Daily EncouragementSample

There is something arresting about the reply which Joshua received as he challenged the man who stood before him with a drawn sword in his hand, outside the city of Jericho. The divine negative is startling and surprising. The presence of “the commander of the army of the Lord” introduces a new dimension. “The heavenly man” is not “for” or “against;” he is “above.” His real presence brings a touch of eternity to the temporal, and causes us to look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen” (2 Cor. 4:18).

If the presence of this commander introduces a new dimension into our plans as we face the conflict, it has a similar effect upon our personal lives. His message to us does not consist in details about work we must do but is rather a directive to worship: “Take off your sandals . . . ” A sense of the holy is a prerequisite for any understanding of the right strategy for the battle. We must remove our shoes before we put them on. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10).