Joshua 3 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the sea of the Arabah (The Dead Sea) was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho.” Joshua 3: 14-16

So much of a battle is psychological. The US military has a whole “Psyche Op” division devoted to psychological warfare. The purpose of a “psyche op” is to employ various methods of persuasion, including media propaganda, to sway public opinion. This allows the operatives to control the population, circumventing a country or organization’s leadership. Third parties have toppled national regimes, hardly firing a shot, using only psychology.

The L_rd knows how to motivate and de-motivate people. After all, He created mankind’s psyche. Joshua 3 is the story of G_d delivering His people, raising their morale by means of His miracles in response to man’s faithfulness, and completely destabilizing the enemy’s resolve.

After installing Joshua and commanding him to be strong and very courageous, the L_rd directs him to start leading. Joshua begins with motivating those close to him, and then commands them to prepare others. Anticipation begins to spread throughout the community of Israel.

To communicate that G_d was leading, Joshua had the priests march-out first. Generally, the Jordan is a quiet stream, but during the harvest season, its banks overflow to a raging river.

LESSON: The WORST time for a step of faith is the BEST time for a miracle!

G_d encouraged Joshua. Joshua’s faithfulness encouraged the priests. G_d responded to their faithfulness by miraculously parting the waters, which encouraged the other tribes…so the positive psyche of Israel began spiraling upward.

Meanwhile, this was happening within full view of Jericho…completely demoralizing the enemy. One act of G_d produced two opposite responses in the minds of men, and each man’s response was completely dependent on whether they had chosen to believe in the G_d of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. We have already discovered a prostitute in Jericho has chosen to believe…

Success is not just about “positive thinking”. It is about 1) Having an object of faith that is trustworthy: G_d, as experienced through the lens of His Word (Bible), and 2) Faithfully stepping-out to follow Him.

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins
Daily Devotional, Saturday, July 19, 2014