FORWARD!!

            When I was a student at Wheaton College, we had mandatory ROTC.  This meant that every Thursday morning all of the freshmen men had to get up early, put on a ROTC uniform and report for drill on the parade field. For reasons I won’t go into here, I signed up for a second year of ROTC, which meant that I actually took classes in military history and tactics. One of the things I learned was that you never turn your back to the enemy. As strange as it may sound, when confronted by an enemy, the best course of action is to press forward.

            Paul tells us that we are engaged in a great spiritual conflict. When we confront the enemy, we must press forward. To stop where we are will eventually mean defeat. But if we press forward we can experience victory in Christ.

            The Old Testament tells us the story of the people of Israel as they faced the Jordan River for the second time. To their back was the wilderness, a place they and their families had wandered for 40 years. In front of them was the Promised Land with formidable enemies and untold potential. What would they do? They had learned the lesson of turning back, so their only choice was to move forward. But how? The opening chapters of the book of Joshua give us the answer. As we observe what Joshua and the people of Israel did, we can gain insights into how God wants us to move forward in ministry for him.

            First, we must consecrate ourselves for service. Before the people of Israel moved forward, Joshua gave them some very important instructions. Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5)

            What does it mean to consecrate yourself? It means to commit oneself to God and to his purposes; setting your life apart for Christ’s use. It means to put God first in your life. When we are consecrated to God, we make decisions based on what would bring glory to Him. We act in ways that reflect His values and His character. When we intentionally put Christ in first place in our lives, He will do amazing things through us.

            Second, we must commit to action. Much ministry today is all theory and little action. Joshua could not conquer the Promised Land alone. He needed an army behind him who would fight. Joshua knew that, in order to lead the people into the Promised Land, he would have to demonstrate courage and commitment. As Joshua stared across the Jordan and wondered what was ahead, God gave him these words of challenge. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

            As we face the challenges before us, we need the same courage that Joshua had. Our courage is not based on our abilities, but on the promise of Christ that He will go with us. We don’t know all that lies ahead of us, but we do know that Christ has told us to go into all the world and make disciples. We can do this with great confidence, because He will be with us to very end of the age.

            Third, we need to conquer new territory for Christ. God gave Joshua a great promise with a significant condition. “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (Joshua 1:3) God promised Joshua great success, but Joshua had to actually claim it. The more aggressive he was, the more success he could expect.

            Ministry is all about claiming new territory for Christ. The extent of spiritual success we can expect to experience is dependent on our willingness to plant our feet in enemy territory. Symbolically we stand on the edge of the Jordan. Behind us is a dry wilderness that promises relative safety, but a slow death. Before us are challenges, obstacles and the unknown, with the promise of untold blessings. I say the choice is clear. Forward!