Heralds Digest

  ” Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said. ”“ Joshua 14:12 NKJV Considering the age of Caleb when he claimed the mountain of Hebron for himself, there is no doubt in his leveraging on spiritual strength; rather than the reasonable dependence on human or physical strength. Dependence on physical strength requires consistent physical training of muscles for athletes; continuous education and professional development for knowledge experts; and constant market research and business innovation for business professionals. Notwithstanding, the exercise of physical strength is time-bound, depreciating, and unsustainable. Whereas, spiritual strength is sustainable because it leverages on God’s declarations and promises. That was the reason why Caleb could say “ g...

  ” And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had said to Moses; and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Then the land rested from war. “ ­Joshua ­11:5, 23 ­NKJV The collection of conspiracy and confrontation by the enemies is usually designed to send depression and panic to the attacked camp. Jabin the king of Hamor and all his northern armies had camped for similar confrontation with Israel, instead of pursuing peace with the peculiar people. Unknowingly, they have camped for easy collection by Israel, instead of constituting a threat to Israel’s occupation of the Promised land. Life’s conquests in the family, workplaces, and the society are similarly surrounded by depressing confrontations and conspiracies. Sometimes, these confrontations and conspiracies come in terms of oppression, esc...

  ” To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom. The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth. “ Proverbs 10:23, 30 NKJV Righteousness is not the same as self-righteousness, but right relationships without an aorta of reproach. Even Moses, adjudged by the Almighty as the meekest of all men, once failed to believe God’s declaration on the possibility of a right relationship before the righteous God and a wicked man. Therefore, when the scriptures say “ The righteous will never be removed ”, a wise man with consistent grace against the wicked’s traps into unrighteousness is focussed. Even when he is unjustifiably removed before men, he only takes the responsibility of his right relationships personal. And from the unfortunate experience of Moses’s disobedience through ANGER or wrong relationship, believers can learn (1) Ask God for His understanding of the source of the people’s provocation, unbelief, and rejection; (2...

  ” For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.“ Joshua ­8:6-­7 NKJV In spite of a personal struggle for the relevance of a Yoruba  adage, paraphrased as “Whoever has witnessed the striking of Shango’s thunder bolt does not corroborate the story of Oba koso (meaning ‘the king doesn’t hang’ )”, the psychology of the assurances from both Israel and Ai going into this instance of battle is clear. From Israel’s perspective, the psychology was based on the Almighty assurance; while that of Ai was merely based on an artificial assurance, evidenced by their previous conquest of Israel. Obviously, Joshua played along the psychology of artificial assurance in the king of Ai without a doubt in the Almighty assurance: “ for the Lord your God will deli...

  ” And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him .“ Luke ­22:41-43 NKJV Salvation from stagnation, failures, and disappointment in life is not mostly by the outward movement of physical structure, material resources, and the manipulation of our sleeping strength or self will. There can be evidence of these movements without true motion. The surrendering of Jesus Christ to the power of darkness was earlier perceived by His sleeping disciples as weakness. But the salvation of the world from the bondage of sin and satanic manipulations through this sacrifice of Jesus is the true motion. Even the strong-willed and self-sufficient Peter ended up denying Jesus thrice, until Jesus looked upon him with His saving strength. Likewise, when we look unto Jesus and He looks upon us in...

  ”“ Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me .”“ Psalms 50:5, 15 ­NKJV While God’s saints are bought and brought into a covenant relationship with Him by the sacrifice of Christ, the redeemed of the Lord are called to gather by a lifestyle of personal, holy, and acceptable sacrifice unto God. The first gathering is the redemption of sinners from sin slavery into the Lord’s marvelous light; while the second gathering is the collection of saints. “ Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice “ implies the possibility of saints leaving for themselves; or simply not offering acceptable sacrifice before the Lord. Saints gathering is a glory gathering; it is the total sacrifice of self for the propagation of the glory of God. Of course, those who are dedicated to saints’ gathering are usually not perturbed by the  c...

  ” This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go .”“ Joshua ­1:­8-­9 NKJV Sometimes, people struggle with the sense of success aspirations through a daily study of words of the Lord day and night. It is because the scriptures are the reliable source of wise words; outside lies discouragements or weigh words. Unfortunately, we are aptly surrounded by a system of people, methods, and policies breathing out weigh words. When one is getting excited with pockets of inspiration and encouraging incidents, the enemy or his agents understand how to serve a dosage of weigh words, just sufficient to cause destabilization and disorientation. Therefore, e...