God’s Guidance: Commander of the Lord’s Armies

It’s easy for me to feel confused or uncertain about directions to take in my ministry and business. Sometimes I know exactly what to do, am rock-solid and laser-focused — and many other times, I’m not. So when I read this passage from Joshua it reminded me of a few very important things about the God’s guidance:

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so…

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” (Joshua 5:13-6:5)

My Response to God’s Guidance of Joshua

I put down this longer passage first because I’m blown away by it, second because it absolutely applies to me. I’m blown away because I did not know or remember that it was actually an angel of the Lord, the commander of the Lord’s army–maybe Michael, maybe even Christ himself–who appeared to Joshua and told him how to take Jericho. I never thought about how Joshua received God’s guidance so specifically.

The second thing is, although I really do not require the commander of the Lord’s army to appear my living room, He might as well have because I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. If I need specific guidance from God — and I do — that’s what I’m going to get.

And don’t forget that this is not only about the Lord giving Joshua very specific instructions, this is about Joshua obeying them to the letter. I can’t just ask God for specific instructions, I need to follow them.

How about you? Are there uncertain places in your life where you need God’s specific leading? You might not talk face to face with the archangels, but Someone more important is talking to you now.