STEPS TO VICTORY
Today's reading: Joshua 6-10

There's something appealing, and oh, so helpful, about God choosing to put the account of Joshua and Jericho in the Bible. It's not just a historical reading, an entertaining article or a simple filler for a few chapters of the Good Book. It's for today!

Take a look at a couple of the verses that jumped off the page at me this morning:

"I have given you Jericho, its king and all its mighty warriors. Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for six days." Joshua 6:1-2 NLT

God told the Israelites, and in turn is telling us, that the victory is theirs. The battle will go to them. They will be the winners when the final scores are tallied. But, and isn't there where most of us stumble, but, they had to do some work themselves!

They had to walk when He told them. They had to walk as often as He told them. They had to walk where He told them. They had to walk how He told them. Specific instructions given for victory.

"Do not shout; do not even talk, Joshua commanded. Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!" Joshua 6:10 NLT

Joshua passed along the final instructions God had provided him, and probably did it with a big gulp. You see, he had to tell the 'walkers' that victory was theirs to have, how they must go about attaining it--and he had to tell them to, excuse my words here, 'Shut up and get it done!'

No mumbling. No grumbling. No talking about what might occur. No murmuring. No singing to pass the time. No visiting with your neighbor as you walked the first, fourth or sixth day. No discussing what happened yesterday. No complaints about blisters, sore feet or how hot the sand was!

Then shout!

Save your strength and your words to celebrate the victory.

Think those instructions are just for a band of two million people walking around a desert fortification some two thousand years ago?

Apply Joshua's instructions to whatever it is you're battling today. You see, nothing has changed--if God has spoken victory over your circumstances, then claiming that victory rests solely in your ability to follow His instructions to make it yours!

Go ahead, do just what He says--and save your words to praise Him!