When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” – Joshua 5:13 ESV
Warrior;
This is one of the most important questions that we need to be asking today, “Which team are you on?’ Joshua Chapter 5 is packed with so much, in a relatively short chapter. The Israelites, after 40 years of wandering, wondering if they were going to follow Jehovah or follow their flesh, had finally crossed the Jordan and were in the PROMISED LAND. The Promise land, I believe, represents where and how we are to Live once we have been “Called Out”, saved, identified as a Child of the living God. People were afraid of the Israelites, word had gotten out that they are on GODS TEAM, and their God can help them do great things! As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel. (Joshua 5:1) The kings, and the Amorites were afraid of Israel, because they had heard about their God, and trembled that these foreigners were on GOD’S TEAM. When people are afraid of other people, they either AVOID or DESTROY, and you will see both approaches as these TEAM MEMBERS OF GOD, move through the land of Canaan.
Leader, “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:38-40) There are only 2 teams in this world: God’s team, EKKLESIA, which means “those who are the called-out ones.” If you are NOT on God’s team, then you are on the WORLDS TEAM and this team is against God’s team. Simply put, God’s true church is composed of those who are called by God not only outwardly but inwardly by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus calls someone to discipleship, He is calling that person to Himself, to belong to Him, to follow Him, and to learn from Him and of Him. Confusion is our enemies #1 weapon formed against us. We can be confused on who is on God’s team and who is not. Jesus says those who call on MY NAME, those who follow MY WORD and those who do things MY WAY are the “Called out” ones, those who are on MY TEAM! At that time, the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” (Joshua 5:2) Newly in the promised land, in enemy territory, foreigners in a strange land, God incapacitated the team, through an medical procedure that was to be an inward transformation, identified by an outward act. When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. 9And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. (Joshua 5:8-9)
Conduit, when Joshua asked the angel if he was on his team or the other team, Jesus’ answer was profound: And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the LORD’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:14-15) This angel was Jesus incarnate, before Jesus was incarnate in the manger. This is an example of a CHRISTOPHANY. A Christophany is a physical appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Why would I say this, because He is identified as the COMMANDER of the LORD’S ARMY and Joshua was told to take off his shoes, because he was standing on HOLY ground. In the Bible, people only TOOK A KNEE for God, not His angels nor His servants- only HIM! So much to learn in such a short space. When we are on God’s team, and we do things GOD’S way, and we SEEK GOD’S WORD, then Jesus is there, He is present. It is time to decide which team you are on. Are you on God’s Team or are you on the World’s team. It is easy to differentiate which team you are on by what you do, what you focus on, who you listen to and who you MARCH for. In the book of Revelation God chastised the churches for being team members of the WRONG TEAM. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14) It is time to choose teams, and start acting like you are ON GOD’S TEAM. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. – 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a
Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional 