Joshua 5:13-14 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."
God says the battle belongs to Him and He is the one who gives you the victory!
When Joshua was preparing the armies of Israel to go into battle against Jericho, a man suddenly appeared in front of him. It was none other than the Commander of the Army of the Lord. Who was the man? Clearly, it is the Lord himself, Jesus Christ, as opposed to an angel because He doesn’t resist Joshua from worshipping Him. This is what we call a “theophany”, i.e. a manifestation of God which in this case was in the form of a man.
The Lord then gives Joshua the “Battle Plan” against Jericho.
Jesus is our Supreme Commander who draws up the battle plan for us. The plan I am talking about is the plan of the gospel which is the only plan that works in capturing men and women for Christ. In the same way that God called the Israelites into a specific place – the Promised Land - today, God calls us to a specific place. It’s called His House – the Church. It is the place where we inherit all that God has prepared and planned for us.
We describe God’s plan as a battle plan because Ephesians 6:12 says,For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We are in a battle against dark spiritual forces. They don’t want you to be blessed, nor succeed in the Lord’s plan for your life. They don’t want you to be victorious nor bring others into God’s House. But God not only draws up the Battle Plan for your life He is also the One who fights for you in the same way He did for Joshua!
1 John 4:4 says,“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Romans 8:31 says,“If God is for us, who can be against us?”
When we seek God and simply look to Jesus, that’s when we let God go into battle for us.
In your life, wherever the enemy is rising up and coming against you, fear not. Just stand your ground in faith, for the battle is the Lord’s and He will bring you the victory.