Joshua 5 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Joshua 5.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jos/5/1/s_192001

Meditate on verse 13.

 

Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho that

he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man

was standing opposite him with his sword drawn

 in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to

him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”

 

Have you ever asked God that question?  “LORD, whose side are You on—theirs or ours?”  Or, do you even bother to ask God the question because of course He is on your side; why wouldn’t He be?

 

Did the man’s answer surprise you?  “No, I don’t pick sides; rather I am captain of the LORD’s army.”  It certainly surprised Joshua because he fell on his face before this mighty warrior, wanting to hear a word from him. 

 

Be mindful it is not for God to be on your side, but rather, for you to choose to be on God’s side.  When Joshua obeyed the captain of the LORD’S host, reverently removing his sandals, he became a warrior in God’s army.  Pray for those you love to do the same.

 

Pray Joshua 5:14-15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD of hosts, I bow down before You. 

What do You have to say to ___________ and

 me, Your servants?  As we join Your

army, may the places we stand be holy. 

May we do as You say.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Joshua 4 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Joshua 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jos/4/1/s_191001

Meditate on verses 21-22.

 

He (Joshua) said to the sons of Israel, "When

your children ask their fathers in time to

 come, saying, 'What are these stones?' then

you shall inform your children, saying,

'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.'”

 

What an amazing moment for the children of Israel—a moment worth remembering!  God kept His word which He spoke through Moses:

 

It is the LORD your God who will cross

ahead of you; He will destroy these

nations before you, and you shall

dispossess them.  Joshua is the one who

 will cross ahead of you, just

as the LORD has spoken.

—Deuteronomy 31:3

 

A memorial was erected, with the exhortation to tell the children about God’s faithfulness.

 

What has the LORD done for you and those you love?  How have you memorialized the events?  Are you telling and retelling the stories, so others will know “the hand of the LORD is mighty” (v. 24)?

 

Pray Joshua 4:22-24 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, help _______ and me tell our children and their

children what You have done, so all the peoples of

the earth may know that Your hand is mighty

that we may fear You, LORD our God forever.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Joshua 3 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Joshua 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jos/3/1/s_190001

Meditate on verses 3 and 8.

 

When you see the ark of the covenant of the

 LORD your God with the Levitical priests

carrying it, then you shall set out from

your place and go after it.  You shall, moreover, command

 the priests who are carrying the ark of the

 covenant, saying, “When you come

to the edge of the waters of the Jordan,

you shall stand still in the Jordan.” 

 

Imagine the faith it took to obey God’s command to step into a flooded river and stand still.  Imagine hundreds of thousands of Israelites, following the ark of the covenant, between the waters of that flooded Jordan River, steadily stepping in faith with God.  What a picture God gave us for our walk of faith in this life!

 

·      When God says, “Move,” set out from your place, confidently following Him (v. 3).

·      When God says, “Be still,” stand firm in the midst of the flood, knowing He is your firm foundation (v. 8).

·      When God says, “Trust Me,” believe that His presence cuts off what wants to swallow you (v. 13).

 

Pray Joshua 3:3, 8, 11, and 17 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, when _________ and I see You move, let

us set out from our place and go after You. 

When we come to the edge of a flooded situation,

 help us stand still in You.  LORD of all the earth,

You will cross over ahead of us wherever we go. 

Help us stand firm on dry ground.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua 2 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Joshua 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jos/2/1/s_189001

Meditate on verses 11 and 21.  Rahab is speaking:

 

“When we heard it, our hearts melted

 and no courage remained in any

man any longer because of you, for

the LORD your God, He is God in heaven

 above and on earth beneath.” 

She said, “According to your words, so be it.” 

So, she sent them away, and they departed,

and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

 

Despite being a Canaanite, growing up in a culture which worshiped many idols, Rahab declared her faith in the one true God.  She immediately put her faith into action, tying the scarlet cord in her window because it represented God’s salvation for her and her family.  Her active faith was rewarded, for she and her relatives were indeed spared (Joshua 6:17, 23, 25).  She even married an Israelite named Salmon, making her the mother of Boaz and the grandmother of King David.  This faith-filled woman is forever recorded in the lineage of Jesus Christ and the Hebrews’ Hall of Faith (Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31). 

 

It is amazing what God does with a life that actively trusts and follows Him!

 

Pray for God to save those you love to faithfully follow Him, using the words from Joshua 2:11-13 as their faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, You are God.  You are God in heaven

above and on earth beneath.  Please deal

kindly with ____________ and their household and spare

their father and their mother and their brothers

and their sisters, with all who belong to them,

 and deliver their lives from death.

Through salvation in Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

Joshua 1 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Joshua 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jos/1/1/s_188001

Meditate on verses 1 and 5.

 

Now it came about after the death of

Moses the servant of the LORD, that the

LORD spoke to Joshua the son of

Nun, Moses' servant, saying, "No man will be

able to stand before you all the days of your

 life.  Just as I have been with Moses,

I will be with you; I will not

fail you or forsake you.”

 

 

Moses was dead, and Joshua was to lead the people into the Promised Land.  From his youth, Joshua was a faithful follower of the LORD and attendant of Moses (Numbers 11:28; 14:6-9).  He loved being in God’s presence, not wanting to leave the tabernacle (Exodus 33:11).  The LORD commissioned him to replace Moses and filled him with the spirit of wisdom (Deuteronomy 31:14; 34:9).  And, although Joshua was a faithful Godly man, the LORD knew he needed encouragement for the task at hand. 

 

Thankfully, we have God’s words to Joshua, for they are encouraging words for us as well when the LORD calls us to tasks, making us rely on His strength and courage.  Pray Joshua 1:5 and 7-9 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, just as You were with Moses and

 Joshua, be with ___________ and me all the days

of our lives; do not fail us or forsake us. 

Make us strong and very courageous.  Let us be

careful to do according to all Your Word; do not

 let us turn from it to the right or to the

left, so we may have success wherever we go.

  Do not let this book of the law depart

from our mouth, but let us meditate on it

 day and night, so we may be careful to do

according to all that is written in it.

 Please make our way prosperous and let us

have success.  You command us to be

 strong and courageous!  Do not let us tremble

or be dismayed, for You, LORD our

 God are with us wherever we go.

Thank You, in Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Matthew 28 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Matthew 28.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mat/28/1/s_957001

Meditate on verse 10.

 

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word

 to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

Well, Matthew, ends the way it began, with the command to not be afraid (Matthew 1:20; 28:10).  God really, really wants us to walk in obedience with Him, with no fear of humans, and only awe-filled, reverential fear of Him.  

 

We hope you have been emboldened by your Savior on this 28-day journey.  If you wrote out His commands from this amazing book, you probably found at least 120.  Thankfully Jesus gives us a lifetime to practice obedience.

 

How does Jesus want you to obey His command to not be afraid and take Word to His brethren?  Who does He want you to disciple, teaching them His Words?  Pray about using these Matthew devotionals to disciple others to follow Jesus.  Obey quickly and pray Matthew 28:17-20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, ____________ and I worship You!

Do not let us be doubtful because all authority has been

 given to You in heaven and on earth.

LORD, we want to go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing

 them in the name of You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Help us teach them to observe all that You commanded us.

Thank You for being with us always, even to the end of the age.

Because You are the Savior, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Matthew 27 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Matthew 27, observing Christ’s profound silence.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mat/27/1/s_956001

Meditate on verse 14.

 

And He did not answer him with regard to even a single

 charge, so the governor was quite amazed.

 

Jesus is obediently quiet in this chapter.  Contrast what Jesus does not say with what was said:

 

Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do

 with Jesus who is called Christ?"

They all said, "Crucify Him!"

And he said, "Why, what evil has He done?"

But they kept shouting all the

more, saying, "Crucify Him!"

And all the people said, "His blood shall

be on us and on our children!"

They knelt down before Him and mocked

 Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

And those passing by were hurling

 abuse at Him, wagging their heads.

In the same way the chief priests also, along

with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him.

The robbers who had been crucified with Him were

 also insulting Him with the same words.

—Matthew 27:22-23, 25, 29b, 39, 41, 44

 

Can you imagine slanderous liars screaming for your death?  Jesus had every right to defend Himself, yet He kept His mouth shut.  His silence set the stage for His last breath’s cry (v. 50).  At that moment, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split (v. 51).

 

Jesus models for us silent obedience.  When God says, “Keep your mouth shut,” yet every fiber of your being screams, “But LORD, I have to say something,” remember your Savior in Matthew 27.  Hush!  God will act according to His will; don’t let hasty words ruin His performance.

 

Pray Matthew 27:14 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, let everyone be quite amazed

 when _____________ and I do not answer even a single word.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell