The Battle is the Lord’s
Into the promised land
Joshua 4:12-13 (NIV)
“The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.”
The first obstacle
Joshua 6:1 (NIV)
“Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.”
Encountering obstacles
God allows us to go through battles
To advance His kingdom both through us and in us
To give us room to grow
To reveal the condition of our hearts
Romans 5:2-4 (NIV)
“And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
How we win is at least as important as if we win
Not learning or learning the wrong thing
Learning that the battle is the Lord’s
1 Samuel 17:46-47 (NIV)
“This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand… that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
Learning to give our battles to the Lord
1. How We Prepare for Battle
Joshua 5:2-3 (NIV)
“At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again. So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.”
Painful and embarrassing
Circumcision of the heart
Romans 2:28-29 (NIV)
“A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart…”
Encountering God in difficult times
Joshua 5:13-14 (NIV)
“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. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
Wrong question
Am I on my mission or God’s?
Culture wars
2. How We Fight Our Battles
God’s way or our way?
Joshua 6:2-5 (NIV)
“Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”
Wrong question: Are you for us or for our enemies?
Right question: What will bring down these walls?
Spiritual warfare for hearts and souls
3. How We Win Our Battles
God’s Battle Plan
Be Visible
Be Different
Be Silent
Be Long-Suffering
Be Patient
Be Unified
Joshua 6:20 (NIV)
“When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.”
Pick your battles
Don’t allow in things that will corrupt
Joshua 6:17-19 (NIV)
“The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
Remain open to those who begin to open
Begin to close to those that remain closed
Remember that the battle is the Lord’s
Action Step: Give Our Battles to the Lord