Warrior's Meditationنموونە

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)

During my soldierization (the conversion of civilians into soldiers) and years of active-duty service in the United States Army, I recited the soldier's creed or warrior ethos daily. I sang cadences to initiate mental transformation and build mental strength for various tasks. While reciting the soldier's creed daily and singing cadences about destroying our enemies, I saw myself as a superhuman capable of impossible feats alongside other soldiers in the greatest army in the world. Pondering and reciting the soldier's creed, warrior's ethos, or cadences were meditative practices that helped me think and live like an earthly soldier when I was only 65 inches tall and under 135 lbs.

Based on my military experience and basic knowledge of Jewish meditative practices, I picture Joshua, Israel's warrior leader, pondering the greatness and ways of Yahweh and speaking about them daily to charge up Israel's military force. I picture Joshua leading Israel's army into battle with the song of Moses. I picture the Israelites focusing their mind on the greatness of God as they silently walked around the walls of Jericho. I picture Joshua charging Israel to make the chant-like sound that pulled down the walls of Jericho. I picture Joshua reading and reciting Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in awe.

By following God’s instruction in Joshua 1:8, Joshua first won battles in his mind before winning them physically. Joshua took territories by meditating on God’s Word. He weaponized God's Word for successful warfare.

Like Joshua, we also have territories to conquer, and God instructs us to meditate for successful warfare. The kingdom of darkness has taken over some territories like the entertainment industry and academia. The kingdom of darkness seeks to take over the family system, our workplaces, career fields, and more. Our duty is to ensure we arise and shine in the darkness (Isaiah 60:1; Matthew 5:14-16), and meditating in the Word is a powerful force for accomplishing this mission. Through meditation on God’s Word, we expose our minds to the light of God's Word, which turns the Word of God into light on our lips and causes the life of Christ to manifest in our sphere of influence. As soldiers for Christ, we must charge ourselves up daily with God’s Word if we want to transform the systems of this world with the true light.

Practice: Today, meditate on our Heavenly Father’s Lordship over the earth by slowly reading Psalm 24:1-2 for 5 minutes or more. Then, practice being still for 2 to 5 minutes to listen for God's revelation or instructions through those Bible verses. Don’t forget to write what was impressed upon your heart.