Be of Good Courage – The fight continues

“There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:…I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Joshua 1: 5)

The storms of life are all around us especially in these days. One need only turn on the evening news or search the news feeds from around the world to see chaos and trouble around every corner. One can easily be overwhelmed without a firm foundation in the Truth. Like Moses successor, Joshua, we are called into a land that is dangerous and full of darkness that is designed to overwhelm us with fear. God knows the Enemy and he knows our fears. The comforting and inspiring words He gave to Joshua before crossing the Jordan and into the Promised Land can be a comfort to us as we enter into life challenges that bring us anxiety and fear.

A careful reading of the Book of Genesis describes the migration of the forces of darkness from the post flood period to the land of Canaan as a supernatural army that would oppose the God’s plan for the nation of Israel and ultimately the plan of salvation. The story told in the Book of Joshua, describes the obedience and victory of the Jewish people over the demon-influenced inhabitants and of the land God gave them across the Jordan River. The promises of the Lord were clearly demonstrated to his people and were not lost on those to whom God gave victory (read Joshua 2: 9-11); Rahab the Gentile harlot who helped Joshua’s men declaring, “the Lord your God, ‘he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath’.” Not only were the promises of God for the nation of Israel, they were clearly influencing and recognized by the Gentile world.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews establishes mankind’s place in God’s hierarchy, “You have made him (mankind) for a little while lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And have appointed him over the works of Your hands; You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.” (Hebrews 2: 7-8) This fact was not lost on the fallen angels that ruled the geography surrounding Jerusalem. The spiritual battle that began in the Garden was on display as God lead Joshua and his followers into battle after battle set forth to completely destroy all who opposed them, not because God was bloodthirsty as many who oppose the faith proclaim, but intent on wiping out the darkness in the land. God, as did Rahab, knew Joshua was fighting in the spirit realm the very battle that continues in ever-increasing intensity today.

Brothers and sisters, in these last days, the same darkness faced by Joshua and the Jewish people continues. The war of our LORD against Satan and his fallen angels intensifies as the time of the end draws nearer. The consequence of the watering down of the Truth by an apostate church serves only to encourage the Enemy and his forces to increase the intensity of their fight. But, “be of good courage,” God has already won this victory in Christ Jesus and we must declare that victory in our hearts and with our voices especially now.

Praise Him always!