Who’s Chasing Who?
Today’s Verse:
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. ~Joshua 24:10
If you own a dog and take it for a run, you need to make sure you have a good leash and good grip on that leash. A hyper active dog has a tendency to chase after other dogs it sees. Instead of the dog following or chasing you, you could find yourself chasing the dog. Sometimes in a competitive basketball game, the underdog team might get an upper hand on the favored team, and it winds up being the favored team who is chasing after the underdog! God told Joshua, “One man of you shall chase a thousand.” Can you imagine that? An army of a thousand men should be chasing after one man, but instead, it is the one man chasing after the one thousand. This morning, let us be encouraged by the thought: “Who is chasing who?”
We see the means.
“One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” God is telling us He wants to give us the capability of being superior to our spiritual enemies and difficult circumstances. He promises strength, power, and enablement to overtake any foe. He is promising us the ability to withstand circumstances and overcome problems much larger than us. It is the wonderful assurance that God is on our side as long as we are on God’s side. It is the promise that God fights for us to give us that final edge.
We see the mandate.
“But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.” There is a prerequisite and mandate for us if we want to be the one who does the chasing. We must make the Lord our highest priority. To cleave means to be fused with and become one with. Cleaving refers to becoming one with something or someone else. Husbands are to cleave to their wives in all things in marriage. Joshua was telling them that they were to be so close to God in their walk, they would be seen as inseparable. The most important focus of every day is drawing close to God. We are to know the heart of God and reflect it in what we do.
We see the means.
How does one man get to the place where he is chasing a thousand? First, God gives him the control. Second, it is God Who gives us the edge. Third, it is God Who gives us the power. Fourth, it is God Who stands with us and for us. Notice, it is the Lord our God Who fights for us. In the invisible realm that we cannot see, God is working behind the scenes to subdue the enemy and give us a powerful superiority. I think of I John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Imagine an entire army of a thousand men fleeing from one man! The idea is that God places us in control and gives us dominance in every situation, especially the toughest one.
We see the manifestation.
One man chasing one thousand! We are unbeatable! We are uncontested! We are undefeated! We are unhindered! I think of Abraham’s little army of 318 men overtaking five kings and their large armies. I think of Elisha in the wilderness with the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom and yet overtaking the larger Moabite army. I think of the disciples in the early days of the church at Jerusalem winning many people to Christ, even though persecution abounded. We are seen as victors and not losers!
Be the one who is doing the chasing, and not the one being chased! God is on your side and wants you to be victorious.
Have an empowered God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Luke 2-3