You Can Conquer Life's Conflicts - Dennis Burke

7/30/2019 You Can Conquer Life's Conflicts - Dennis Burke

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You Can Conquer Life'sConflicts

by

Dennis Burke

HARRISON HOUSE

Tulsa, Oklahoma


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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations aretaken from the King James Version of the Bible.

2nd PrintingOver 20, 000 in Print

You Can Conquer Life's Conflicts

ISBN 0-89274-524-XCopyright 1988 by Dennis BurkeP. O. Box 150043Arlington, Texas 76015

Published by Harrison House, Inc.P. O. Box 35035Tulsa, Oklahoma 74153

Printed in the United States of America. All rightsreserved under International Copyright Law. Contentsand/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or inpart in any form without the express written consent of

the Publisher.


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Contents

1 Letting God Become Mighty in Your Battles 5

2 Focusing on God's Promise 19

3 The Character of a Conqueror 29

4 Faith to Take Charge 35

5 Overcoming a Grasshopper Mentality 49

6 Courage in Conflict 63

7 Victory Upon Victory 75

8 Vision to Possess Your Dreams 87

9 Principles of War 97

References 115


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11 Letting God BecomeMighty in Your Battles

Throughout the history of God's people,

there has been constant conflict. Whetherbrother against brotheras Cain and Abelnation against nation, or Adam and Eveagainst, satan in the Garden. There has beencontinual conflict between God's righteous

kingdom and the evils of Satan's empire. Todaya tremendous struggle is going on to bring theChurch into a place of truly functioning inGod's power. God is rising up in the Church,and Satan is warring against it like neverbefore.

Time after time, when God's people facedan enemy, the mighty God they served wouldshow Himself strong and deliver them. God hasalways made a way for people who trulywanted to obtain His power for the battles they

faced. God is now revealing Himself mighty onbehalf of any who will choose to follow Himclosely. This powerful, holy nation of redeemed

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people are coming to recognize that God is theirstrength and source of total supply.

The Psalmist David came to understand thedelivering power of God's might very deeply.

He faced many enemies and became one of themost powerful witnesses of that might inhuman history.

Notice David's insight in Psalm 24:7-10:

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be

ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and theKing of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lordstrong and mighty, the Lord mighty inbattle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift

them up, ye everlasting doors; and theKing of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord ofhosts, he is the King of glory.

"The Lord mighty in battle." Those are

such powerful words. They ring on the inside.MIGHTY IN BATTLE. He understands battle. Heunderstands your battles. HE WILL BE MIGHTYIN YOUR BATTLE.

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Letting God Become Mighty in Your Battles

When God goes into battle He will not bedefeated. He is the God of victory; He does notknow defeat. There is no enemy that can standagainst Him. He is the supreme authority andpower in the universe.

When you lift your head to see Him and Hisglory, you become a door for His glory to comein. Through you comes the power to battleagainst Satan's attack and win on every front.However, many times you may fail to lift your

eyes to Him and see just how mighty He can be.You can become so consumed with themagnitude of your enemy's strategy that youforget to lift your head and see either the realsource of trouble or the might God is prepared

to use on your behalf. Yet, when you look toHim, when you lift your eyes to see Him andacknowledge His willingness to fight for you,He will be mighty and His delivering powerwill rise up.

Remember this: WHEN YOU MAKE HISENEMIES YOUR ENEMIES, HE WILL MAKE HISVICTORY YOUR VICTORY

In a war, one of the greatest mistakes that

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can be made is failure to identify the enemy.Once you see the source of trouble and notmerely the symptoms, you can focus yourspiritual weapons effectively. God's victoriousmight will be unleashed to break through anybarrier Satan has built.

The word mighty used in this psalm impliesseveral thoughts. It means to be a champion, awarrior, a tyrant in battle. God becomes mightyin you as you become mighty in Him. He will

crush your enemy and show no mercy.

Of course, when I speak of an enemy, I amnot speaking of people. Your spouse is not yourenemy. Nor is your employer or thegovernment. You are to love people. Instead,

your real enemies are the wicked spirits thathave set themselves against God's kingdom,and you are the battlefield.

As the Mighty Warrior goes to battle, youmust recognize that His power is as destructive

of evil as it is creative of good. Do youremember when Moses stood at the edge of theRed Sea with the mighty Egyptian armyapproaching to destroy them? Moses had led

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Israel into a place where there was no escape.Listen to his confident command:

Fear ye not, stand still, and see thesalvation of the Lord, which he will shew

to you to day; for the Egyptians whom yehave seen to day, ye shall see them againno more for ever.

The Lord shall fight for you, and yeshall hold your peace.

Exodus 14:13, 14

Moses understood that he did not standalone at the mercy of his enemy. He was incovenant with the Almighty God. God woulddeliver them!

Things appeared hopeless. Moses cried to

God and God said to him,

Wherefore criest thou unto me? speakunto the children of Israel, that they goforward:

But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch outthine hand over the sea, and divide it: andthe children of Israel shall go on dryground through the midst of the sea.

vv. 15, 16

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As soon as Moses was obedient, this littlenation of vagabonds escaped Egypt by themighty hand of God. When they arrived on theother side of the Red Sea, they looked back tosee their enemies still pursuing them. God'screative power had blazed the trail through theRed Seanow his destructive force had to beput into operation. You see, it is not onlyescaping from what once enslaved you, butcompletely devastating your enemy.

Moses once again had to lift his rod towardthe sea, but this time God's power closed thesea, engulfing the army of Pharaoh. The samepower that created deliverance for Israelbrought destruction to Egypt. Unquestionably

God was ready to free Israel from the threat ofEgypt's army, yet it was not automatic. Moseshad to act.

In the same way, God wants youcompletely in control over every onslaught ofyour enemy. And He is prepared to stop Satan

in his tracks. But YOU must act.

If you make peace with your enemy youwill never defeat him. Throughout Israel's

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history, as long as God's people were content tocoexist with those who hated God and wouldnot serve Him, they remained susceptible toattack. Whenever they went into battle at God'scommand, if they did not totally consume theirenemy they eventually found themselves underthem.

The beginning chapters of the book ofJudges tell of some of the darkest times inIsrael's relationship with God. After the mighty

conquests under Joshua's leadership, Israelfailed to maintain a close walk with God. Infact, over the next two hundred years theyremained in a cycle of sinningsufferingsupplicationsalvation.

They would begin to follow the gods of thepeople that surrounded them, thus sinningagainst God. Their sin would always bringthem hardship and suffering. When they wouldcry out to God for deliverance from theiroppressor, God in His faithfulness would send

them His salvation.

Today many Christians find themselves inthat same cycle. They would love to live in the

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continual victory God has promised. But ratherthan totally consuming their enemy, theybecome accustomed to the weaknesses thathinder themmaking peace with their enemy.Before long, they are struggling with the sinthey have already been freed from. Their livesare simply a series of frustrations interspersedwith seasons of calm. They live with little hopeof really contributing to others. They are busysimply trying to survive.

God did not call us to survive. He has calledus to succeed! He has not called us just to copewith the problems of life. He has made us toconquer the enemies that we face!

In Judges chapter 6 Israel again found

themselves in the suffering cycle. They wereslowly being destroyed by the Midianites, whohad driven them to the point of dwelling incaves. Israel would sow their seed for food. But

just as the time of harvest would come, sowould the Midianites, destroying the crop

before it could be harvested.

God's people had come into the land as apowerful nation that none could withstand.

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Now they cowered in terror and hid in caves.What a pitiful sight.

Huddled by a winepress was Gideon, ayoung man trying to beat out a little wheat for

his family. There he heard from heaven. Anangel appeared to him saying, "The Lord iswith thee, thou mighty man of valor" (v. 12).Those words began the most exciting adventureGideon could have imagined. God was notlooking for a man with great natural ability.

God needed a man who was willing to takeHim at His Word and follow His instructions.Gideon was that kind of man.

Although Gideon considered himself weak,God demonstrated His confidence in him. He

called him a "mighty man of valor." What Godsaw was very different from what others mayhave seen.

Likewise, God sees you differently thanothers do. He even sees you differently than

you see yourself. But what is important is thatyou know you can be a person, like Gideon, thatis mighty in valor.

Strength, power, force, and wealth are all

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implied in the word valor. God sees you clothedwith His strength, power, force, and wealth.Before you recognize His might flowing in you,He already sees you flowing in Him. You havebeen made in Christ to walk in dimensions ofHis greatness which no spirit of darkness canwithstand. It is now time to hear the call of theSpirit and allow the King of glory to flow inyou with all His might.

God called 300 others to stand with Gideon

to see God's delivering power. God gaveGideon the plan that would free Israel from thegrip of the Midianites. Vastly outnumbered, the300 led by Gideon went forth in God's might.God fought for them and delivered them from

Midian.God will move with those who move with

Him. Even against impossible odds, if you go inHis strength you will defeat Satan'sstrongholds.

Hebrews 11:32-34 gives some of the mostfaith-stirring words you can read.

And what more shall I say? For timewill fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak,

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Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samueland the prophets, who by faith conqueredkingdoms, performed acts ofrighteousness, obtained promises, shut themouths of lions, quenched the power of

fire, escaped the edge of the sword, fromweakness were made strong, becamemighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

NAS

These people brought God's power intoaction in the midst of conflict. They met every

type of threat with faith in a God who would bemighty in their war. They obtained what waspromised. With supernatural power, theycombated any attempt to restrain them orcompromise their lives.

That is where you stand. If you arewrestling with weakness, He promises thatyour weakness can be turned to strength. Youcan obtain what has seemed unobtainable.

In Daniel 11:32 it says, "... but the people

who know their God will display strength andtake action" (NAS). Because you know Him,you can display the strength He supplies andyou can take action.

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God is a God of action. His Word revealsthe principles that activate His action in us.When you can see how those great people offaith activated God's glory in their lives, youcan take the principle and activate His best foryou. In His strength you can take action.

The prophet Joel said,

Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles;Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, letall the men of war draw near; let them

come up:

Beat your plowshares into swords, andyour pruning hooks into spears: let theweak say I am strong.

Joel 3:9, 10

The Holy Spirit is calling for mighty menand women to prepare themselves and walkwith Him more deeply than ever before. He iscalling for us to draw near to Him and to lookup. He is calling for us to be mighty,conquering people that will not fall in weaknessbut rise up and declare, "I am strong."

Your enemy cannot really defeat you; hecan only make you quit. If you can see the

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conflict you face through the eyes of the HolySpirit, you know the strength to subdue doesnot come only from your personal ability orwillpower, but from the Mighty One within.

Had Israel looked to Jehovah God as theycame out of Egypt, they could have avoidedyears of wandering through the desert. NoticeExodus 13:17:

Now it came about when Pharaoh hadlet the people go, that God did not leadthem by the way of the land of thePhilistines, even though it was near; forGod said, "Lest the people change theirminds when they see war, and they returnto Egypt."

NAS

There are those who would rather return tocaptivity than face a conflict. God has set beforeyou the possibility of living in the realm of theSpirit to successfully wage war against thekingdom of darkness.

You can remain on the sidelines in a placeof peaceful stagnation, or you can lift your eyesto see Him as the Mighty One in battle who will

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defeat every enemy you pursue.

The call of the Spirit is to join His cause toadvance His Kingdom and conquer everyenemy.

Your battlefield may be your temperament,your marriage, or your finances. God is readyto rise up with you against your enemy. Themoment you declare war, His might will stir upin you.

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and inthe strength of His might.

Eph. 6:10 NAS

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2

2 Focusing on God's Promise

On the day when the twelve spies returned

from their mission in Canaan, Israel stood onthe edge of the wilderness waiting withanticipation to learn their discoveries.

The mighty hand of God had brought Israelfrom a life of slavery and poverty to

independence and wealth. They were free fromthe ruthless hand of Pharaoh; their commandscame only from God. More than 400 years ofbitter oppression were over at last. They wereon the threshold of great new beginnings.

God had directed Moses to send twelve

men into the land of Canaan to search out itsgoodness. But unbelief prevented ten of themfrom seeing as God had said. They could seeonly with the perception carried over from theirpast days of oppression in Egypt. Their inability

to trust God's direction kept them weak.When Moses sent forth the spies, he

charged them to be of good courage. Yet when

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they returned, their words did not reflectcourage at all.

Listen to their report:

The land, through which we have gone

to search it, is a land that eateth up theinhabitants thereof; and all the people thatwe saw in it are men of great stature.

And there we saw the giants, the sonsof Anak, which come of the giants: and wewere in our own sight as grasshoppers, and

so we were in their sight.Num. 13:32, 33

This did not sound remotely like the landGod had described. And the wickedness oftheir report melted the people's hearts. Their

courage and confidence in God disappeared.The ten spies, as well as those they influenced,would never see the promise of God. Theywould die in a barren land, the plains of Moab,bitter and weary as the result of their ownrebellion.

Only two of the twelve men who went tosearch out the land would ever live thereandthen only after their comrades had died. What

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Focusing on God's Promise

made these two men different? Why weren'tthey discouraged? How could they remainconfident in the face of the same opposition thatterrified the others?

Joshua and Caleb understood somethingabout God that the others never seemed tograsp. Faith in God's Word releases power todestroy any enemy.

Caleb stood before the people and said, "Letus go up at once, and possess it, for we arewell able to overcome it." (Num. 13:30).

He knew he was able because heunderstood where his ability came from. Joshuaand Caleb saw themselves strong in God. Theothers saw themselves as grasshoppers.

Your confidence is largely determined byhow you perceive yourself and the thingsconfronting you. On the lips of these two men,you will find no mention of the opposition ordifficultiesonly words of possibility, promise,

and preservation. They refused to yield to thedistractions. Their attention remained focusedon God and His plan. As Jesus said,

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The light of the body is the eye: iftherefore thine eye be single, thy wholebody shall be full of light.

But if thine eye be evil, thy wholebody shall be full of darkness.

Matt. 6:22, 23

The thing that you give your attentioncontrols the flow of God's light through yourentire being. The reason one person can standup to adversity and remain strongwhile

another folds upis that the eye must befocused on the Mighty One. You can remain inconfident rest when you know the power ofGod's Word is at work.

God said of Caleb,

But my servant Caleb, because he hadanother spirit with him, and hath followedme fully, him will I bring into the landwhereinto he went; and his seed shallpossess it.

Num. 14:24

Caleb had a different spirit. He followedGod fully, even when it was unpopular. Nodoubt he was considered a fanatic. He was

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different. For forty-five years he stood upon thepromise he knew God had for him. He heardthe grumbling of the others. Because of theirstubbornness, he had to endure the time in thewilderness, yet he never wavered from what heknew. God said he would again stand uponthat land of rest and promise.

Let that same spirit of Caleb arise withinyou. Let the communication of your mouthacknowledge continually the Greater One

within you.

The call to all Israel was that they shouldcease their wandering and murmuring andenter into the life of victory. Their responseindicated it was too high and too hard a calling.

They would not agree with Caleb when he said,"Let us go up at once, and possess it; for weare well able to overcome it." (Num. 13:30).

It is the carnal person who comes out ofEgypt but remains in the wilderness, full of

uncertainty. God does not use the wanderer.Notice Hebrews 4:1-3 in the Phillips translation:

Now since the same promise of rest isoffered to us today, let us be continually

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on our guard that none of us even lookslike failing to attain it. For we too have hada gospel preached to us, as those men had.Yet the message proclaimed to them didthem no good, because they only heard and

did not believe as well. It is only as a resultof our faith and trust that we experiencethat rest.

The rest that God speaks of is not inactivity.Some have mistaken passivity for rest. Rest isaggressive faith in God's Word to see His willfulfilledthe confidence that He will bring it topass.

Later in the same chapter, in verses 9-11, hesays,

There still exists, therefore, a full andcomplete rest for the people of God. Andhe who experiences his rest is resting fromhis own work as fully as God from his.

Let us then be eager to know this restfor ourselves, and let us beware that noone misses it through falling into the samekind of unbelief as those we havementioned.

Rest means to set in motion the spiritual

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forces of God's Wordnot relying on your owncunning to solve situations. Keep your guardup so you do not become complacent and beginto tolerate subtle deviations from what youknow to be God's will. Those around you maymiss it, but you are eager to know His rest.Others may settle for less, but you remainstable and diligent until you stand in thepromised land.

We each have the free will to decide the

level of spiritual height we will attain. Somecontinue in the wilderness of divided loyaltiesuntil they die. They become content with only adistant view of their inheritance in Christ.Instead, we must choose to rise up with

courage and faith to enter fully into the victoryand rest that Jesus has already attained for us.That redemption was too costly, and our libertytoo precious to relinquish.

At times the pressure of our presentposition can look very discouraging. The enemy

will launch an attack to beat you down. He willattack your mind with the fear of failure. Jesuswarned Peter that Satan would come. He said,

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"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired tohave you, that he may sift you as wheat."(Luke 22:31). To sift means "to break down, topulverize, or to separate, or to examine closelyby testing." Satan wants to pulverize you andseparate you from the strength and power ofGod.

Jesus then said, "But I have prayed for thee,that thy faith fail not." (vs. 32). The only waytrue faith could possibly fail is by becoming

inactive. If your faith remains active, thepowers of the enemy cannot pulverize you. Ourfaith is not in the tangible things we can see, butin the invisible power of the Holy Spirit.

Since we consider and look not to the

things that are seen but to the things thatare unseen; for the things that are visibleare temporal (brief and fleeting), but thethings that are invisible are deathless andeverlasting.

2 Cor. 4:18 AMP

You can rest in God completely when youknow His power is activated on your behalf.Look with confidence at the invisible power of

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His Word and with the anticipation that whatHe said He will fulfill.

In Isaiah 55:10, 11 in The Living Bible, Godclearly reveals that His Word is self-fulfilling:

As the rain and snow come down fromheaven and stay upon the ground to waterthe earth, and cause the grain to grow andto produce seed for the farmer and breadfor the hungry, so also is my Word. I sendit out and it always produces fruit. It shall

accomplish all I want it to, and prospereverywhere I send it.

The supernatural energy of God's Wordfocused in your direction will bring down themountains in your life. It will cause the valleys

to rise. It will straighten crooked places andmake rough spots smooth. Peace andtranquility will flood your mind with theawareness that all is in His control, as long asyou cooperate with Him.

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33 The Character of a

Conqueror

There are leaders in human history who

stand head and shoulders above others. Theyseem almost bigger than life. There are leadersin God's Word who did the impossible throughtheir simple faith and union with Him.

Of the Old Testament leaders, Joshua in

particular demonstrated the qualities that arevital to moving forward in God andovercoming every challenge. From his earlyyears of serving Moses to his farewell as leaderof this holy nation, Joshua was a man who wasmighty in God.

Examining the principles he lived by andthe power he possessed can help any believermove from where he is now to where he needsto be in God. Even as a young man facing theunknown hardship of the wilderness, he clearly

possessed the simple faith and courage to riseup in God to greatness. The powerful qualitiesalready present in his character would prove to

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be extremely valuable when he was thrust intothe forefront of leadership.

One of these qualities is found in Exodus 24.From Mount Sinai, God called Moses to come

up into the mountain to receive the inscribedtablets and the instructions that expressedGod's will for this special nation. Moses tookyoung Joshua with him as he went up to meetwith God. All others remained below.

Moses ascended alone into the majesty ofGod's presence, while Joshua waited on theslopes of the holy mount. In unshakable loyaltyto God and to Moses, Joshua stayed there fortydays and nights. He could have returned to thecamp below. But even in a time of feeling

forgotten and unimportant, he remainedconfident in God.

There are times when you may feel out ofthe mainstream of activity in advancing thekingdom. You may feel alone or forgotten. Can

you remain steadfast when there seems to be nomanifestation of God's presence?

It is stability and faithfulness that areimportant. Whether we are experiencing a

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The Character of a Conqueror

powerful demonstration of His Spirit or a timeof spiritual stillness, we continue withoutstaggering or questioning. We know Him, andwe rest quietly in the security of thatrelationship.

As Moses came down the mountain withthe tablets of stone, he could hear a soundcoming from the camp. It was the sound ofpeople singing and shouting as they danced inworship to a golden calf. Joshua remarked to

Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."(Ex. 32:17). Moses dismissed Joshua'sobservation, certain that it was the sound ofsinging, not of war.

In this case, however, Joshua's perception

and sensitivity were deeper than that of Moses,his elder. There was indeed a war in the campof Israel. It was a spiritual war designed todestroy God's nation. This same understandingof spiritual battle was the second of Joshua'svaluable assets in conquering the land of

Canaan.

We must be aware of our enemy's spiritualstrategies. Many homes could have been saved

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and many tragedies avoided if this area had notbeen overlooked. How often have you seen asimple difference of opinion escalate into amajor division in a home? There is a spiritualstruggle for the joy, stability, and testimony ofthat entire household. Rise up with theauthority of God's Word and bring the presenceof the Holy Spirit into the picture. The climatewill change.

In Exodus 33 we see a third facet of the

character of this man of faith. After thedestruction of the golden calf and the executionof the rebels, Moses again separated himself tomeet with God. He had a special tent where heentered to seek the face of God again. The

cloudy pillar that accompanied God's presencemoved into the tent.

And the Lord spake unto Moses face toface, as a man speaketh unto his friend.And he turned again into the camp; but hisservant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young

man, departed not out of the tabernacle.v. 11

Notice that Joshua had also separated

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The Character of a Conqueror

himself from the people. He preferred to betotally identified with God. This man who haddemonstrated his loyalty and devotion to Godchose to stay where God would manifest Hisglory.

Joshua was different from the rest. He wasone who stood upon what he believed. He wasnot swayed by the pressure or opinions ofothers. He would remain where he would hearthe voice of God and then move in accordance

with what he heard. What we need today, morethan ever, is a renewed dependence upon HisWord.

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44 Faith to Take Charge

As a young commander, Joshua hadfollowed in the footsteps of Moses. During that

time his loyalty to God never wavered.Therefore, God had developed within Joshuaimportant qualities that would make him one ofthe truly great leaders in Israel's history.

God's first words to him after the death ofMoses were significant. He said, "... arise, goover this Jordan." (Josh. 1:2).

The time had come for Joshua to move. Themantle of leadership was now on him. He notonly had the direction from the Lord, but healso had the courage to act boldly as God's

appointed man.

For the past forty years, the Jordan riverhad separated the Israelites from the land Godhad promised to them.

Joshua had longed to cross that river. He

held fast to his dream of living in the beautiful,fertile land beyond. However, the past fortyyears had made it clear that before the Israelites

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could conquer the river and the inhabitants ofCanaan, there was a deep need that must bedealt with. They must first overcome the truesource of their containment: their unbelief andwrong thinking.

From the day they had walked out of Egypt,carrying the gold and riches of their previousoppressors, the Israelites were a nation destinedto be conquerors. God called them out of Egyptinto a wilderness apart from any other

influence. He brought them into His ownpersonal protection and provision, in order toreveal Himself to Israel.

For us, "wilderness" brings to mind aimlesswandering and great adversity. However, that

was not the case for Israel in the beginning.Once they had reached the other side of the RedSea and had witnessed the annihilation of thePharaoh's great army, they enjoyed the mostmarvelous experience in their lifetime. Theywere free to worship God and know Him. The

secluded territory of the wilderness providedthe setting for a nation to learn how great theirGod really was.

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Faith to Take Charge

God brought them into the wilderness forthree reasons. The first was so that they wouldworship Him. Back in Egypt, God had givenMoses these words to speak before the Pharaoh:

The Lord God of the Hebrews hath metwith us: and now let us go, we beseechthee, three days' journey into thewilderness, that we may sacrifice to theLord our God.

Ex. 3:18

This generation would discover what itmeant to be God's own peoplenot enslaved orbowing down to any other. Until now they hadknown only the hard taskmasters of theEgyptian empire. God brought them freedom

so they could serve Him.The second reason was that God wanted to

reveal to them that He would be their provider.In the wilderness, Israel learned to haveconfidence in God's provision. It was not easyfor this downcast nation to lift their eyes intrust. Though they believed in God's existence,they had never seen Him. How could theyexpect from Him the essentials to keep them

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alive? Yet, as a result of their asking, Godprovided them with fresh manna from heavenand water from a rock.

God demonstrated that He would provide

for them even in desert places. How closely wecan identify with the struggles these peopleexperienced! In our own lives, the time comeswhen we press beyond merely believing in Godand reach out to discover that He is ourprovider as well.

There was a third lesson they would learnas they went into this wilderness of freedom.They learned the importance of following God.God provided a cloud by day and a pillar of fireby night to direct their steps. Again and again,

they had to pack up and move. God led thechildren of Israel in this manner. When thecloud began to move, so must His people, evenif it seemed inconvenient.

God expects us to follow Him where He

leads us. When we yield to His leadership wecan stand secure that His plan and promise forus is coming to pass.

Your obedience to follow Him today

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releases God's hand toward your future. Andthat obedience is the guarantee that you canobtain that promise.

In the Christian life, it is vital that we get

these basic foundations firmly incorporated:(1) God desires people that will worship

Him. John 4:23 says God is seeking afterthose who will worship Him in spiritand in truth. One of the importantfoundations of life is that you are createdto worship. You are brought into Hispresence and lifted as you lift Him up inyour worship.

(2)We can look to Him and trust Him toprovide our needs. God wants to be God

to you. Psalm 37:3 says, "Trust in theLord, and do good; so shalt thou dwellin the land, and verily thou shalt befed."

(3) We must learn to follow His leading and

allow Him to direct our steps. "... heleadeth me beside the still waters... heleadeth me in the paths ofrighteousness for his name's sake." (Ps.

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23:2, 3).

Israel's time in the wilderness was not anend in itself. The purpose of this isolation withGod was to raise this nation into a new

dimension of living. And by doing so theywould be fulfilling destiny.

The problems began when they chose toremain in the realm of provision instead ofpressing on into a land of promise. They werereluctant to move from trusting in what hadbecome familiar, into an attitude of total trust inGod. They had found a certain security in thisdesert land where they knew God wouldprovide. He would cover them with His cloudand protect them from the scorching sun. But to

move on meant trusting God in the unknown.That is true faith, which they lacked.

Although the call came to leave the land ofwandering, they chose to remain in the place ofprovision rather than going forward into the

land of promises. They became so accustomedto the provisions that they would not followHis initiative to press on to the promised land.

We must guard that we too do not remain

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in a place of mere provision. Of course werejoice that we have come to the place wherewe experience God moving in our life. We aregrateful and content in Him. But we shouldnever confuse contentment with complacency.

To be content is to be fulfilled. It is to be freefrom a sense of striving to be something you arenot. In Christ we have received all things. Hehas imparted to us His fullness. John 1:16 says,"and of His fulness have all we received."

As the years passed, so did Israel'sgeneration of faithless leaders. Those were themen who had brought an evil report back fromthe new land, causing the hearts of the peopleto melt. They had spent their remaining years

clinging to the desert of unbelief, until theirbones were buried there forever.

But, thank God, a new generation hadgrown up. Seeing the results of their fathers'disobedience, they had decided they would no

longer be denied what God said belonged tothem. They were prepared to "arise and go"with their new leader, Joshua. A generation ofconquerors now began to control this nation's

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destiny.

Joshua declared with bold authority,

Prepare you victuals; for within threedays ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in

to possess the land, which the Lord yourGod giveth you to possess it.

Josh. 1:11

Joshua had taken charge! And with thisbold stroke of leadership came a response from

a people who had come to know their God. "Allthat thou commandest us we will do, andwhithersoever thou sendest us, we will go." (v.16). The skeptical resistance that once held backthis nation was dead. Faith to conquer wasalive.

This same faith stirs within you. Faith tolive with God's promises as a reality in yourlife. Faith to overcome those things that havestopped you in the past. FAITH TO TAKECHARGE! Let the fear and the feelings of

inadequacy die. From deep within will springup the strength to overcome.

Once Joshua began his move across the

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Jordan river, Israel made a startling discovery.Two men sent to survey Jericho met Rahab, aharlot who lived in the wall surrounding thecity. To their amazement, she told them that theentire city was terrified of Israel.

Jericho expected to fall into the hands of themighty nation that had defeated the powerfularmies of Egypt.

Everyone in that region knew the story ofIsrael's conquest over Egypt forty years before.The inhabitants had waited with dread for theday Israel would cross the river to possess theircities. All of these years, the enemies of God'speople had known that they would beoverpowered if Israel came in the name of the

God Jehovah. Israel was the last to find out!It is a sad fact that the Christian is the last to

find out how complete his victory is in Christ.All of heaven knows! All of hell knows! Satanhas dreaded the day that you would see the

power of that victory.Many Christians remain in the dark about

their ability in God to overcome the enemystrongholds in their lives. But Satan knows that

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when God's power is truly unleashed in you,his defeat is at hand. His most successful tacticis to keep you uncertain of God's willingness tomove for you. You cannot truly trust one inwhom you have little confidence.

All the years Israel wandered in thewilderness, the cities of Canaan feared the daywhen this nation would come with God'smighty power. Israel finally began to trust Godand the man God had anointed. God now

had this nation ready to take the land. Theywould respond to Him and follow Him in faith.

The Word came now from God, saying,"Sanctify yourselves; for to morrow the Lordwill do wonders among you." (Josh. 3:5). This

final instruction was needed to complete theirpreparation. To enable God to do wonders, theyhad to consecrate themselves.

The same is required of us today. God saidthe wonders would come. But if they are to

come, it will require consecrating ourselves toGod. No more holding back, but fullycooperating with Him.

Next, the priests of God, the Levites, were

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to carry the ark of the covenant, which was theplace of God's presence, and stand at the river

Jordan. Then they were to dip their feet into thewater.

It was the presence of God that divided thewaters, but it was the remnant of God's peoplethat carried His presence. Only the tribe of theLevites was allowed to come near the ark.

Today there is a remnant of people that willtruly walk with God and in confidentobedience carry His presence into any river thatlies before them. It is the people of fearless faiththat carve the way through circumstances inorder to bring freedom to the people God loves.

By their obedience, the priests of God

caused the river to stand at attention as the holynation passed over on dry ground.

And the priests that bare the ark of thecovenant of the Lord stood firm on dryground in the midst of Jordan, and all the

Israelites passed over on dry ground, untilall the people were passed clean overJordan.

Josh. 3:17

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As the nation walked onto the new land,God immediately directed them to take stonesfrom the river and build a memorial. It was tobe made with one stone for each of the twelvetribes of the nation.

Victory came because the Levites werewilling to carry His presence. However, thevictory belonged to the entire nation. Each tribewould have a part of the memorial to God'sfaithfulness. Their victory would testify to

people for generations to come that God fulfillsHis Word.

Your life testifies to people. Does it testifyGod's victory? Notice Psalm 92:12, 15 from TheAmplified Bible,

The [uncompromisingly] righteousshall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful and fruitful];he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon[majestic, stable, durable andincorruptible].

[They are living memorials] to showthat the Lord is upright and faithful to Hispromises; He is my rock, and there is nounrighteousness in Him.

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Your life can be living proof that God isfaithful to His promises. You can reflect thegreatness of God and His willingness to bringHis best to anyone. Everyone wants success inhis or her life. People want the results offollowing God, but not everyone is willing tomake the changes that will bring God's success.

Joshua was willing!

When the day for action came, Joshua couldstand fearlessly because he had allowed God's

influence in his life. He had become a decisiveman of action.

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55 Overcoming a

Grasshopper Mentality

With the crossing of the Jordan, the days of

continual hardship and compromise had finallycome to a close for this nation of destiny. Therewere still many challenges to come. But eachwould be met with unshakable determinationand unwavering faith, rather than the constant

complaints and questions of the previousgeneration.

Under the bold leadership of Joshua, theIsraelites saw the fulfillment of the desires theyhad cherished for nearly a lifetime.

Crossing through the Jordan river and intothis new land, they also entered a newdimension in their relationship with God. Theirrole changed from that of merely following toactive cooperation. When they ate the fruit ofthe new land, immediately the manna ceased.

(Josh. 5:12.) They began to move from provisioninto promises.

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Their destiny to become a nation ofconquerors was about to take on reality. Theywere setting their course to overcome everyobstacle that stood in their way.

As they prepared themselves for the battleswhich would face them, God gave His people atime of rest. It was a time to renew theirstrength, review their plans, and receive newinsights.

It is vital to the progress of any project tohave a clear grasp of God's direction. Retreatinginto a time of calm and communion with Himcan be the greatest tool to prepare you forprogress.

Those sometimes small but needed

corrections in direction are easily overlooked inthe heat of decision making and activity. Butwhen you pull aside into a time of rest, Godwill refocus your attention to those neglectedareas.

During their journey in the wilderness,Israel had neglected the covenant ofcircumcision. Their position of strength inpossessing Canaan would depend on restoring

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Overcoming a Grasshopper Mentality

their broken covenant.

God had spoken to Abraham manygenerations before and established thiscovenant between Him and His nation. Israel

must not face these enemies without theconfidence that all is well between them andJehovah God. At Gilgal the nation returned totheir covenant and refreshing came.

So many today turn away from theircommitment to God, only to find themselveswandering in uncertainty or discouragement.Soon they become discouraged with God'sWord. They find it difficult to fellowship withHim or to pray. And rather than remaining in aplace where help can come, they pull away,

feeling very justified. However, when we learnto remain consistent in our relationship withour Heavenly Father, we will discover a newdimension of intimacy and confidence.

Israel was returning to God with total

abandonment. They wanted nothing standingin their way. They had witnessed the weaknessof their fathers and now wanted only God'splan for themselves. There comes the time

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when we must forsake the things that have heldus and put ourselves totally in God's hand.

Something happened once their covenantrelationship was restored with Jehovah God.

The nation's experience in Egypt had taken itstoll. They had continued to carry the reproachof their captivity. It constantly plagued thesepeople even after forty years of freedom fromEgypt. They still thought like slaves!

In spite of all their experiences after leavingEgypt, they still would not allow themselves tothink like the conquerors they actually were.They had already seen the utter annihilation ofEgypt's powerful army. Yet they clung to aslave mentality.

God had brought them into the wildernessof freedom, but with each new challenge theycried out to be back in Egypt, where they didnot face the insecurity of the unknown.

Now notice in verse 9 of chapter 5,

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Thisday have I rolled away the reproach ofEgypt from off you. Wherefore the name ofthe place is called Gilgal unto this day.

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Through the powerful leadership of Joshuaand the new generation of fearless followersthe reproach that had dominated their fatherswas removed. The site of this important eventbecame known as Gilgal, "the place of removalor rolling."

The stigma of slavery was no longer a partof their thoughts. They had truly entered a newland. But even more important, they hadentered a new relationship with God Almighty.

Our attitude toward ourselves holds asignificant place in our success and in ourachievement in growing in the Kingdom ofGod. How do we see ourselves? Are wereceiving our mental stability from Christ, or

are we governed by thoughts of past failures?Can we receive ideas from the Holy Spirit todeal with the issues we face, or are weconfining ourselves to carnal answers? The oldcarnal attitudes and ideas will not bring aboutthe kind of power or results you long to see.

The Apostle Paul mentions the importanceof right thinking many times. When you are"renewed in the spirit of your mind" as

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Ephesians 4:23 directs, you set aside the slaverysyndrome and put on a conqueringconsciousness. You learn that the endlessopportunity to become offended anddiscouraged can be replaced by a commitmentto contentment.

By choosing the right thoughts, you liftyour own life. You choose the thoughts that areconsistent with God's Word. When God hassaid you are an overcomer, then to think like an

overcomer you replace thoughts of defeat andfailure with God's Word. Your thoughts are likeseeds planted in your own life. Your mind islike a garden. You can cultivate your mind andplant the seeds you want to grow, or you can

neglect it and allow weeds to take over. Eitherway, it will bring a harvest into your life.

Galatians 6:7 declares a most importanttruth. Notice the Phillips translation,

A man's harvest in life will depend

entirely on what he sows.Israel had known only slavery. The people

were programmed to think like slaves, respond

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like slaves, and act like slaves. God was movingthem out of slavery and reprogramming themto be a conquering nation.

The way you perceive challenges is

determined by the way you have beenprogrammed. Seeds of slavery can remain inyour thoughts and stifle your growth. The Biblesays in Proverbs 23:7, For as he thinketh inhis heart, so is he. The word "heart" in thisverse is nearly always translated "soul" in other

scriptures. This verse is saying that what aperson really thinks deep within himself iswhat he becomes. Therefore, we must lookbeyond what is actually said and determinewhat is within the heart.

We learn that the way to affect our ownlives is to modify the way we think. As youbegin to regard yourself in a constructive,positive way based upon God's Word, yourelease spiritual power in your life throughyour soul.

You see, the realm of the soul is theconnecting point between the spiritual realmand the physical realm. The mind, will, and

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emotions make up the soulish realm.

When you yield your soul to be renewed byGod's Words and thoughts, you see yourselffrom an entirely new perspective. You realize

that you are what God has made you in Christ.You are righteous because you are in Him andthere is no unrighteousness in Him. You arefree from past mistakes. You are liberated fromyour weakness and filled to overflowing withHis strength. These are but a few of the

beautiful deposits of God's great wealth withinyou. The more your thoughts are in accord withthe deposit God has made, the greater therelease into your life.

You can remain a captive of your thoughts,

or you can change the way you are byharmonizing your thoughts with God'sthoughts. In his powerful book entitled Seeds ofGreatness, Dr. Denis Waitley writes, "Our mindcan't tell the difference between real experienceand one that is vividly and repeatedly

imagined."1

Understanding the power of your

1 (Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell, 1983).

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imagination is a key secret to releasing thepower of God's Word in your life. When youbegin to imagine yourself as though His Wordsand promises are already working in you, thepower of those promises is released andactivated within you.

One man told how he had received adiagnosis of terminal cancer. He knew littleabout God, but when faced with death hebegan to evaluate his life and his relationship

with God.

He reasoned that if God was good, thenGod certainly wanted him to be healed. Thatidea became a reality in his mind. As he sat athome, he began to create mental pictures of

massive armies of white blood cells gatheringforces and then charging through his body toattack the cancer. He envisioned wave afterwave of white blood cells surging through hisbody. Of course, this was all taking place in hismind.

Later, when he went for his treatments hisdoctors announced with some surprise, "Youare in remission." That declaration was made

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nine years ago at the time of this writing.

God's power is released in us as wecooperate with Him and activate that power. Asyou think so you are. You are moving toward

your most dominant thoughts. Jesus paid agreat price for you to live in health; it is a vitalpart of redemption. If you do not see yourselfovercoming disease, you can create newpictures in your mind of His health in yourbody.

How do you see your family? Choose to seeyour family as God intends it to befull oflove, kindness, and tenderness toward oneanother. How do you view your job? ApplyGod's Word to your thoughts to bring about

peace, promotion, or obtaining that newposition.

This is more than mental power. When yourthoughts harmonize with God's Word, Hispower can work through you. Using mental

pictures from God's Word causes the reality ofHis promises to lodge deep into your heart.You must plant the seed of His promise andpurposely cultivate it exactly the way a farmer

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would. That seed will produce a bountifulharvest as you willfully nurture it.

Israel had been defeated for forty years bythe enemy of their own imagination. They were

like grasshoppers in their own sight. Theirhalfhearted service to God had limited them.Israel could escape from Egypt but not thiswilderness. They were under a reproach.However, there was a new generation ready torespond to any direction God might give. They

were no longer a nation of wanderingvagabonds in the desert, but a peopledetermined to take the land that belonged tothem. Their thoughts were finally in harmonywith God.

As Joshua considered his course of actionand wondered how his untrained men couldtake such a formidable fortress as Jericho,suddenly he saw before him the Prince of theHost of Jehovah. Joshua fell on his face in Hismighty presence and at the direction of the

Prince, he removed his shoes from his feet, forhe was on holy ground.

Joshua remembered how Moses had told of

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the fearful, yet beautiful experience of hearingGod's voice from the burning bush and himselfstanding on holy ground. Now, in the footstepsof his predecessor, Joshua would experience thesame unforgettable presence.

The Prince assured Joshua of victory overJericho before giving him the detailed plan."Jericho and its king and all its mightywarriors are already defeated, for I have giventhem to you" (Josh. 6:2 TLB).

Notice how God focused first on the endresult. Then He instructed Joshua on how toobtain that victory. They were to go repeatedlyaround the wall of Jericho, led by the Ark of theLord.

Many times we confuse this simple butimportant order of progression. If we have thewrong end result in mind, we will onlymisunderstand the details. On the other hand, ifwe do see the end results but never press in to

discover the details or the plan, we will remainwith only the hope of God's promise but not thereality.

Joshua knew that not only was Jericho's

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overthrow divinely commissioned, but also thatGod was empowering the Israelites with Hiswisdom and strength.

Israel stood and looked at a city that

appeared to be impenetrable. But Israel hadcome in the name of the Lord their God. Thegreat walls of the city could restrain them nolonger.

To the last detail, the Israelites followed theinstructions they had received. Thirteen timesthey compassed the city, without speaking. Theonly sound was the reverberation of the priest'strumpets made from rams' horns. The sametrumpets were sounded every fifty years todeclare the year of Jubilee. Now, they

announced the presence of a conquering Godand His mighty people. After the seventh timeon the seventh day of marching, the priestsblew the trumpets again. This time, the peopleshouted as loudly as they could. Because theyhad obeyed God's plan, the walls of Jericho fell

flat at their feet. The city was taken. Israel wasvindicated, and they experienced the promiseGod had made to them.

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There may be walls that have restrainedyou. There may be barriers of wrong thinkingthat prevent you from experiencing thegoodness God has freely given. But at the shoutof God's Word from your lips, thoughts ofnegativism and strife, thoughts of failure, orthoughts of lack will begin to crumble.

Jesus has announced your deliverance. Thetrumpet of Jubilee has sounded. Now let theshout of victory be declared!

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66 Courage in Conflict

The success at Jericho demonstrated clearlythat Joshua had taken position as the

commander of Israel with an astonishing senseof leadership. There was no question that hewas fearlessly following Jehovah's command.

One of the key ingredients of his sweepingsuccess was his courage to carry out even themost peculiar strategies. Courage enabled

Joshua to see from God's perspective and knowhow to receive what God had promised Moses.God had said to him,

Only be thou strong and verycourageous, that thou mayest observe to do

according to all the law, which Moses myservant commanded thee.

Josh. 1:7

The only way you can accurately determinethe direction God is leading you is to see a

situation from a perspective of His strength andcourage. Trying to perceive God's directionthrough the eyes of your own weakness will

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always leave you frustrated. Even your ownstrength and willpower cannot put you over. Itis God's courage in conflict that bringsconquest.

Courage is firmness in the face of danger ordifficulty. The dictionary shows that ourEnglish word "courage" is derived from theFrench word "cuer" or heart2 It means to havethe heart as the seat of intelligence. To becourageous is to be led by your heart, not

merely your reasoningputting your thoughtsand imaginations under the control of HolySpirit-inspired ideas.

It truly takes courage to follow God ratherthan the path of least resistance. It can mean

making a decision, or taking a stand that isunpopular and may generate criticism. Butmost important is loyalty to God, even when itcosts the adulation of people.

Both Joshua and Caleb took a very lonely

stand when they first returned from the land ofpromise with a report of victory. They wererejected and ignored. Yet they stood

2 Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, S. V. "Courage. "

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Courage in Conflict

courageously upon the promise God had madeto them. They would not be distracted, butrather they remained loyal to what they knewdeep in their hearts to be true. Their mindsremained steadfast and establishedtheywould not be swayed.

Years later, this same courage stirredthrough Joshua as he approached the city of

Jericho. It took leadership beyond the limits ofaccepted strategies to entertain the concept of

God's plan that brought that city down.

He had to follow his heart, not his mind.The plan God made alive within him was to befollowed even though it was not reasonable.Every conquest was not as dramatic as Jericho,

but the assurance of victory was always there.When God said to go and conquer, they knewthe result would be victory. It is this samecourage that will enable you to win over theweaknesses and the challenges that face you.

Courage can always be understood ashaving a "buoyant spirit"the kind of attitudethat just will not be put down or made bitterbecause of the bumps of life or the attacks of the

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enemy. A buoyant spirit always comes back up.Hard times and difficulties attempt todiscourage you, to drain you of courage, buthaving a buoyant spirit you always come up.There can be a spring within you that alwaysthrusts you up above the trouble.

The great men and women that inspire ushave this buoyancy about them. They will notbe distracted or moved off what they know theHoly Spirit is leading them in.

The Apostle Paul is, of course, one of thesebuoyant people. He experienced more bumpsand hardships than most; yet he always roseabove them.

Notice in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9,

But we have this treasure in earthenvessels, that the excellency of the powermay be of God, and not us.

We are troubled on every side, yet notdistressed; we are perplexed, but not in

despair;Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast

down, but not destroyed.

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Courage in Conflict

These statements were made by one whowould not be intimidated! He had literallyovercome every kind of attack by the power ofGod's treasure within him.

Many people quote these statements toidentify Paul with their own misery. But if youare going to identify with his trouble, you mustalso identify with his buoyancy.

Read it again: ". . . n o t distressed . . . n o t in despair... n o t forsaken . . . n o t destroyed." Look also at the ninth verse in thePhillips translation: "... we may be knockeddown but we are never knocked out!" Thegreatest mistake you can make is to give up.When the issues of life come to squash you

down, you must shake off the distress, thedespair, and the discouragement thataccompany them.

Cast off the feeling of being forsaken thatSatan tries to amplify in your mind. Instead,

encourage yourself with the words, "I willnever leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Heb. 13:5).You are not forsaken! Stir up the forces of God'streasure within you and face the challenge with

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the power of God's Word.

There are times we must respond with asense of spiritual violence. We mustaggressively release the deposits of God that

are stored up within. Jesus said, "... thekingdom of heaven suffereth violence, andthe violent take it by force." (Matt. 11:12). Youface your enemy or difficulty and you unleashthe forces of God's awesome power.

The great prophet Elijah stood in the face ofthe prophets of the demonic god Baal. He alonechallenged a total of 850 men and dared themto put their lives on the line, and to resolve thedouble standard Israel was living with. Thatday they would discover who was the true

God, Baal or Jehovah.With unshakable courage, Elijah mocked

the false prophets as they attempted to conjureup a response from Baal. But there would be noresponse. When you trust in the wrong thing,

you find yourself helpless in a time of trueneed.

Elijah prayed a simple and very powerfulprayer,

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Courage in Conflict

Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and ofIsrael, let it be known this day that thou artGod in Israel, and that I am thy servant,and that I have done all these things at thyword.

1 Kings 18:36

The result was dramatic. Jehovah God leftno question of who the true God was. God willhonor your courage just as He did Elijah's,when your courage comes from the same

source.Notice again Elijah's prayer. He said, "... let

it be known... that I have done all these thingsat thy word." He was acting on what he hadreceived specific direction to do. You will haveGod's favor activated regularly in your life onlywhen you are sensitive to respond to His directleading.

Joshua learned this the hard way. Soon afterthe triumph over Jericho, Joshua seemedunstoppable. The city of Ai was the next to be

conquered, and the Israelites expected therewould be little difficulty with this less powerfulpeople. Joshua confidently sent a small army to

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take the city.

But the result was not as Joshua hadanticipated. Thirty-six men were lost in thebattle, a disturbing defeat. When Joshua came

before the Lord, he discovered he had not goneout against Ai at the direction of the HolySpirit. Instead, he had only presumed it wastime to go. If he had gone first into the presenceof God, he would have learned that there wassin that had to be dealt with before any more

land would be conquered. Once he dealt withAchan's sin, then he could march on Ai with thepower of God's Word going before them.

This man of courage was also a man quickto repent and quick to learn. From that time he

never went into battle again without JehovahGod's Word, "Fear them not: for I havedelivered them into thine hand." (Josh. 10:8).Israel never lost another man in battle, norsuffered another defeat.

David also learned this lesson of courageand restraint. In First Samuel chapter 30 Davidand his men returned to Ziklag from battle andfound that the Amalekites had burned the city

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Courage in Conflict

and taken their women and children. David didtwo very important things in response to thiscrisis.

First, he encouraged himself in the Lord his

God, even though he was emotionally drainedfrom the situation. In the same way, you mustdeliberately stir up the courage within you.

Proverbs 28:1 says, "... the righteous arebold as a lion." The lion is fearless and violent,and will back down to no one. That samefearlessness must be stirred up within you.

When your enemy strikes, stir yourself byreaffirming your place in Christ. Speak out loudwords that establish His love for you, and thepower of His Word that is available to you.

David activated courage in the Lord his God.

To encourage yourself is to activate courage.A resilience from within gives you the ability toemerge from, and many times, evadediscouragement. You recover quickly. David

activated his courage, but he knew there wasmore needed.

The second thing David did was to inquire

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of the Lord saying, "Shall I pursue after thistroop? shall I overtake them?" (v. 8). Hereinlies an important truth. Courage alone is not thetotal answer, even though it is courage in theLord. There must be the clear direction from theHoly Spirit as well. When David was releasedby God to pursue his enemy, he went with utterconfidence and he recovered everything just asGod had said.

Courage is expressed in many different

ways. Recently in one of our meetings I beganto minister to husbands and fathers whoneeded to become the man of God in theirhomes. Several came to the front of the churchto repent and receive strength to fulfill that

responsibility. Some of them were prominent inthe church. That took courage! That is facing adifficulty fearlessly. It is also being led by theheart and not by excuses.

When Elijah was faced with a situation thatwas less spectacular than dealing with the

prophets of Baal, he found himself lacking.Instead of courageously confronting Jezebel'sthreats against him, he tucked his tail and

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Courage in Conflict

didn't stop running the entire day.

Elijah was unable to be consistent. He waseither in total command, or out of control;either extremely courageous, or very cowardly.

What he lacked was temperance to regulate anddirect his courage.

Jesus, our example, was of all men the mostcourageous; yet his entire life was marked bytemperance. He didn't back down from anydemon, nor from the religious hypocrites of Hisday. Later he courageously restrained Himselfin the court of His accusers.

Many people have cultivated the habit of"speaking their minds" and "telling it like it is, "and in doing so they cause a lot of hurt and

damage to other people. They confuse theircareless words for courage and thoughtlessnessfor honesty. Much of the time it takes greatercourage to give a soft answer, or simply to saynothing at all. What we need are men and

women of God who have developed a balancedblend of courage and temperance, who drawtheir strength from the indwelling Spirit.

The nature of Christ within a person should

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demonstrate a courage that is actively blendedwith temperance, and that will mix compassionwith truth.

Armed with that type of stability, you will

be able to approach the demands of life withthe perspective of courage and strength,seasoned with temperance.

It was a lesson Joshua learned well andnever forgot. After Ai he would not be defeatedagain. As long as you see with God's courageand strength, you need not be defeated either.

Teach me thy way, O Lord, and leadme in a plain path, because of mineenemies.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to

see the goodness of the Lord in the land ofthe living.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage,and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, Isay, on the Lord.

Ps. 27:11, 13, 14

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77 Victory Upon Victory

Joshua had come to understand God in away that produced calm confidence. He had

discovered that God's resources were availableto him. He was convinced of the dependabilityof Jehovah God.

From his victory over Ai, Joshua was drawninto a battle against an alliance of five mountainkings. They had heard of the utter devastationof Ai. They reasoned that their only hopeagainst the invasion of the Israeli army was to

join their forces together. But regardless of theirendeavors, they were powerless to standagainst Israel.

Joshua did not hesitate in the face of hisgreatest challenge. To the surprise of hisopponents, he marched through the night. Hewent in the assurance of God's Words,

Fear them not: for I have delivered

them into thine hand; there shall not a manof them stand before thee.

Josh. 10:8

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The challengers, suffering a great defeat,turned and began to flee. But God's Word haddeclared total victory for Israel, therefore Godrose up to fight for them. He sent a great stormand hailstones to destroy the enemies.

The inspiration of this divine interventionbrought Joshua into a new dimension of faith inGod. Joshua spoke directly to the sun andmoon to stand still in the heavens. Thisadditional daylight gave Israel the time they

needed to bring a resounding victory over theirenemy. Notice God responded to the word of aman and the sun and moon stood still.

Joshua was in complete cooperation andpartnership with Jehovah God. Because of that

relationship, God moved to stop the rotation ofthe earth and yet continue the normal forces ofgravity and pressure. It was a day unparalleledin human history.

The kings fled to a cave to hide themselves,

but Joshua ordered it sealed with huge stonesand had men set on guard lest the kings escape.Once the conquered cities were secured, Joshuareturned to the cave. He brought the kings out

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Victory Upon Victory

to face the commanders of the Israeli armies,who put their feet on the necks of the kings.This symbolized Israel's total victory. It alsobrought into clear focus God's covenant withHis nationthat they would possess everyplace upon which the soles of their feet wouldtread.

With this huge military triumph came agreat sense of power and influence with God.But, rather than standing back in contentment,

Joshua continued to press on to victory uponvictory. City after city and king after kingwould be consumed by this powerful andirresistible force. Before Joshua rested, thirty-one kings and kingdoms would fall. Israel had

an assurance of faith in their God that could notbe quenched. They would make known thepresence and power of Jehovah God to everyintruder in God's land.

Once you, as a believer, begin to recognizeand affirm in your own life this conquering

attitude the Holy Spirit has over your enemy,you will be lifted into enormous confidence.You can see clearly in Psalm 18:39, 40 how He

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wants to put yourfoot on yourenemy's neck.

For thou hast girded me with strengthunto the battle: thou hast subdued underme those that rose up against me.

Thou hast also given me the necks ofmine enemies; that I might destroy themthat hate me.

Of course, our enemy is not people but theprincipalities and powers in heavenly places.God has infused us with His strength andmight to see through the symptoms of theproblem and discover the source.

God has broken the cycle of reproach,discouragement, and failure. If you willembrace His attitude, a momentum of triumph

will begin to build from the depth of yourbeing. You will acquire an unshakable grip onHis strength in your inner man. You will not beintimidated by the tactics of the adversary.

Philippians 1:28 in The Amplified Bible says it

best.And do not [for a moment] be

frightened or intimidated in anything by

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your opponents and adversaries, for such[constancy and fearlessness] will be a clearsign (proof and seal) to them of [theirimpending] destruction; but [a sure tokenand evidence] of your deliverance and

salvation, and that from God.

In a meeting I was conducting, a lovely ladycame for prayer and this scripture became veryclear. She had been ministered to deeply by theHoly Spirit. The very next morning she

received the results of an earlier medical test.The test showed a definite cancerous mass inone breast.

As she stood before me this scripture fromPhilippians rose up from deep in my spirit. As Ispoke the words she could feel their powerpenetrating her body. Later, she went back formore tests, and to the amazement of theexaminers the cancerous mass had completelydisappeared. No type of mass was foundwhatsoever!

One of our enemy's most devastating tacticsis fear and intimidation. If he can draw you intohis arena, he will begin to control you with

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confusion and a sense of uncertainty. But whenthe reality of Jesus' victory comes alive inside,you can gain success in any struggle orendeavor.

Joshua's victory went far beyond his ownability. He continued to march on withincreased assurance. His successes would notcome through human effort alone. He hadbecome thoroughly convinced that he was notlimited to his own strength; instead, he had

access to God's limitless power.

There were three underlying principles thatbrought Joshua from one victory to another.These simple principles can be keys for yourown continued spiritual advancement.

The first was a heart of diligentcommitment to do all that God hadcommanded. He read before all of Israel thecommandments which Moses had been given.

Joshua 11:23 says he did all that the Lord had

said to Moses. He left nothing undone.It is vitally important that we do not

become slack in our pursuit of God's lifestyleand direction. We must become diligent to take

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to heart the importance of God's dealing anddirection in our lives.

God gave the promise because He expectsus to live in it. If we can approach God with the

same heart of commitment Joshua displayed,we can be led into the promises He has setbefore us.

Don't be slack, but determine to fulfill allthat God has spoken. Determine to livecommitted without compromise. To "commit"yourself means simply to deliver yourself intoanother's charge. God's direction should havecomplete authority in the decisions you make.

Joshua learned to move into battle underthe direct leadership of the Holy Spirit. The

plans and strategies were not his own, but camethrough communion with God. Your diligenceto allow God to direct the details of your lifewill prove to be an important key to obtainingwhat has seemed unobtainable.

The second principle Joshua revealed wasboldness to occupy new territory. We cannotallow the successes we have seen in the past todelude us into thinking that we have come far

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enough. We must not yield to spiritualstagnation. Stagnant water may be peaceful butit becomes a breeding ground for veryunpleasant growth.

Joshua went from victory to victory, and weare told to go from glory to glory. SecondCorinthians 3:18 from The Amplified Bible givespowerful insight on taking new territory in ourlife.

And all of us, as with unveiled face,[because we] continued to behold [in theWord of God] as in a mirror the glory ofthe Lord, are constantly being transfiguredinto His very own image in ever increasingsplendor and from one degree of glory toanother; [for this comes] from the Lord

[Who is] the Spirit.

Your diligence before God to allow HisWords to be absorbed into your being bringscontinual change. We pass from one degree ofglory to another, as one said it, until we reach

our Master's degree.

The question that Joshua asked Israel ringsout to us today: "How long are ye slack to go to

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possess the Land, which the Lord God of yourfathers hath given you?" (Josh. 18:3). We mustset aside stagnation and reach out to obtainfresh water and new territory.

The third principle for pursuing victoryupon victory is a deep confidence in God'sfaithfulness to His promise. In Joshua 21:45from the Berkeley version, notice what iswritten: "Of all the good promises which theLord had made to the house of Israel, not one

failed; they were all fulfilled."

Again from the Berkeley version in 2Corinthians 1:20, "In Him all the promises ofGod are yes. For this reason we also saythrough Him 'Amen' to God for His glory

through us."When God gives a promise He also gives

the power to cause it to come to pass. When wesimply add our agreement with it, we obtainthe power of God for that promise. God cannotbe changed from being a faithful God. HisWords are as sure as the dawn (see Hos. 6:3).There is a sustaining power deep within thatcontinues to remind us that God will fulfill

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every promise He has made.

He remained faithful through all of Israel'srebellious wanderings in the wilderness. Asthey stepped into a steady walk of loyalty to

God, they activated the power within thepromise. His faithfulness to them becameapparent as they faced each obstacle. They werefilled with such enormous confidence andunflinching faith that no enemy could standsuccessfully against them.

God responded again and again to theirfaith. Notice Joshua 21:43, 44, again from theBerkeley version,

The Lord gave Israel the whole landwhich He promised their fathers to give

them. They took possession of it and livedin it. The Lord gave them peace on everyside, according to all that He had promisedtheir ancestors. None of their enemiescould withstand them, because the Lorddelivered all their enemies into their

hands.

They were in the land of their dreams.Living in peace! All their enemies had been

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conquered. GOD had remained faithful!!

That is the God we serve. He has defeatedevery enemy that challenges you. He is faithfulto you, and will make every promise a reality in

your life. You can possess the land of yourdreams and begin to live in them.

There is today an immense need for God'sholy nation of believers to embrace this sameunshakable confidence in God's faithfulness.Let God show His faithfulness to you.

Israel was entering the days of victory andtranquility. The people spent several yearsmoving into the land they were to inherit. Notonly had God liberated them from Egypt andtheir wanderings, but now there was liberty

from the constant warfare in Canaan.

Along with victory and liberty in Christcomes a new challenge to spiritual stability.There is a tendency to drop our guard to Satan'smore subtle attacks. It demands as much

spiritual diligence to maintain a position as itdoes to obtain it. Times of peace can bedeceptive. Though the conflict on the outsidemay have ceased, pressures can arise from

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within that are just as deadly.

Many who have stood through greattrouble and conquered, later found themselvesdefeated because of sloppy spiritual conduct in

times of seeming peace. Our confidence cannever rest in the accomplishments orachievements of the past, but only in ourcontinual place in the presence of God.

Through maintaining a deep and intimatecommunion with God we have the assurance ofvictory upon victory. You have the Spirit ofGod to overcome any obstacle or challenge. Thesame spiritual principles that clearly brought

Joshua into the inheritance of his dreams havenever altered; they will keep you on course as

well.

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88 Vision to Possess Your

Dreams

Joshua had achieved what had seemed

impossible. He had brought this nation to aplace of utter dedication and total victory in theland of Canaan. One man's fearless faith hadlifted an entire nation from oppression andpoverty into power and prosperity in the

presence of God.Israel was in possession of the land of their

dreams. All their lives, they had heard howtheir father Abraham had come into this placeof promise in obedience to God. Now theystood, not merely in the memory of Abraham'spast greatness, but in the reality of God'sgreatness that had been revealed to them.

Joshua was very old. He had rallied thenation not to himself, but to God. His entire lifehad demonstrated the potential of one who is

single-minded in his devotion to God. As headdressed the elders for the last time, hepointed them only to God. There was a marked

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absence of any self-exaltation or recitation of hisown achievements. He reminded them of thepast mercy and faithfulness of Jehovah. Heurged them to continue in the power of theirrelationship with God and unwavering loyaltyto Him.

Then, like the leader he had always been, heclearly affirmed his own unbending position:"... as for me and my house, we will serve theLord." (Josh. 24:15).

With that statement, Joshua summed up allthat he knew and felt. His life would end in thesame victory and devotion that he hadconsistently embraced. He would point them toGod alone.

The success of his leadership was provedwhen the response of the elders rang out:

And the Lord drave out from before usall the people, even the Amorites whichdwelt in the land: therefore will we also

serve the Lord; for he is our God. v. 18

Joshua was a man of vision. He led Israel

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Vision to Possess Your Dreams

into victory and filled them with his vision. Hegave them the ability to see beyond what facedthem and to become totally aware of thegreatness of their God. God trained him to lookbeyond the immediate to the ultimate result.

To have vision means exactly that: "to seebeyond ordinary sight, to perceive a revelationor glimpse beyond the natural world."

God gave Israel a vision that wouldtransport them out of their immediate situationand into His plan. When Joshua would runwith the vision, Israel would follow.

Proverbs 29:18 says,

Where there is no

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You Can Conquer Life's Conflicts - Dennis Burke

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