Preparing for Battle: Holiness, Circumcision, and Passover

Think about this for just a moment. This isn't an account of a battle. This isn't an account of strength. This isn't an account of power. This isn't an account of gifts or talents. This is an account of surrender. This is an account of taking off our shoes because we're standing on holy ground. This is an account of recognizing our posture and our position before almighty God. [00:51:43] (55 seconds)  #HolyPosture

You see, we sometimes get so focused on the battle that we miss the preparation. We get so focused on the battle that we miss what needs to get done in ourselves for what will be. [00:46:29] (18 seconds)  #PrepareFirst

This is marking an end of an era for God's people. This is saying, remember how you I told you to act? Remember how I told you to celebrate? Remember what I told you what to do and you didn't do it? Remember that? We're gonna do it right now before we go into battle because I need you to be right with God before you go. We gotta be right with God before we go into battle. [00:40:56] (27 seconds)  #BeRightWithGod

That's a question we often ask. Why would God do this to me? Why would God allow this to happen to me? Why would it's a wrong question. Perhaps, the question that we need to pose is will this generation, will God's people, the one that God graciously preserved, the ways in which God graciously moved in our lives to bring us to a place where we are completely his, will we obey him or we will we continue wandering in the desert? [00:34:54] (40 seconds)  #WillWeObey

If we try to go into battle on our own strength, on our own abilities, what happens? We fail, we falter, we fall. But when we go into battle right with God, what happens? We get to see clearly how beautiful he makes things. [00:41:22] (20 seconds)  #VictoryWithGod

Somewhere near Jericho, Joshua spots this figure holding a sword unleashed unleashed unleashed. And here stands this figure ready for battle and he shows up out of nowhere, sword in hand, ready to go. And Joshua poses this hysterical, when you think about it, question, hey man, are you for us or against us? I gotta know this right now because you look kind of like an imposing force. He says, neither. [00:43:47] (30 seconds)  #NeitherForNorAgainst

And notice what the commander says. Take off your shoes, man. You're standing on holy ground. It's the exact same language in Hebrew, word for word that happened for Moses. When Moses was wandering about and he came across the the burning bush, this is Joshua's burning bush experience. [00:45:12] (27 seconds)  #ShoesOffHolyGround

What a perfect timed message here in scripture for us as we approach Lent as this battle that will happen on Golgotha when Jesus takes our sins on the cross. What a fitting time for us to be focused on preparing ourselves, to getting ourselves right with the Lord. So the battle has already been won. [00:46:47] (30 seconds)  #BattleAlreadyWon