Every Place You Set Your Foot, Prayer Walking Series: Day 2 - Comparisons

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you;

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Joshua 1:5

“My Dad never did it that way;” “Pastor Jacobs always did all the visitations himself;” “Mrs. Smartbottom always had our papers graded and posted right after the test;” “Susie Secretary always had the minutes typed and sent out by the next day;” “Barbara Babysitter cleans the house after she puts our kids to bed;” “Bob the Builder always returns my calls within an hour.”

Have you ever been compared to an extremely capable person? Whether you’re a salesman, office worker, pastor, babysitter, barista, son-in-law, chef, or mom, there are moments when you feel inadequate to follow a predecessor who seems bigger than life. They were faster or smarter; more creative or articulate; wiser or more energetic than you. Somehow, they seemed to get more done in 24 hours than you can in a week. That can feel very lonely.

Joshua must have felt that way. After all, who could compete with an 80 year old who can stride into Egypt from sheep herding and confront the Pharaoh with catastrophic plagues? Part the Red Sea with his shepherd’s staff? Bring water from a rock? Feed 3.5 million former slaves for 40 years on manna dew and quail storms? Preach, judge, and lead the whole rag tag bunch through the desert to God’s Promised Land? That’s a hard act to follow.

Maybe that’s why God told Moses’ successor not to fear so many times throughout the book of Joshua. It would be easy to feel insecure and wish somebody else could do the job. But God chose Joshua for a reason—Joshua believed God’s promises were trustworthy and that it was His power that would help his people overcome the ridiculous odds stacked against them (see Numbers 14:6-9). Joshua believed Moses’ and any success he might have could only come from God, and not their own power.

Still, it must have given him such encouragement for God to confirm his call: You’re the guy; you’re going to win this thing; I’m going to make you as great as Moses; I’m with you Joshua. I’ve got your back, your front and everything in between.

Maybe you’ve been reading this series and thinking you’d like to try this prayer walking thing, but you feel inadequate. You compare yourself to some spiritual giants you know or have heard of, and think you can’t measure up. You can’t compete. The good news is you don’t have to.

God created them to fill a special place for a special time in history—just like Moses (who had his own fears and insecurities. Check out Exodus 3-4). And now God is calling you to step it up and carry on the work of the Kingdom. He doesn’t want Pastor Jacobs, Mrs. Smartbottom, or Susie Secretary; He wants you to fight the good fight with your own unique set of skills, intelligence, creative flair, and experience.

The only thing you need is faith—faith to believe God has the power to help you do the job—whether it’s praying against satanic forces, sharing the Good News, loving, forgiving, or maintaining a sense of gratitude when everything seems to be going wrong. You won’t be alone. As God was with the great heroes of the faith, He will be with you; He will never leave you or forsake you.

 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

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