Commander Of Every Battle Line
When the Commander reroutes, the safest way forward is to follow.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Bob Hoekstra draws our attention to Joshua meeting the mysterious Man outside Jericho with sword drawn. Joshua asks a natural question, Are You for us or for our adversaries. The answer reorients everything. No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come. Victory would not flow from Israel recruiting God to their side. Victory would come as Israel yielded to the Lord who was already in charge.
Hoekstra shows how this plays out in the next chapters. At Jericho, the Lord gives instructions that make little sense to common strategy. Israel walks, waits, then shouts, and the walls fall. At Ai, the Lord gives a conventional plan that involves an ambush. Against the Amorites, He throws hail from heaven and lengthens the day. Different methods, one Commander. The point is not which tactic we prefer. The point is who leads.
This is grace in motion. Moses had earlier told Israel that the Lord fights for you to save you. Joshua bows to that same reality and asks, What does my Lord say to His servant. The posture is humble availability, not self-reliant bravado. The result is God’s victory expressed through yielded people.
For us in Christ, the lesson lands close to home. Jesus does not merely assist our agenda. He is Lord. He leads, and His presence within us supplies what the moment requires. Some days the instruction will seem unusual. Other days it will look perfectly ordinary. Either way, the source is the same. We live ready to respond, confident that the Captain of our salvation is present and sufficient. Thank you, Bob Hoekstra, for pointing us again to the Lord who commands the battle and shares His triumph with His people.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, you do not need to ask whether I am on your side. In My Son I have brought you to My side. I am for you, and I lead you. I go with you to fight for you and to save you. Bow to Me as Joshua did, and ask what I say to My servant. In union with Jesus you are not striving for victory. You are standing in His victory as you walk by faith.
When My directions seem unusual, trust Me. When they appear ordinary, depend on Me just the same. I am your Commander. I am the strength within you and the wisdom before you. The battle is Mine. I open doors no one can shut, and I make a way where you see none. I give you strategies, I quiet your heart, and I act in power that is gentle and sure.
Remember who you are. You have died with Christ and you live to God in Him. My Spirit dwells in you. I work in you to will and to do My good pleasure. I always lead you in triumph in Jesus. Stand firm, be still on the inside, and step forward as I direct. I am faithful, and I complete what I begin.
Scripture References: Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua 6:20, Joshua 8:6-7, Joshua 10:11, Joshua 10:13, Deuteronomy 20:4, Exodus 14:14, 2 Chronicles 20:15, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 20:7, Romans 6:4-11, Galatians 2:20, John 15:5, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 1:19-23, Ephesians 6:10-13, 2 Corinthians 2:14, Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Romans 8:31-39, 1 Corinthians 15:57.
Real-Life Analogy
Think about using a navigation app during rush hour. You set your destination, and the app suddenly reroutes you down a side street that seems slower. Everything in you wants to ignore it and stay on the main road. You follow the reroute anyway, and a few minutes later you glide past a standstill you would never have seen ahead. The route looked odd, but the guidance was good.
Today, when a situation calls for a response that is not your usual pattern, pause and take the yielded posture of Joshua. Quietly say, Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me right now. Maybe it is a tense meeting, a family conversation, a medical decision, or a financial choice. Follow the Lord’s inner nudge from His word and His peace, even if it feels like a side street. The Commander knows the road you cannot see.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that You are not a consultant to my plans. You are my Commander and my life. In Jesus I already share Your victory. I thank You that Your presence within me is enough for today’s Jericho walls and enough for today’s Ai decisions. I rejoice that You lead, I yield, and Your life is expressed through me. I rest in Your faithfulness and walk forward with a grateful heart.