Not Your Power Nor Your Might

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Proverbs 3:5-6

It is of a truth that in order to be wholly pleasing unto God, we have to know and apply what God says in His word. It is not enough to read only the New Testament without incorporating God's thoughts from the Old Testament. Apostle Paul understood this as he warned the church at Corinth to refresh themselves in the knowledge of the history of the children of Israel; how they were a stiff-necked and disobedient people time and time again; encouraging them not to make the same mistakes.

Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  1 Corinthians 10:11-12

In reading the old testament, we read how God delivered, healed, chastised and blessed His people. We should take these same accounts into consideration as we build our faith and our relationship in God.  God wants our entire trust, obedience and reliance in Him.  We cannot have one foot in and one foot out.  

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Revelations 3:16

We can't run to God for help and assistance while we willingly serve the enemy.  During a time when the children of Israel had forsaken God in favor of other gods, in their time of distress when they cried unto Him, this is what He told them:

Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.

Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.  Judges 10:13-14

Everything that we do, everything that we hope to do, everything that we hope to become; particularly for God, should be done with the glory of God being revealed. The original intent of God towards the people that He chose was that His glory would be revealed to the world through them. Through obedience to his will, they were to be above all other nations: 

And to make thee high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as He hath spoken.  Deuteronomy 29:19

If we desire to be prosperous and successful in God, we will find that He gives specific instructions on how to be prosperous in Him. God is not a respector of person . . . 

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said , Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: Acts 10:34

For there is no respect of persons with God.  Romans 2:11 

The details God gave to Joshua, we can apply it to our lives as well.

Our reliance is not in God when we think that we have a handle what God has called us to do as if we are working in our might and not God when God expressly  says in His word:

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.   Zechariah 4:6

Are we really operating under the auspices of God or have we developed our own purpose in God?  I am reminded of the account of Joshua during his first battle in the wilderness.  The children of Israel had just barely made it out of Egypt.  They had made it as far as Rephidim where they decided to camp.  No doubt they had not had time to form an organized defense unit and yet here comes the Amalekites to blindside them through an attack.  Can you imagine, they were tired and I’m sure still somewhat disturbed and discombobulated; having done something they had never done before. 

Moses tells Joshua to pick some men and go fight the Amalekites.  This is the first mention of Joshua working under the direction of Moses.   Moses does not go with him; he stays behind.  He tells Joshua that he will stay behind with his rod in his hand.  Joshua selects men and they go out and fight the Amalekites the next day.  Joshua wins the battle!  What a wonderful feeling; their first battle in the wilderness and they won!  How do you think Joshua felt?  Over-joyed I am sure.  There is no indication that Joshua had ever fought in any battle before.   So to win his very first battle had to be a good feeling for him.  

At the time did Joshua give God the credit?  I wonder when you read the complete account.  Yes, Joshua was witness to the plagues in Egypt and to Moses parting the Red sea and even in this I’m sure he had the realization that God was working through Moses as the leader and here he is out in the wilderness on his own fighting against the enemy.   Moses is not with him.  Could he be thinking that he won that battle on his own?  Possibly, but what Joshua came to know, and what we should realize, is that God is always working for us and on our behalf.  It gives a whole new meaning to ‘this battle is not yours, it belongs to God.’  This battle that Joshua fought was not the same as the battle that King Jehoshaphat fought when he knew that on his own, there was no way he could win the battle that was coming.  However, he had time to go to God in prayer and fasting and ask for help and God responded with: 

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.  2 Chronicles 20:15   

Maybe Joshua prayed before he went out and maybe he didn’t.  We don’t know because the account does not say how he prepared himself.  We do know that he had many ups and downs in the battle before he finally defeated the Amalekites.  

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  Exodus 17:11

God is omnipresent; present everywhere, as well as omniscient; He sees all.  No doubt, Joshua, left to his own might and power, would not have prevailed against the Amalekites.  It was necessary for God to step in to win the battle.   Unknown to Joshua, God was fighting for him.  How?  Through Moses; as long as Moses arms were lifted unto God, the Israelites prevailed.  When Moses’ got tired of holding his hands up, the Israelites would begin to lose. Joshua did not know this.  Thus God commanded Moses to write the account of the battle and rehearse it before Joshua.  This was necessary for Joshua to know so that he would not get delusional in his head and think it was his power and might that defeated the Amalekites.  It was not his intellect, his strategic planning and positioning but the almighty God that won that battle. 

Beloved, we cannot get it twisted or become delusional; thinking that the things we do for the Lord, the things that we do for the kingdom is done from our own power and might.  When we are successful in our efforts it is because God is behind it and before us opening doors; shutting down the enemy, paving the way for his glory to be revealed through willing, able vessels that He has equipped through the power of His spirit.  We need to remember that always; that the glory goes to God, it rests in God and it is only because of Him that we have successful outcomes.    If we could only remember this; keeping in mind that it is only in God that we live, move and have our being.    

*      It is only God's opinion that counts  

      *            It is God that we should strive to please. 

      *           It is God in whom we should measure our success. 

Like Joshua, we need to know that God is the supreme orchestrator of our lives and our situations.  Joshua went on to become known as one of the greatest commander-in-chiefs because he kept God before him.

When God had fully prepared Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land, He gave him very specific instructions:

   *     Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

   *       Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

   *       This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

   *      Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid , neither be thou dismayed : for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest .  Joshua 1:6-9

God gave us the plan in these scriptures.  Knowing the word of God is knowing God and what he requires of us.  So why then do we stray from the word of God?  Apostle Paul says that those things which were written of old were written as an example to us to know the right things to do and to avoid the wrong actions.  

When we read the account of the children of Israelites, it lets us know that each time they followed their own mind instead of the will of God, they got into trouble.  

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with being confident in God, knowing who we are in God and knowing God’s specific purpose for our life, none of that gives us the right to now operate according to our whims and desires.  We are to acknowledge God in all of our ways; allowing His glory to be revealed at all times.

(Biblical Studies)

01/05/15

04/20/16

05/08/17

01/30/20

06/23/22