To connect with the story of Joshua we must from the start recognise that we too are on mission and that our mission involves a battle. We don’t fight against people, we fight for them “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The conquest was to be a once-off physical manifestation of this spiritual battle against a people who had become inextricably entwined with Satanic powers. By entwining themselves with Satan they also brought on themselves the judgement due to him. This is what will happen unless grace cuts the cords of this entwinement. And that is what Jesus came to do. The Joshua we are reading about here prefigures the second Joshua (Jesus), so there is no coincidence in the fact that they share the same name (in Hebrew). Their name means, ‘God saves’. God’s plan of salvation involves the deliverance of humanity from “the powers of this dark world”. The first Joshua came to expel Satanic powers with their human hosts. The second Joshua came to expel Satanic powers from their human hosts. In both cases the battle is given to God’s people to fight. God provides the power, but we are his instruments of deliverance. The connection between our work of deliverance and the power of God is prayer. As we go forth sharing the message of Christ (the Word=the sword of the Spirit) we do so prayerfully. The light of God is within you. Pray for strength and courage and then let it out so that darkness will be dispelled.
Ask God to give you strength of faith and courage to share your testimony with others.
Read Joshua 1:1-9 again along with Ephesians 6:10-20
