By Jane Phinney
Listen to the podcast version: Brought to you by iZ Music.
The Bible records that under his leadership, God’s chosen people conquered 31 kings! In the latter part of the book of Joshua, it also explicitly states that “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (21:45)
So, what was Joshua’s secret? Was he some spiritual superstar with a special hotline to God? I don’t think so. I believe Joshua was like us & had to learn the same lessons we do. He had to ask God and wait for answers. On more than one occasion, he messed up when he stepped out in his own knowledge, his own understanding, & his own logic. (See the details in chapters 1-9) The key to this unprecedented success in battle was not dependent on Joshua or any other source of manpower. The KEY to success was the fact that the Lord fought for Israel. “Joshua captured all these kings & their lands at one time because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.” (Joshua 10:42)
The cross-reference to the phrase “fought for Israel” is Exodus 14:14. “The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.” A second reference is found in Deuteronomy 1:30. “The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf.” I have always felt convicted by the reality that:
1) God goes ahead of me in what concerns me.
2) He doesn’t necessarily need my mouth, or my self-effort, to accomplish His purposes.
He is capable without my interference. This sounds great! But there’s more to it. I discovered the cross-reference to the phrase “while you keep silent.” It’s found in Isaiah 30:15. Check this out! “In repentance & rest you shall be saved, in quietness & trust is your strength. But you were not willing.” Ouch!
The main reason we do not experience soul rest is because of pride…Biblically translated as an inflated/arrogant view of self. We like our own plan & think we’re “good to go” in our pursuit of success & happiness. We often function naturally resisting outside assistance…including that of God Almighty. We don’t have to ask, unless we run into trouble…right? Wrong! Our salvation lived out, in the dailies of life, involves regular repenting-- whenever the Holy Spirit convicts us of trusting in what we think we know & in what we think we should do. This encounter leads to a “180” turning away from our self-sufficiency. We can rest, internally, because we trust in His ability to fight/meet the need on our behalf. A quiet humility before the Lord gives way to experiencing Him as our strength.
When one of our daughters graduated from high school, she was accepted into Ravencrest Bible School in Estes Park, Colorado. It was her first time living away from home (14 hours), without easy access to family (no vehicle) & familiar faces (she didn’t know anyone). Once the initial excitement settled & the classes commenced, she started feeling anxious & unsure about her decision. Unknown to her, this Mama was learning my own lessons, about trust, in Psalm 131. The heading reads “Childlike Trust in the Lord,” & likens a quieted soul to a weaned child resting against his mother. The child trusts the parent & has surrendered every care. This relationship is ongoing & builds over time, just like the growing intimacy between us & our Heavenly Father.
Our Creator established rest in Genesis 2:2. He stopped working & blessed the seventh day. He sanctified it. This is the rest that protected Israel, on all sides, as He fought those 31 conquering battles to enter the promised land of Canaan. He literally “gave all their enemies into their hand.” Joshua heard & believed what God said. The people followed, & fought, in trusting obedience, thereby receiving the benefits of God’s promises. They understood Who was doing the work. For us, this example of rest culminates in the indwelling life of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 11:28-30) He promises us that He will empower us, with His strength, to accomplish His will through us. (Philippians4:13) The only thing that can stop this rest from being our reality is an unbelieving heart…hardened by the deceitfulness of sin…when hearing the Word in not united by faith. (See Hebrews 3:12 – 4:1-16)
Rest is key to our sanctification & vice versa. It means seeking His will FIRST& not our own…even in the stuff we think we already know. It’s the faith that ignites God-prepared works. Simply put, it’s possible to rest & have peace in your soul while completing hard work. You recognize the leading of the Spirit & your soul senses peace. He directs the steps to achieve His desired outcome…often more internal, but with an external bonus. Years ago, the Lord gave me an acronym for the rest pictured in Psalm 131.
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It is possible to be freed from unhealthy drivenness, taunting worries, & persistent fears. I’m glad that God is faithful to expose my feeble attempts to fix/direct life. It never works & is sometimes ugly. Thankfully, His promise remains, to enter His place of Relaxed, Effortless, Simple, Trust. So, I must ask, who’s doing the fighting in your life? And are you willing?
Worship with me today. Stephen Phinney & Elijah Musika, Grace in the Storm, iZ Music.
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