God is a NOW God

In chapter 10 of Joshua, the Amorite King (he and his people were actually a remnant of the original giants that were obstacle to the Israelites entering the Promised Land) He hears that Joshua and the Israelites have captured several of their cities and have even signed a treaty with Gibeon placing them in the protection of Israel. Fearing that the Israelites may attack and over throw even more cities, the King unites with 4 other kings to go and retake Gibeon. Word gets back to Joshua and he rallies his troops to go protect what is righfully theirs now. Ultimately Joshua and his men defeat the Amorites, with the exception of a few who escape into fortified cities, but in Joshua 10:19 Joshua tells his troops " keep chasing the enemy and cut off his rear guard". My fave verse of this chapter says " during this time Joshua routed (or in my version-had them running scared) all of the giants, killing them, and completely destroying ther strongholds".

This was a group of people who went on the offense! They knew the promises that God had given them and they chased the giant obstacles to their promises, instead of letting their giants chase them.

I liken this story to the United States Armed Forces (especially now that my baby girl is part of that :) Billions of dollars are spent and just as many hours in training and equipping our soldiers for battle-to retain what is ours. What good would all that be if when the time came for battle, our soldiers were to afraid to pick up their weapons and move out of the fox holes; hoping that the enemy would just surrender on their own? These men and women would become useless to us as a nation. Like Patrick Henry said "the war has already begun" and unfortunately we are all in the middle of it whether we like it or not. If you have unsaved loved ones, a crappy marriage, uncertain finances, health issues, or circumstances out of your control, then welcome to the front lines! We can choose to either pick up the weapons at our disposal and chase the enemy back into his foxhole or we can sit in ours and be worthless to the Kingdom of God and our families.

I know what you're thinking, and I too am tired and weary, and I'm battle worn, but I'm also angry! Every time I hear of satan getting the upper hand in someones life it lights a fire in me. I'm sick of letting him walk all over people that have been given a promise of victory. No where in the Bible does it say we have to wait until Heaven to be victorious, quite the contrary; Dueteronomy 20: 4 says " For the Lord your God IS going with you; He will fight for you against your enemies and give you the victory". That sounds like right now, not in the distant future. I take the Bible at it's word and I apply it to my circumsatnces now, because my God is a NOW God and we have to walk in a NOW faith.

I would like to challenge you again to start annointing your homes with oil and praying over it. (use crisco if you don't have olive oil-God doesn't care) Speak blessings over your family, and watch your circumstances change.

My featured woman of power for this devotion is Deborah. You can find her story in the book of Judges chapters 4 and 5. She was a prophetess ruling Israel long after Joshua had died and the Israelites were underdogs once again because of sin and unrepentance. One day, God tells her that their enemy Sisera is planning an attack and that God wants Barak to take ten thousand men from Israel to meet Sisera, promising that God would give Israel the victory. Not a stupid man, Barak was terrified of Sisera and his 900 iron plated chariots, but because Deborah had shown evidence of being such a Godly and wise woman, Barak consented to go on one condition: that she go with them! This resulted in a woman being the one to call the troops into battle and also credited with their victory!

Deborah knew she had heard from God, because she spent enough time with Him to recognize His voice, and she knew the weapons at her disposal and wasn't afraid to use them! Her willingness to go into battle and fight for the things important to her resulted in 40 years of peace for the Israelites. If you get the chance read her story.
I'm gone!