Too Weak to Take Jericho?

Vital Christianity is not for the faint of heart!  George Wood, who heads the Assemblies of God, recounted the story of a missionary family who went to Burkina Faso decades ago. A young couple with a newborn baby boy, the Halls, took their call to Africa in an age of slow ships and limited communications. Once in the village to which they felt God was sending them, they struggled. Their little son fell ill and, after several days, died. A weak commitment might have allowed them to quit and take their broken hearts home, but instead they buried the child, and stayed! The people, almost all of whom had buried babies due to various illnesses, felt a new relationship with the missionaries. In 2011, more than a million people in that nation are part of the Assemblies of God ministries. Strength and courage planted a seed that God made grow. There is a myth that persists among Christians that the call of God always means He will part the waters, calm the tempest, and send the sun to shine. Many are convinced that living in the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the birthright of the children of God, creates a zone of exemption from hard times. This lie produces one of two terrible results. A devout Christian believing that lie who encounters difficulties may conclude that his faith is faulty and feel himself a failure; or worse, he may conclude that the promises of God are untrue and retreat from his high and holy calling into a life of fear. Jesus Christ commissions us to 'go into all the world' with the Good News of His salvation, planting the flag of His Kingdom, so to speak. Our advance was foreshadowed by the experience of the people of God who were called out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. As they came to the borders of Canaan for the second time, the Lord came to the man who had replaced Moses as head of the nation. The first message is this: "No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you." (Joshua 1:5, NLT)  Does that not imply that they will just waltz in and take over?  But the next line warns of the pending battle to possess the Promise. The land would be theirs, but not without struggle! Again and again in the opening lines of Joshua, there is this command: "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them." (Joshua 1:6, NIV) The promise was secure, but taking possession demands a gutsy faith, a willingness to step into the water, to march around the city walls, to go to war against an entrenched enemy. It was costly but their victory assured. Disciple, there is a life of promise for us. There is a rich relationship with the Father, the power of the Spirit, and the love of Christ Jesus that is ours through faith. But, living in the promise, will not exempt us from tough times. Paul and Barnabas realized the need to be men of courageous faith and told the new Christians "to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn't be easy: "Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times."  (Acts 14:21-22, The Message) Our victory is certain, but it may not look like the one we expected. The paradox of spiritual life is found in the Lord's word to Paul when he prayed to be released from a severe testing time the details of which we do not know. I urge you to meditate on this passage, which is our word from the Word today. It's a challenge to deeper faith requiring a submission to His will that only the courageous will choose. "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV) We do our greatest work for the Kingdom of heaven when we have come to the end of our rope, given up on our clever schemes, and thrown ourselves in desperation on the promise of God. Perhaps today His will is to drive you into His arms, so 'be strong and courageous' and cross the Jordan to enter His Promised Land, knowing that no matter how fierce the battle, He holds your destiny secure in His hands. Are you ready to march on Jericho? Are you strong and courageous because you "know in Whom you have believed and that He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him against that Day?" Let's go! ______ Hungry, I come to You For I know You satisfy. I am empty, But I know Your love Does not run dry. And so I wait for You, So I wait for You. Broken, I run to You For Your arms are open wide. I am weary, But I know Your touch Restores my life. And so I wait for You, So I wait for You.   I'm falling on my knees Offering all of me. Jesus, You're all This heart is living for. Hungry Scott, Kathryn  © 1999 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire) (Admin. by Mercy / Vineyard Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055