Introduction: This message is for the church and its leaders. A message for the hour as we face numerous battles in our daily life. Moses had taken the Israelites as far as he could through the wilderness. He received the Law from God and try as he would, he was not able to bring the Israelites into the promised land. Before he died, he chose Joshua to continue the journey and bring the children of God into their Promised Land of rest. God spoke to Joshua telling him to be strong and courageous and continue to observe all that God had said (Joshua 1:1-9). The people accepted Joshua and said they would do all that he says and go where he sends them, (Joshua 1:16). This newest generation of those that obeyed God and survived the wilderness wandering witnessed another miracle when God parted the Jordan River and they crossed on dry land. When the inhabitants of the land heard about their miraculous crossing, "their heart melted, neither was their spirit in them any more." They cowered and feared the Israelites. God had already defeated them. Now Joshua, their leader, set out to look over the fortifications of Jericho. As he was standing overlooking to walled city, he saw a man before him with a sword drawn. Many things are revealed to us in these three very important verses. Let us examine what has taken place and the results it produced. Several principles can be learned from these verses. God doesn't take sides, He takes over. Joshua encountered a man with a sword drown. Knowing he was to capture Jericho, Joshua was concerned about the man's presence. "Are you for us or for our adversaries," he asked. Isn't that what we do many times? We are about to undertake a project or a program and want to know who is for us or against us. The response from the man caused an immediate action on Joshua's part. "Neither," the man said, "But I am here as the Captain of the Lord's people." Heb. 2:10, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Here we see the personified Christ Himself to deliver Jericho as promised by God. He was there to take control of the situation. Joshua realized who the Man was and immediately fell on his face and worshipped Him. We don't ask God to support our efforts, we, like Joshua, must realize God is in control bow down and submit to His leadership and direction. We don't just do things and hope He is on our side. We truly seek His will and purpose and obey Him. Joshua was in God's hands. Jericho wasn't Joshua's battle, it was God's. God told Joshua in 1:5, "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them."" God, through Christ, told us He would never leave us or forsake us. We must realize, God's personal presence in every area of our life. We are, indeed, standing on holy ground, and must be submissive to the Father Whose very presence is to deliver us from the enemy. Because God's battle with Satan has already been won, we can say, like Paul, "in all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." God's powerful provisions for the task at hand. God will never leave us defenseless but will provide us with all that is needed for victory. Notice that it was the Man with the drawn sword, ready for battle. The full account shows us that Jericho was conquered without the Israelites brandishing weapons. Paul tells the Corinthians in 2Cor. 10:4, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."(NIV). We must trust Him and equip ourselves with His provisions to be victorious. Like Joshua, we must ask, "What sayest my Lord unto His servant." Remember what Paul says in Romans 8:31,"If God be for us, who can be against us?" To often we forget we are the Lord's and try to do things our own way and hope God is for us. We try to solve problems the way the world solves problems and wonder why things are not working out. God told us His ways are not man's ways and we should never expect to accomplish the Lord's work, man's way. We face battles every day and our adversary, the Devil, is constantly trying to defeat us. Let Jesus Christ, the Captain of the Lord's host, have control in our life and defeat the enemy and we can claim the victory in His name. Those who are in leadership position in local churches must realize why God put them there. God provides His people with leaders who will, prepare the saints. Eph.4:11-13, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting (maturing) of the saints, (equipping them) for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." By teaching the truth that is in Christ, and by our application of that truth in our lives, we will grow up 'into Christ' and accomplish exactly what God intended. Remember, if you are a Christian, we are Gods' children. He loves and cares for us and will never abandon us. We must realize who are Father is and His concern for us. Knowing that we must trust and depend on His leadership and the provisions He provides us with. These principles apply in every area of life. Only then will the unbelieving world see a manifest difference in those who take the name of the Lord their God upon themselves and be drawn to Him. BACK