Joshua 10

Just yesterday, Jentezen Franklin taught a message that blew my socks off. (And that was even after hearing Francis Chan just moments earlier.) He used this passage in Joshua 10 and preached for 30 minutes about how he believes these five kings that Joshua defeated represent the five senses. Now there's no way I can do it justice here. He somehow incorporated roughly 48% of all Bible stories into the message. He also completely proved wrong my doubt that he could really say something relevant about taste and smell. Even so, he preached me so chock full of faith in my powerful God that I was bursting at the seams. His message was entitled, God is Able.

And yet today, I was completely blown off course by a sudden storm of opposition and doubt. Even with faith as my top spiritual gift, years of witnessing His faithfulness, months of living without fear, weeks of prayer, and days of confirming words through a variety of sources, I shuddered and drew back at some news I got today. News that honestly could go either way. Maybe not even bad.

So I went to this chapter to try to preach myself back on track. And at first glance, God spoke straight to me of His great sovereign power. The sun standing still. To me, this is the most stunning miracle in the entire Bible bar none. And here it was to greet me when I turned to Jentezen's chapter for strength.

Second, Joshua is again reminding me of what God reminded him. Be strong and courageous. One of the notes I took during my conference was a quote from Jim Wideman. "Faith and fear are opposites. Faith moves forward. Fear moves backward."

I have been in waiting far too long to not finish strong. My God is able to complete the work in me that He has started. My God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ask or think. My God is able to overcome any politics or position. My God is able to humble the proud and promote the righteous. He is God. And He does whatever He wants.

I can keep standing and wait on God. I can stand and believe the promises He has spoken to me through so many witnesses. I can stand and trust that my God is able. Please pray for me this week. The next few days may be rough. I am in an Ephesians 6 moment. "Having done all to stand, stand..."