MARCHING ORDERS

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  (Joshua 1:9 NKJV)

It was a host of young men and women that stood on the verge of the Jordan River, waiting for the signal to enter the Promised Land. God had said that He would give them every place upon which the sole of their foot should walk (Joshua 1:3). What an incentive this was for moving on! Every time an Israelite put his foot forward on the territory of Canaan, he realized that piece of land would come into the possession of his people.

There is a counterpart of this in our own experience. We must learn to put down our foot upon the promises of God's Word, and say: "These are mine by right, and shall be mine in actual enjoyment." In General Gordon's journal, he tells us that often before he reached some strange or hostile tribe, it seemed as though they had been given to his faith and subdued before he reached them. In combating your spiritual enemies, dare to believe that God has given them into your hand, and go forward assured that not one of them shall stand before you. This is a blessed promise: "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (Joshua 1:5). It does not matter how fierce the tempter, how often you have failed, how abiding the bad habits, if you will dare to believe that God is with you, not one of all the band of besetting sins shall be able to stand before you. God cannot fail, and will not forsake; be strong, and go forward!

The one thing that God asks of all of us is that we should obey up to the hilt.

Here are our marching orders, and we must keep them well before us:

(1) We must meditate upon the Scripture day and night; it must not depart from our heart or mouth.

(2) We must be strong even when obedience seems impossible, and when all influences are brought to bear to weaken our resolution, we must still dare to obey the voice of God. And as we advance we shall find that the dreaded forms of opposition are but shadows; when they are touched with the spear point of faith, they will divide and we shall continue on our way.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, before we enter upon our work and warfare, will You graciously equip us with the amour of light, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. May we hear You saying: Fear not, I am with you, I will help you. I ask it in Jesus’ name, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #152:
My love is everlasting and My faithfulness extends to all generations.

Psalm 100:5 (WEB)
For Yahweh is good. His loving kindness endures forever,
his faithfulness to all generations.