Fight For Me

Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir, and they fought against it. He captured it and its king and all its cities, and they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed every person who was in it. He left no survivor. Joshua 10:38,39 (New American Standard Bible)

The phrases stood out to me like bright, flashing neon lights. Throughout the tenth chapter of Joshua I see the repeated message….fought against, captured, struck down, utterly destroyed, no survivor. Taking possession of the promised land entailed many battles but none were fought and won without the instructions, direction, assistance, and partnership of God. Not once were they left on their own to defeat the enemies. A few times, God did all the fighting for them but many times they were called upon to enter the battle and wield the swords. City after city fell to complete annihilation. I want such victory!

This morning I am voicing but one request to God, “Fight for me. Destroy the enemy within me.” The very thing that keeps cropping up in my life is what I want to see put to death and I am desiring that God does that for me. Some would say I must do it myself. Their words would feel like I am being sent to the battlefield of my soul on my own. I need God to help me do what I am struggling to do. I am asking Him to help me conquer and defeat the very thing I am holding on to. To help me open my hands in release. To help me let go from my heart. To kill what I have kept alive.

There was a time in my Christian life when I had no idea I could bring such a request to God. I felt He wouldn’t hear or help. But He has shown me His heart and in seeing that, I have learned to be honest and transparent before Him. His Word assures me of the perfection and display of His strength in my weakness. His hope in my hopelessness. His willingness to fight for me when I am over whelmed and over run. I am not giving up. I am simply asking Him to carry me until His courage infuses me once again. I want to embrace the journey He has for me and allow Him to bring in and take out of my life all that entails. My unwillingness in certain areas of submission and trust is the backdrop for my cry for help to Him. I am in need of Him to put to death in me the desire that still pulsates with life until it is no longer breathing (Joshua 11:14). I am asking Him to put within me the desire to fight. To release what needs to be released and embrace what needs to be embraced. To hunger for Him and His will above my own. He knows the heart behind my words as well as the places of fear. He knows I can’t see beyond right now and that my faith is shaky. And He reminds me that He is not only my Rock but my Shepherd. He will supply what I lack.

Father, You fought some of the battles in their entirety for the children of Israel. I call upon You to do the same for me now. Amen.