AT THE END OF THE DAY

In Joshua 10 we find a pretty intense situation.  Israel was in the promised land and there were battles to fight.  They would find themselves fighting for a nation that had at one time been an enemy but was now in covenant.  The surrounding armies were in fear and everyone had something to say:

·         The remaining enemies had something to say.

·         The new found friends had something to say.

·         God had something to say.

·         Joshua had something to say.

It really doesn't matter who says what! What matters is what God says.

When we find ourselves in a battle- whether fighting for ourselves or fighting for friends, we need only to know what God says.

Once we know what God says, that's what we are to say.  When we do that, we demonstrate the kind of faith God honors.  The child of God that will stand in faith, look the enemy in the face and fight the good fight in confidence will see the hand of God and the power of God come to their defense.

For Joshua, the sun stood still at his command!

There was no day like that before and no day like that after that day!  

Even the calendar has changed because of that day! 

What changes are we affecting by standing on God's word?

THE ENEMY ARMIES SAID WHAT?

The kings of the surrounding enemy armies spoke in fear among each other, planning and conspiring how they could defeat the Gibeonites.  This obligated Israel to protect Gibeon as if they were one nation.

These kings spoke!  What came out of their mouth was an evil yet futile plan to attack Gibeon and preserve themselves!

Joshua 10:3,4 Wherefore Adonizedec 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, that we may 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 before Gibeon, and made war against it.

·         They said they would smite Gibeon.

·         They said it alone and they said it together.

·         The defeat of Gibeon, was spoken from the mouth of the kings.

Sometimes what the enemy, being the devil, says will come into your ears. When the talk comes into our ears, we just need to call upon the name of the Lord!

THE GIBEONITES SAID WHAT?

Joshua was the leader of the army of Israel and this nation had made peace with Israel.  The Gibeonites called on Joshua for help according to covenant!

Joshua 10:6 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 mountains are gathered together against us.

Joshua means Savior and surely he would be that to the Gibeonites.

When we call on our savior he comes running.  When the Gibeonites called on Joshua, he came running, bringing ALL the armies with him.

Joshua 10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

GOD SAID WHAT?

Here's what God said as Joshua stepped out to help their new friends:

Joshua 10:8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.

·         God says fear not!

·         God says he's already delivered us!

·         God says he will fully defeat our enemies and really, already has!

·         God says he will not do a partial work!

WHO SAID WHAT AND WHO DID WHAT?

It doesn't matter who said what when God has spoken. Only what God says matters.  God said he had delivered them and that's what happened!

Joshua 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11-And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

JOSHUA SAID WHAT?

Joshua said, "Sun stand still" 

God had said, "There shall not be a man standing!"

Joshua held God to his word.  It says he spoke to the Lord but commanded the sun to stand still. 

God will stop at no lengths to bring his Word fully to pass even if he has to stop time. 

Joshua 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon 13-And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still 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 the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

When we line up our mouth, in faith with what God has said, God will listen to our voice.  Joshua was a man of faith. He had full confidence in God's ability to do what he said and was so confident he was willing to speak to the Lord and command creation.  That reminds me of a scripture:

Isaiah 45:11  Thus says the LORD, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “ Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons;

And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.

God wants us to know that he will honor his Word above his name.  God has given us dominion and the ability to speak in his name!

·         He has said we could speak to mountains.

·         He has said we could ask anything in his name.

·         He has said, "Whatever we ask in prayer believing, we receive.

·         He has said we will have what we say!

·         He is looking to someone that will confidently, in faith, believe him, even in the face of great battles.

The day was over. The night was upon them. There were enemies still standing yet God had said, "There will not be a man standing before you!"

Have you ever heard the saying, "At the end of the day?"

Well at the end of the day, it didn't matter who said what; it only mattered what God and Joshua said.  God is looking for those who will believe him, and stand in faith in what he's said.  Then concerning the work of his hands, we can command and God will honor his word!

At the end of the day, God's word came to pass!

Some of us may want to give up before the end of the day but don't give up!

Keep fighting and keep speaking and you'll see, at the end of the day, God's word is true!

AT THE END OF THE DAY

At the end of the day, the sun stood still.  At the end of the day, God's word was true! At the end of the day, they could all look back and say, "Who said what?" 

We can know for certain that it doesn't matter what the enemy said - it only mattered what God said! 

What is God saying to you concerning things you're going through.  Whatever God has said, that he will do.  Hang onto his promises and stand in faith.

I wonder what the enemies said..... AT THE END OF THE DAY!