Ps 37:34a: "Wait on the LORD, and
keep His way"
2Tim 2:3-5: "3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may
please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according
to the rules."
It starts with "wait upon the Lord". For the white
nations there's nothing as terrible as to wait. We can't wait, but very often in the Bible
we find the word, "to wait". We read of a man who couldn't wait and lost what
the Lord had in store for him. That man was Saul, a strong, tall and gifted man. But he
couldn't wait.
I once asked a commander in the army. Whom do you prefer - a
strong, brave man, but sometimes does his own thing, or a timid man who always does what
he is told, without exception. He replied, a thousand times over give me the timid
obedient man.
Rev Erlo Stegen gave a short part of his testimony. Before he got
married, he said to his future wife (Kay) that he had given himself 100% to the Lord and
to serve Him 100%. He asked her, "what % must I now give to you of what I've given to
the Lord?" She replied not 1%, but if they should get married he must live 200% for
the Lord, for she will strengthen him in his resolve to serve the Lord.
Samuel said to Saul when he had war with the Philistines,
"I'll come back to you in seven days to sacrifice to the Lord". When the seventh
day arrived Samuel wasn't there and he saw his men deserting him and the Philistines
drawing closer. So Saul took things into his own hands and sacrificed to the Lord. As soon
as he was done sacrificing Samuel arrived and rebuked him for not waiting the appointed
time and taking things into his own hands. Samuel also told him that God is not interested
in sacrifice but obedience. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Heeding what God has said
and keeping what God has said is better than the fat of rams. That was Saul's downfall.
Saul was a brave soldier but his downfall was that he could not wait upon the Lord.
You have to abide in the ways of the Lord. Even if the whole world
is against you and is on its head, you must abide in the ways of the Lord.
We've also read how that "no-one who is a soldier gets
involved in civilian affairs ..." You have to obey the rules of God. Godless people
and godless Christians don't want to obey God's laws and feel that they are shackled. They
want to be free and independent.
Of course if you're a godless man then you are free to do what you like, but if you want
to serve the Lord you must do His will. Jesus said, "not all who say to Me Lord, Lord
will enter heaven but only those who do the will of My Father in heaven. (Matt 7:21)"
It is clear, you must do His will or you won't enter Heaven. Jesus also said, "If you
love Me obey My commandments. (John 14:15)"
Joshua was meditating in the field and when he lifted up his eyes
he saw a man with a drawn sword, ready to strike. Joshua, a man of courage, walked up to
him and asked him, "are you on our side or our enemies?" The man replied,
"neither, but I am the Commander of the Lord's army". Joshua fell down on his
face before him, and said, "Lord what message do you have for your servant".
What answer do you think would he give him? Be brave, only believe etc? He said,
"take off your shoes for this is holy ground". This is what every theological
seminary should do, but many are just interested in theoretical knowledge, good marks and
exams. That's why many ministers that are produced by these faculties are what they are;
they favour homosexuality, don't believe the Bible, teach evolution and the Bible must fit
to the wisdom of man, etc. Do you know what it means to take off your shoes? Do you know
how to speak as one who stands on holy ground?
Everyone who isn't dead spiritually will have a Godly fear. That's
what God expects from us. Whatever you do, do you realise you are on holy ground, for the
rest of your lives, otherwise it won't be acceptable to Him? This divine mystery was
revealed to Joshua and he remembered it for the rest of his life. So when they went to
Jericho they obeyed the Commander of the Lord and He broke down the wall and they were
victorious. When they went to the next city, Ai, it was a small city and they did not
consult the Commander of the Lord. So they fled before their enemies and the Commander of
the Lord allowed many of Israel's soldiers to be slain. When they humbled themselves the
Lord told them, "Israel has sinned and cannot stand before its enemies". When
they removed the sin from their midst they were victorious once again.
If the hand that has saved you turns against you it is terrible.
Therefore always consult the Commander who is the Lord and let Him be the first in your
life.