Internet Cafe

Monday, June 4, 2007

Your Marching Orders

I want to share a wonderful principle with you that my dear friend Carrie gave me. At a point when she was trying to carry a very heavy personal burden, God showed her what she was to do. And He spoke from the story of the children of Israel bringing down the walls of Jericho.

In Joshua 6 we read this remarkable story where the Lord said to Joshua,

"See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:2-5

... So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua 6:11

Here was a problem facing God's people, and it looked like a total impossibility. How would this group of Israelites destroy the walls of Jericho and conquer the land God had promised them? Well, God gave them the directions: March around the walls with the ark of the Lord once each day. Then go back to the camp and do what you have to do that day.

Here's our own marching orders: When you've got a burden that is heavy for you to carry and your heart is breaking and you don't know what to do, you need to march around your burden - your problem, your walls of Jericho - once each day with the ark of the Lord, the Word of God. Every morning march around that problem and tell God everything that's on your heart. Take the Word of God and find promises and comfort for yourself for the day and mentally march around that problem with the Word that God has given you. Some days I march on my knees in my mind praying and speaking the promises God has given me in His Word, and other days I literally march around my house speaking forth His Words loudly.

Then, once you've marched around it once, go out and do whatever it is you must do for that day and let the burden go. When the problem crops up in your mind, say, "No, sorry, but I marched around you once this morning and that's all for today. One time per day and I've left it with the Lord. It's His problem for the rest of the day."

I don't know how many days (or months, or years) you'll have to march around your problem before those walls come down, but I do know that God has a future plan for you that is good, and that you can trust Him.

Remember, Jesus never intended for us to carry heavy burdens. When you try to carry them all day long, you can't think of anything else, you can't get anything else done, and you're no good to anyone else. The burden you're carrying starts to have drastic effects in other areas of your life, which eventually increases the burden you are carrying. It's a lose-lose situation. But if you will follow your marching orders and turn the heavy burden over to the Lord once a day, releasing it to Him for the rest of the day, you'll discover freedom from that impossible burden you've been trying to carry.

In Him...Chris

Chris can also be found at her personal blog Come to the Table

Labels: , , ,

12 Comments:

Blogger Denise said...

What beautiful, and very wise advice. Blessings to you dear one.

June 4, 2007 at 12:47 AM  
Blogger 2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Sometimes it really helps to have a mental image like this when you're turning an issue over and over in your mind. I really needed this today. Thanks for packing so much power into your post.

June 4, 2007 at 6:54 AM  
Blogger Christa said...

Great and strong message. I try to visualize what the problem is as I put it in the hands of God, it really helps. Them i tell satan to get "behind thee in the name of Jesus", as I know I have handed the problem over to Him. It really helps to visualize the problem.
Thanks

June 4, 2007 at 8:41 AM  
Blogger Terri | Sugar Free Glow said...

Chris, I LOVE this! This is something I will be thinking about and using every day. Thank you for sharing!

Blessings~

June 4, 2007 at 2:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chris..... Brilliance...

I love this....Then, once you've marched around it once, go out and do whatever it is you must do for that day and let the burden go. When the problem crops up in your mind, say, "No, sorry, but I marched around you once this morning and that's all for today. One time per day and I've left it with the Lord. It's His problem for the rest of the day."

Amen... Amen... Amen....

June 4, 2007 at 3:46 PM  
Blogger Lori said...

Amen, and ties in perfectly since I am studying Joshua in my quiet time =))

June 4, 2007 at 5:33 PM  
Blogger Cheryl said...

His yoke is easy and His burden is light...let's get to marching!

June 4, 2007 at 8:17 PM  
Blogger Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

Love the imagery of this...

Wonderful advice, Chris! ;)

Lisa

June 4, 2007 at 9:10 PM  
Blogger Linda said...

The Lord uses you time and time again to minister to me in such a personal way Chris. Thank you so much for this. The Lord spoke a word to me this weekend in church, and now He has given me this. Thank you so much.

June 4, 2007 at 9:13 PM  
Blogger Susanne said...

I love the picture of this. And very timely too Chris!

June 4, 2007 at 11:07 PM  
Blogger Deborah said...

Thank you so much it was such a strong and encouraging word. love always me

June 5, 2007 at 6:36 AM  
Blogger Darlene Schacht said...

Brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing that. I've never seen that as an application to my own life until now.

June 6, 2007 at 9:28 AM  

Post a Comment

It is good to hear from you... thank you so very much for leaving a note on the table. That makes us smile!

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home