BOLDNESS IN PRAYER
Opening Prayer
My God, I pray for Your protection and a fresh empowering.
Read Joshua 10:1–15
10 Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had [a]utterly destroyed it (as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king), and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. 3 Wherefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 Come up unto me, and help me, and let us smite Gibeon; for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the hill-country are gathered together against us. 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thy hands; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly; for he went up from Gilgal all the night. 10 And Jehovah discomfited them before Israel, and he slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, that Jehovah cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more who died with the hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12 Then spake Joshua to Jehovah in the day when Jehovah delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel; and he said in the sight of Israel,
Sun, [b]stand thou still upon Gibeon;
And thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.
13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed,
Until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies.
Is not this written in the book of [c]Jashar? And the sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that Jehovah hearkened unto the voice of a man: for Jehovah fought for Israel.
15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
Footnotes
Joshua 10:1 Hebrew devoted.
Joshua 10:12 Hebrew be silent.
Joshua 10:13 Or, The Upright
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Consider the challenges you are facing, remembering that ‘our struggle is not against flesh and blood’ (Ephesians 6:12, NIV).The people of Gibeon are in trouble. Their recent peace treaty with Israel (Joshua 9:15; 10:1) has threatened their neighbors. The regional balance of power is shifting.
Joshua and the Israelites quickly rally to the aid of Gibeon. An all-night march to attack the enemy is matched by the Lord’s decisive intervention. The victory is swift and complete (10).
Observe the supernatural: more of the enemy are destroyed by a sudden hailstorm than by the military might of Israel (11); the sun and moon stand still (13).
Yet note what is considered the greater miracle. The Lord listened to one man’s prayer (12). Why? We see that Joshua took what God had promised (8), applied it to his situation, and the Lord heard his cry (14).
What about us? In our battles in life God is still the same. He promises that when we call to Him, He will answer (Psalm 91:15). What an amazing God!
Apply
What are you worried about today? Write down all the promises included in today’s reflection. Lay your worries at the feet of Jesus, hold onto the promise of His victory through His resurrection.
Closing prayer
Jesus, I thank You for fighting for me even when I feel weak and unable. I hold onto Your promises today.
Book and Author Intros
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