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I sense it is a time of both transition and also overcoming obstacles and enemies. This is a word for this season: three things we need to go forward.

1. Agenda — Are We in the Lord’s Plans or Our Own?

Joshua is confronted by the Lord and comes to see that he needs be on the Lord’s side, i.e. it is not whether God is on our side, but that we are on God’s side of things. It is His agenda, not ours, that matters.

Joshua then worshipped on holy ground, which is where we come to hear the Lord’s agenda on issues.
The Lord is calling us into deeper relationship, worship, and holiness; from this place, we have divine alignment for divine assignment.

We cannot hold on to our own agenda and goals, we must hear the Lord in all things and go with His plan, calling, and His purposes.

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.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped,
and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua,
“Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.”
And Joshua did so.
~ Joshua 5:13-15

2. The Battle is the Lord’s, and He Gives Us the Victory

Good news: we are not David! (Ref: 1 Samuel 17)
We are taught to identify with David and his overcoming of Goliath.
But in reality, often we don’t beat the Goliaths in our lives, whether they be sickness, poverty, depression, opposition etc. This leads to disappointment, sometimes on a grand scale.

When we realise that David is a type of Jesus and that He fights for us, we have victory.
We can identify with the Children of Israel and see that David fought on their behalf, and that Goliath is truly dead.

In the New Testament, it is Christ in us, the hope of glory that enables us to overcome. The bottom line is that it is only Jesus Who brings victory. We have hope as He has overcome the world. It is time to come to the Lord and let Him rule our hearts and minds, so He can fight for us.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.
In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
~ John 16:33

3. Perseverance in Faith and Trust

2 Kings 13 relates the story of Elisha and King Joash and how Elisha asked Joash to strike the ground with the arrows, which he only did three times. If he had persisted, Joash would have had a complete rather than partial victory.

Too many times, we only see partial victory when the Lord wants us to win completely.  Sometimes we go through difficult times, trials, and tribulations. The Lord is always with us and even carries us in the most difficult times.

His love for us is endless. Nothing we can do will make Him love us more than He does already.
We just need to persist in loving and trusting Him; again allowing Him to reign in our lives so He can fight for us.

Putting our trust in Him is an act of faith — we choose to trust Him in all things. Abba Father is there for us at all times — He is completely trustworthy. He is Love and loves us.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work,
that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
~ James 1:2

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Originally published at Ruach haKodesh Ministries.
Image: Michelangelo, David and Goliath, Sistine Chapel/Wikimedia Commons