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E-pistle

                                     Dr. Curt Scarborough, President         FreeWay Foundation               June 29, 2007

Storming Satan's Stronghold

(Joshua 1-6)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

"A wise man attacks the city of the mighty and pulls down the stronghold in

which they trust."  (Proverbs 21:22 NIV)

Spiritual warfare, from the human perspective, is "a boy David versus a giant

Goliath" battle.  Like David, most of us lack combat experience when compared with

our enemy.  We appear small and weak alongside a muscular 9-foot-tall opponent.

And our puny weapons seem to be no match for his armor and spear.  (See Samuel 17)

Yet David challenged Goliath with these words of faith and courage.  "I come

against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the god of the armies of Israel, whom

you have defiled . . . All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear

that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's."

        As we volunteer to engage in spiritual warfare, we must:

Expect spiritual attacks from all directions, including even

family and friends,

2.      Remain as faithful watchmen at our assigned posts . . . praying

without ceasing,

3.      Be "armored and armed" for battle, and

4.      Instantly respond to the Spirit's trumpet call to fight.

        The taking of the city of Jericho (Joshua 1-6) provides us with God's strategy for

taking our own city . . . focusing our spiritual firepower on the enemy's stronghold. 

These seven steps emphasize the tactics necessary for successfully laying siege to a

stronghold.

Recruitment:  God's Leader

Joshua 1:1-18.  God chose a leader, encouraged him with promises of success,

and gave him definite orders for preparing for battle.

          Has God chosen you to be a front-line intercessor, a prayer warrior?  If so, look

to His Word for encouraging promises of success.  Tune your spiritual ears to hear His

commands on when and how to advance against the enemy.

Reconnaissance:  Know The Enemy

Joshua 2:1-24.  Joshua sent two spies to probe the enemy's strengths and

weaknesses, and to enlist allies within the enemy's city.

         As Jesus pointed out in Luke 14:31-32, wise warriors consider the strength of the

opposition so as not to be overwhelmed by superior numbers.  We must not be afraid of

Satan, but we should maintain a healthy respect for his strength and cunning.  Even the

archangel Michael proceeded with caution.  (Jude 9). 

Requirement:  Active Faith

Joshua 3:1-17.  At God's command, the people followed the ark.  When the priests

bearing the ark stepped into the Jordan River, the waters parted and the people crossed

on dry ground. 

        Not many of us have "been this way before" . . . engaged in a life-and-death

struggle with evil forces.  We must keep our eyes on God's presence (the ark), following

Him in faith into the flood waters.  Such active faith always produces miracles.

Remembrance:  Praise and Thanksgiving

        Joshua 4:1-24.  When the people followed God's will as revealed by Joshua, they

witnessed a miracle and gained confidence.  They immediately erected a memorial to

God's power and providential protection.

        Notice the pattern for victory here:  God moves out and the people follow in faith;

God undertakes miraculously and the people establish remembrance altars of worship.

The Old Testament word for "strength" is "praise".  As we praise God for victories won

and miracles witnessed, He increases our spiritual strength.  This increased strength

brings more victories, resulting in additional praise. . . and the cycle repeats.

Renewal:  Blood Covenant

Joshua 5:1-12.  Jordan has been crossed, but Jericho stands impregnable.  Before

attacking, God's people renew the covenant they'd neglected during the 40 years of

wandering in the wilderness.  The rite of circumcision is performed; Passover is

celebrated; and the manna ceases, signifying that now God will supply their needs in

a different way . . . by taking plunder from their enemy rather than receiving bread from

heaven.

        Even though we have experienced miraculous victories, we must return to the

cross daily, receive cleansing by the blood, and renew our commitment to Christ.  And,

it is very possible that God will begin "a new thing" . . . allowing us to be active

participants in taking from the enemy the provisions by which God supplies our needs,

rather than to be merely passive recipients of His providential care.

Revelation:  God Reveals Himself

Joshua 5:13-6:5.  Following recruitment, reconnaissance, requirement,

remembrance, and renewal . . . God revealed Himself to Joshua and gave him

specific details of His plan for capturing Jericho. 

        As we enter the field of spiritual warfare, "Storming Satan's Stronghold: (our city),

we do not have a standardized plan for attacking all cities.  We must get a vision of the

Commander of the Lord's Army (Jesus Christ, Himself) and fall at His fee in reverence . . .

on holy ground.

        Vision comes before victory!  Like Joshua, we must fall facedown on the ground

in reverence and ask Jesus, "What message does my Lord have for his servant!"  Only

then will we be allowed to open our "sealed orders" and find out specifically how to

capture our particular stronghold city.

Rejoicing:  Victory is Won!

Joshua 6:6-27.  The people followed God's peculiar plan, silently marching

around the city behind the ark and the priests blowing trumpets.  Six days pass . . .

one circuit each day.  Then on the seventh day, seven trips around the city and at

Joshua's command, a great shout!  "And the walls came tumbling down!"

        Figuratively (or perhaps literally), we should march around our city . . .

surrounding Satan's stronghold with prayers of intercession.  Someday . . . perhaps

not in a week or in a month or even in a year . . . the Lord will command us:  "Shout!"

"For I have given you the city!"

        Until that day, let us resolve to march in intercessory prayer around our city

every day of every week . . . every week of every month . . . every month of every year.

Believe it:  The wall will fall!

A Battle Ends . . . The Way Continues

        According to a common conception . . . perpetuated by some of the old hymns

of the church . . . the crossing of the Jordan River represents death.  And entering the

land of Canaan represents going to heaven .

        A better analogy. However, is this:

                1.   Crossing Jordan represents entering enemy territory

                2.   Canaanites represent our spiritual enemies

                3.   Conquering the Promised Land, for Christians, means

                      engaging in spiritual warfare, and

5.      "Rest" after the conquest does not refer to all the land

being subjugated and all the enemies defeated.  In fact,

at the time of Joshua's death, there were "still very large

areas of land to be taken over,"  Joshua 13:1.

        Judges 3:1-2 says the Lord left some nations in Canaan unconquered "to teach

warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience."

Rest in this context, refers to an uneasy truce before we attack the enemy or the enemy

attacks us again.  (See Luke 4:13)

        One final word of encouragement from Joshua 23:10-11.  "One of you shall chase

a thousand, because the Lord God fights for you, just as He promised.  So be very careful

to love the Lord Your God."

Perilous Times

(II Timothy 3:1-17)

Dr. Curt Scarborough

I.  Concentration:  on the sings of "perilous times"

        1.  Men will be involved in continuing, expanding gross sins, vv. 2-4:

                Lovers of self                  Unthankful                      Brutal

                Lovers of money         Unholy                  Despisers of

            good

                Boasters                        (Unloving                       Traitors

                Proud                           Unforgiving                         Headstrong

                Blasphemers                     Slanderers                          Haughty

                Disobedient to parents          Without self-control                Lovers of

            pleasure

        2.   Men will have a form of godliness, but deny God's power today, v. 5.

        3.   Men continually will be studying, but never able to come to the knowledge

              of the truth, v. 7.

Evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving others and

even being deceived themselves, v. 13.

II.  Meditation:  on the following Paul's example

Teach clear doctrine, based on the Scriptures, v. 10.
Copy lifestyle of faithfulness and integrity, v. 10.
Perceive God's specific purpose (destiny), v. 10.
Endure persecution (which all Christians will encounter), vv. 11-12.

III.  Revelation:  on Paul's challenge to Timothy

Continue with assurance in the things which you have learned, v. 14.
Have confidence in the Holy Scriptures and in those believers who taught

them to you, vv. 14-15.

3.      Use the divinely inspired Scriptures to teach salvation, doctrine, reproof,

correction, and instruction in righteousness, vv. 15-16.

4.      Grow into spiritual maturity, fully equipped to perform every good work

assigned to you by God, v. 17.

IV.  Applications:  as a Christian, I need to . . .

Avoid, through the power and grace of God, the gross sins listed above.
Experience the power of God in my life . . . not having merely "the form

of godliness."

3.      Study (meditate on; listen to) God's word, and allow Him to bring me to

"the knowledge of the truth."

4.      Have spiritual perception to enable me to reject false teachers and

teachings, and to embrace true teachers and teachings of God's word.

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