March 21, 2020: SOAP #3761:  Joshua 9-11; 1Corinthians 6

Scripture:  Joshua (NIV) 9:1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)—2 they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel.

Observation:  The kings of the people living in the land God was giving to the Israelites joined forces to fight the Israelites.  In reading the rest of chapter 9 and all of chapter 10 we discover how God gave Israel victory, even personally becoming involved in the battle.

I wonder if some of the Israelites became concerned when they realized that they would be fighting a joint army.  They had just defeated Jericho and Ai, but those were battles with individual groups.  Now they would be facing a joint force of five kings and their armies!

As I was reading about this, the Lord showed me that he allowed the enemy to join forces in order to shorten the amount of time it would take for Israel to take possession of Canaan.  They would accomplish in one battle what it would have taken five battles!

Application:  When it seems that the world is joining forces against me, I need to remember that the battle is the Lord’s, and that He is fighting for me.  How many are aligned against me makes no difference to God.  The more God can defeat in one battle, the sooner I will be able to enjoy full victory!

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, when a second, and then a third problem come my way while I am still working on the first one, help me remember that you can handle all of them, and more, at one time!  Being assured of your presence, I will not become alarmed or discouraged, but keep my eyes on you, the Great Victor!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!