A Prayer of Marching Orders

Tip! Prayer, as taught by Jesus in its principal expression, enters into all the relations of life. It purifies fellowship.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

IT WAS a huge number of young men and women that stood on the verge of crossing the Jordan River; they were waiting for the signal to enter the Promised Land. God had said that He would give them every place on which the sole of their foot should tread (Joshua 1:3). What an incentive this was for pressing on! Every time an Israelite put their foot forward on the territory of Canaan, they could realize that piece of land would come into the possession of their people.

There is a counterpart of this in our own experience. We must learn to put down our foot on the Promises of God's Word, and say: "These are mine by right, and shall be mine in actual enjoyment."

There have been many times in my life that before I reached some strange or hostile situation at work or home or just in my day to day walk with Christ, it seems as though they have given up and disappeared or subdued before I reached them.

Tip! Prayer is always and everywhere an immediate and confiding approach to, and a request of, God the Father.

In combating your spiritual foes, dare to believe that God has given them into your hand, and go forward assured that not one of them shall stand before you. This is a blessed promise: "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5)

It does not matter how fierce the tempter, how often you have failed, how inveterate the bad habits, if you will dare to believe that God is with you, not one of all the many harassing sins will be able to stand before you. God cannot fail, and will not forsake you; so be strong, and go forward!

The one thing that God asks of all of us is that we should obey up to the maximum.

Here are our marching orders, and we must keep them well before us"

Tip! God is so concerned that people pray that He has promised to answer prayer. He has not promised to do something general if we pray, but He has promised to do the very thing for which we pray.

(1) We must meditate on the Scripture day and night; it must not depart from our heart or mouth.

(2) We must be strong even when obedience seems impossible, and when all influences are brought to bear to weaken our resolution, we must still dare to obey the voice of God. And as we advance we will find that the dreaded forms of opposition are only shadows; when they are touched with the spear-point of faith, they will divide and we will pursue our way to the glory of our Father.

PRAYER

Father; before we enter into our work and warfare, will You graciously equip us with the armor of light, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. May we hear You say: Fear not, I am with you, I will help you. In Jesus' name AMEN.