!
Can you imagine? Then Moses sends 12 spies including Joshua. 10 spies get intimidated by the giants and the walls they find and convince the rest of Israel not to trust God to give them victory.
I think this happens to all of us. We know God is able and there are promises He has put in us. We go and inspect the place He promised and sure enough there are walls and giants that stand in our way.
Moses dies and Joshua is the new leader to take them into the promised land. He is grieving the loss of His spiritual dad and now the weight of leadership sits on his shoulders. He crosses into enemy territory and guess what he finds… A WALL.
If you are Joshua, you want to make a first impression. Surely a catapult, battering ram, or a trojan horse would do the trick.
Joshua 6:3 You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can.
God’s plan is to walk and worship. Does not sounds like a battle plan that builds the glory of man or leader. I think that is the point. God want His name to receive the glory. He wants you to experience victory but simply because He gives good gifts to His kids.
Before each one of us stands a wall or a giant. We have spent time trying to strategically bring down the wall or slay the giant. The battle, it’s victory, and all the glory belong to God. God will let us wear ourselves out trying to bring down the walls. God’s has a plan where we rely on the PACE OF GRACE. We can stride with Him because He does the heavy lifting. Grace is God’s enablement to do what you cant alone. The pace is not in a hurry or on our timeline. Rest easy knowing God is a God who does the supernatural and He wants to reveal His glory and grace through you!
Today, ask God to bring down your wall and stride with him while your soul is at peace.
Helping People Live a Better Story
Brandon Sereg
www.yourvibrantchurch.com
