Morning by Morning, May 22 - Until Our Spiritual Enemies are Utterly Destroyed
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me listen for Your voice and follow the leading of Your Spirit. ...
"Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'Stretch out the sword that is in your hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand.... When Joshua and all Israel saw that that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city was rising, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai.... For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the sword, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Only the livestock and the spoil of the city Israel took as their booty, according to the word of the Lord that He had issued to Joshua" (Joshua 8:26).
Today our battle is not against human flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil of "this present darkness" coming against the identity and destiny we have in Christ (Ephesians 6:12). They come "only to kill and steal and destroy" in order to keep us from having the fullness of our inheritance You prepared for us that we "may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
So we are to listen for the strategies You give us. Just as you brought down the walls of Jericho with a shout, but set an ambush against Ai, we must learn to be sensitive to Your voice to hear Your strategy for the battle at hand. Our battles may be against fear or false identities, depression or disease, sin or shame, addictions or afflictions, or anything else that's anything less than all You've created us to be in the fullness of our inheritance. And our strategies may be to watch and wait, to shout and sing, to charge ahead or change our attitude, or anything else You speak to our spirit as we listen for the leading of Your voice in obedience to Your command (John 10:4).
Through every battle, we must always remember to keep our eyes fixed on the "Commander of the Army of the Lord" (Joshua 5:14). We are not to be passive in the battles, but have a vital part to actively participate in the advance of Your Kingdom - first within us and then through us - as we stretch out the sword of Your Spirit, which is the Word of God, until our spiritual enemies are utterly destroyed (Ephesians 6:17).
With the heart of David, we are to declare by the power of the grace of God, "I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For You girded me with strength for the battle; You made my assailants sink under me" (Psalm 18:37-39).
No matter how impossible the odds may seem or how entrenched our spiritual enemies may be, we must always remember, "the weapons of our warfare" are spiritual and mighty (2 Corinthians 10:4). And we must never forget, "The Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's" (1 Samuel 17:47). The battle is already won through the victory of the cross (Colossians 2:15). Now we join in victory with God to agree with Your Word and Your Spirit to see that victory enforced through every battle we face along our journey into the fullness of our inheritance of spiritual maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:13). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My Friend, may you hear the strategies of the Lord and obey His commands until you see every spiritual enemy utterly defeated through the victory of the cross in every area of your life. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Healing from the Inside Out
Pastoral Director | Rapha God Ministries
4 Dominion Drive, Building 1
San Antonio, Texas 78257
