A Fresh Encounter with the Lord

JOSHUA 5:13-15 Before overcoming a challenging situation, God often brings us through a time of spiritual preparation. Such was the case prior to Israel's conquest of Canaan. As Joshua—the commander of the Hebrew army—stood near Jericho contemplating the battle ahead, God appeared to him.
Joshua's reaction to this fresh encounter with God can help us learn how we should respond when He speaks to us in our hearts through His Word and His Spirit.

• He approached the Lord in order to speak with Him.
• He fell on his face in humility and submission to His authority.
• He asked for further instruction—"What has my lord to say to his servant?" (v. 14).
• He obeyed immediately.
• He feared God and treated Him as holy.

The Lord is always waiting to meet with us, but sadly, we are often too busy to make the effort to approach Him. By neglecting His presence, we miss the opportunity to receive His encouragement, strength, and direction for our challenging situations.
Our attitude during times of Scripture reading and prayer is very important. A humble, submissive, and teachable spirit enables us to hear God, and immediate obedience to His instructions reveals our awesome respect for Him.
If you're struggling with a difficulty and wondering why the Lord hasn't intervened, maybe He's waiting for you to meet with Him and—like Joshua—to humble yourself before Him in absolute dependence. Only then will you be in a position to hear God's voice and follow His instructions.

In touch Ministries daily devotional.