What are you struggling with?

I want to challenge you to write down your biggest, current struggle in five words.

• Maybe you have a bunch of struggles; but your number one stressor is lack of finance.
• Maybe trauma is crippling you; making you feel weak and unable to cope with much else.
• Maybe it is a sin that you feel compelled to; something that you believe cannot be fully brought to light.

Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to a five-word summary of that underlying grapple.

Examples could look something like this:

Fear and anxiety are crippling.

The death of my mum.

I am addicted to this.

I don’t have any money.

My relationship is breaking down.

I would advise you to not move past this point, until you can summarize what is going on. This may take time, it is 100% worth it.

Sometimes, when we realise what our biggest stressor is, we find clarity.

Sometimes writing things down is a way of being honest before God.

Here’s the thing: I’ve been blogging my way through the book of Joshua (you can find it in the Bible.) Today, with our biggest struggle in mind, we are going to read chapter 8.

In the previous chapter, Joshua attempted to overtake a place called Ai – but it didn’t work. There was sin amongst God’s army (A.K.A Israel), which kept Josh from success in battle.

As we approach Joshua 8, we read about Joshua following God’s word and instruction extremely carefully. As a result, Israel approached Ai – not in fear -but in God’s strength.

Here is what I believe God is saying: Some of us have been trying to overcome a battle in our own strength.

It’s not like we don’t love God – we do. We love Him a lot. We try to overcome our battle with Him.

But, we don’t follow Him fully. We don’t lay all of our stuff at His feet. All of our sin, shame, pain.

If we want to actually win this battle, we need to bare all to God. (Maybe you need to read my previous Joshua blog here.)

Once we have done that, we can partner with God for His victory.

Joshua 8 begins like this:

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.

Joshua 8:1, NIV.

God’s instruction for victory will be unique and specific for each one of us – that is why we need to listen carefully to Him. You cannot get out of this struggle alone, nor can you copy what someone else did and expect similar results.

God knows you personally, inside out and He knows what steps YOU should take.

I have wasted many hours comparing my struggle in one area, to someone else’s success in that very same area. Promise you: It never brings me joy and never leads me to victory.

Comparison keeps you stuck; God’s voice will lead you on.

I really feel some of you might need to set a 3-minute timer and ask the Holy Spirit to tell you your next steps towards victory over that 5-word problem you have.

Pause here.

If you spent that 3-minutes telling yourself you can’t hear God or thinking about what you are going to eat for supper – that is O.K. Be kind to yourself and try again. Pick a Bible verse and when you feel your mind drifting, say it aloud. I like this one:

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46: 10, NIV.

Quite often the first thing that comes to your mind is God.

If what you are hearing contradicts what is in the Bible – it’s not God.

But, if you are like me, you probably heard Him straight away and then spent 2 minutes 50 seconds wondering if that really was God, or you…

I really believe that is another stalling method. God gave us the Holy Spirit so we can have a relationship with Him.

His sheep hear His voice. (John 10:27.) So I challenge you to believe that you can hear His voice today.

For our friend Captain Josh; God’s next step was ambush.

It required Joshua to go to the valley and wait:

So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.

Joshua 8: 13, NIV.

Some of us will need to get to the bottom of our issues. We may need to look at what is on the valley floor, what is in the dark of night?

When I first became a Christ-follower, I took some weeks with a mentor to confess what was going on in my life. We talked through all of my messy areas. Accountability like this is a brilliant first-step for most.

Once Josh had gone back to the valley, He was then led, by God, to victory.

God says:

“Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.”

Joshua 8: 18, NIV.

Did Josh need to hold out his javelin towards his army in order for God to set Him free?

No.

But this is a picture of how God partners with us in our fight:

He can deliver us instantly. Yet, often He requires us to join in, surrender our own weapons and work with His spirit.

I think of Moses raising his hands as God parted the Red Sea. (Exodus 14) So many times, Moses was told to raise his staff against armies and obstacles in His way.God gave Moses victory in this way of surrender.

Ephesians says:

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Ephesians 6: 13, NIV.

We are to stand, surrendered to our God. Positioned for His victory. Partnered wholly with Him.

After Joshua experienced success in his battle against Ai, he re-dedicated himself and his people to God’s word. He wrote the word out on stones and read every word aloud:

Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law.

Joshua 8: 34, NIV.

When we experience full victory which could only come from God alone, we become hungry for more.

• We want to know more of God.
• We want to see more chains broken.
• We want to see more people receive Jesus’ salvation.

When God leads, we are revived with His purpose.

• Don’t settle for a bit of a victory.
• Don’t make excuses.
• Don’t stall in comparison or shame.

God is leading you on to victory.

Please follow Him!