Seeking God for Direction – Day 3

Theme: Seeking God for Direction

(Based on Joshua and the Battle of Jericho)

 Wednesday, January 27 – Day 3

SPIRITUAL BATTLE – a WEAK HEART: Psa. 27:13,14 (NKJV) – (SESSION 5)

In the verses we read, David declared “I would have lost heart unless I had believed…” Another problem that the people under Joshua had was that they focused on what they felt, on their inner soul instead of on the Spirit of God. Soul also applies to the mind, the intellect.

Christians baptized in the Holy Spirit today can focus on the spirit of God in themselves. Faced with trying circumstances, it is more comfortable to walk in the spirit than in the natural. Pentecost (Acts 1:6-14) exemplifies this.

The army of God didn’t have the indwelling Spirit of God during Joshua’s time, but they still had the God who had manifested Himself among them for the last 42 years (starting in the Exodus). They should have listened to their spiritual leaders and fed off their faith, but they focused on their soul.

When we focus on our souls instead of our spirits there is a downward progression:  We

1. Feel small like grasshoppers.
   2.   Start complaining and crying.
   3.   Start talking against the man of
   God, our earthly leader.
   4.   Quit or make plans to do so.
   5.   Appoint our own leaders.

Let us decide today to focus on the Spirit of God rather than on our souls (minds). Our intellect will take us only so far, but if we determine to be led by the Spirit, and like David, to wait on the Lord, then He will strengthen our hearts.

SPIRITUAL WARRIOR (Part A): Josh 1:4-9 – (SESSION 6)

It is clear that ‘nothing in the natural’ gave Joshua hope to undertake the enterprise before him successfully. If he were to receive courage, then this would be based on something else than what was before his eyes. Joshua had to put the Word before his eyes.

Joshua 1:8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Seeking is not “surface work”. It involves searching; sometimes digging. The Old Testament records some of its prophets literally hearing the voice of God speaking to them. He still speaks to men and women today but most often, He does so through His Word. If we are to get directions from God on the way forward, we must “search the Scriptures. We must dig deep into them to find instructions that are not on “the surface”. The Word of God is referred to in Eph. 6:17 as the “sword of the Spirit”. What warrior would go to battle without his sword? As soldiers in God’s army, we must ensure that we are properly armed.