Joshua 5:13-14

New International Version

 “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” 

For Encouragement

He went towards Jericho, the first city they would try to capture in Canaan. The journey had been long and full of adventure. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam had moved on, and God had appointed him to lead the new nation to possess their homeland at last.

The last few days had also been eventful. They landed at Gilgal after crossing the Jordan, and fear gripped the nations. The Lord commanded Joshua to circumcise the uncircumcised to remove the reproach of Egypt from Israel (Josh. 5:9). They celebrated the Passover, ate of the produce of the land, and the manna ceased pouring from heaven (10-12). Jericho towered before them, its gates shut and secured (6:1). So, Joshua steps out either to size the city, polish his strategy, pray, or get some butterflies out of his tummy.

A figure of awe-inspiring presence, a man with a drawn sword in his hand, confronts him (5:13). He was immense, and his presence was overwhelming, filling Joshua with a deep sense of reverence and humility.

Please give it to Joshua. The man did not scare him. Joshua boldly approached him with a query.

“Are you for us or for our enemies?” 

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”

Joshua had walked close enough with Moses to know enough theology and have discernment to prostrate immediately in resignation and worship (14). He understood the man perfectly. His response was not out of fear or reluctance, but out of reverence and understanding of the authority of the Commander of the Lord’s army.

He is the Sovereign Lord of His people, who commands His army in battle and demands complete surrender of our lives to Him. 

What message does the Lord have for His servant? These were the only words Joshua could mutter, lying face down before His Supreme Commander. 

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so (15).

Joshua was experiencing the encounter of Moses with Yahweh on Sinai (Exod. 3:5). He was before the Holy. God was assuring Joshua that He meant His promise to walk with him as He had walked with Moses. Glory to His name. Amen! The rest is history.

The Lord is with you to take command of your life and battles. He is your Lord and Sovereign King, and He wants total control or nothing at all. He is not in your life to stand and fight your battles with you, but to lead in your battles as Supreme Commander. The Lord is not with you to supply you with His weapons to fight as you wish, and according to your choice. He picks your battles and tells you how to fight with the spiritual weapons of Christian warfare He gives you, such as faith, prayer, and the Word of God (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Jesus wants the glory for all the victories in your life (1 Cor. 10:31).

Will you, like Joshua, prostrate to His holiness and surrender command of your life, marriage, profession, finances, drinking problems, secret struggle with pornography, and every other struggle to Him for a Jericho victory? 

Pray with Me

Father, please always remind me that you are my Supreme Commander, the Sovereign Lord of my life, and give me a humble heart to yield absolute control of my life to you every day and in all things. When I insist on holding on to the controls, please pry them from my hands with your gentleness and enable me to yield, Lord Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake. Amen.

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