Don’t sleep on God’s Promises.
Joshua 10:6-11
And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” So, Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So, the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword.
I often wondered what it means when God says, “Be of good Courage”. What is God trying to tell us by that statement? It was not till I read this passage again in 2008, and Holy Spirit highlighted this passage to me and gave me an understanding to what does this passage mean.
Let’s look at it together, God told Joshua not to worry and to be of good courage for He has already given Joshua victory. What if Joshua would have said “Hey! God said He has given my enemies in my hand so we can rest until the morning to march up to Gilgal and see the plunder. Do you think he would have had been victorious?” however, that was not the case with Joshua. He did something so contrary to that. It says in verse 9, that Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched ALL NIGHT from Gilgal. He could have chosen to sleep since it was night, when its dark, but he chose to obey, be courageous and act upon his faith. I believe that because he did that, he was victorious, and God granted him victory over the Amorites who fled and were struck down by a hailstorm from God Himself.
I was meditating on the fact that Joshua did that, I thought why did Joshua marched all night? That’s when it occurred to me what the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me. He was trying to tell me, that it is in our darkest hour when we should be courageous and march by faith towards our victory that cannot be seen due to darkness. That’s the problem right now with all of us, we are sleeping –Yes Gods promises are there, and he is faithful and true to keep them, but we need wake up and march by faith towards our victory. It says in book of James 2: 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. You see, it takes courage to walk in faith, especially in our darkest hour.
It is nighttime, our darkest hour, when we need to work our way through to get our promises which we will be able to do if our eyes are on Gods Promises and that’s our focus and not the darkness. Yes, that is correct that’s all it takes and be of good courage and have no fear and step out of your comfort zone, march in courage by faith when it is dark which I call the “war zone” knowing in your heart that victory is ours and holding on to Gods words and his promises. Very soon we will see that joy comes in the morning that we are more than a conquer, that you are victorious through Him as far as you make yourself available for Him to work through you and use you, like Joshua did.
I pray that this little message blesses you as it did me. I received this in my darkest hour, and I marched through and received my victory. Be of good Courage.