BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS

September, 2000

Moses had died, and the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant. God commissioned Joshua to pass over the Jordan with all of God’s people, the children of Israel, to the land God was giving them. He said, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." He marked out the territory and promised to be with Joshua as He had been with Moses.

Joshua’s commission involved preparing for the inheritance of God, possessing the inheritance, and partaking of the inheritance. It wasn’t handed on a silver platter. Joshua would have to ready an army for battle, search out the situation, strengthen the troops, and step out.

God had been preparing Joshua for years. He called him and He commissioned him. He also gave Joshua what He was willing to do, i.e., "I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." God empowered Joshua through the command and the promise of His presence.

Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1.6-9 NKJV)

Sometimes the task seems overwhelming, especially as we consider issues of injustice, but the army of God has the assurance from the Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ, that He will be with us. (Matthew 28.18-20) He has called and commissioned us and commanded us to GO… He gives us His commitment, the promise of His presence.

Here at MCM we’ve been praying earnestly for the Church in persecution since January. In looking at injustice, we found that one need but walk around the neighborhood to find human rights violations and incidents of violence. "It’s relative." Sometimes, it’s within. In an unjust world, we hope in God.

Injustice occurs when power is misused to take from others what God has given them, namely, life, dignity, liberty, and/or the fruit of their love or labor. Dimensions of injustice include the use of coercive power, deception, exploitation / domination / intimidation / manipulation / control, abuse of power and position, a reviling of God and arrogance toward God and His Law, a love of violence. (Psalm 10)

God loves justice (Isaiah 61.8, Psalm 7.11). He has compassion for those suffering injustice (Jeremiah 9.12, 13; 22.15, 16; Exodus 3.7, 22.26). God judges to condemn the perpetrators of injustice (Psalm 11). God seeks active rescue for the oppressed (Jeremiah 21.12, Psalm 146, Psalm 12.5, 103.6). God cares about the exercise of power and authority, be it political, economic, moral, religious, cultural, family, intellectual, spiritual. (Amos 5.12, Proverbs 14.31, e.g.)

God has a standard, one with no moral ambiguity (Micah 6.8, Zechariah 7.8-12). God brings hope to victims of injustice because He has a plan.

1. God executes justice as a God of justice. He observes in order to repay. He rebukes and judges and administers judgments. He avenges blood and does not forget the cry. He confirms He is a God of justice. (Psalm 9, Psalm 35.10)
2. God enters our pain. He hears the prayers of those who seek refuge in Him and who want deliverance in order to give testimony and rejoice in Him. He affirms His compassion as He turns the table on the enemy. (Psalm 18, Psalm 12.5, e.g.)
3. God employs His people. He arms us and prepares us for war. He gives His people a revelation of Himself and a strategy to those willing to "go for Us." (Isaiah 6.1-8; Isaiah 58, 59; Ezekiel 22.25-30, Isaiah 1.17; Luke 18.1-8)
4. God empowers those who "go" for Him to inquire and investigate, to intervene, and to intercede. (Isaiah 1.17, Isaiah 58)

Unbelief and gnawing frustration may tempt you to cry out,

"Where is the God of justice?" (Malachi 2.17) Faith remembers Abraham in his appeal on behalf of Sodom, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18.25)

God has called MCM to GO to the nations. As we do, we command light out of darkness and ask Jesus to shine His light into the darkness. As we in the Body of Christ each fulfill our God-given commissions, lives are being changed both spiritually and naturally every day. God looks down from His sanctuary. He sees what is going on. He hears the groaning of the prisoner. He has a plan to release those appointed to death. (Psalm 102)

I know without a doubt that God has called this ministry to intercede and to call in the nations, Jesus’ inheritance (Psalm 2), to do spiritual warfare. I believe He empowers us to bless the people where He sends us both with the gifts of medical supplies and toys we bring and with our prayers and anointing. We have been into 34 nations, and we have seen God work wonders.

I also believe He will empower you to confront injustice as you see the Lord and share the desires and attitudes of His heart, as you seek to obey His Word and say, "send me." As you study and equip yourself to promote justice and preserve truth, you will be encouraged and strengthened to step out in faith. Make a direct and local impact. Speak up for the oppressed through prayer (God-ward) and advocacy (human-ward). Stand for the oppressed in the battle and steward the manifold grace of God in the myriad of situations surrounding us all. Use whatever God has given you as you undertake specific actions. Remember, general evil is overcome by specific good. (Romans 12, 1 Peter 3)

Recently the Holy Spirit reminded me:

I am a God of justice. The deeds done in the body are judged. Are they dead works or works of righteousness?

It is just to love. Love does no harm to one’s neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of the Law.

It is just to forgive when one turns from his wicked ways.

It is just to rescue the oppressed from the oppressor. It is just to punish those who love violence and do evil.

Jesus died, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.
I am He who is alive forevermore…I am coming in great power and glory. I am the Holy One of Israel. Yes, I was despised and rejected of men. There was nothing in Me or about Me they esteemed. John 3. They would not come to the light because their deeds were evil.

It is God who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness. It is Christ whose light shines into the darkness.

I am the light of the world. I have an anointing to draw all peoples to Myself. As the veil was rent and My glory shone forth, then they come to the light. The Father of lights is the giver of every good and perfect gift. They come to the light for the gifts. They came to Me for the gifts.

I gave gifts to men. I am the Strong One who prevails to take captivity captive. I turn the tables on My enemies. I take what captivates, captive.

Evil, darkness, and sin captivate. It is fascinating and has its draw, its appeal. But I take it captive. I took death and destroyed its yoke. I turned the tables on death by dying and overcoming. Now it no longer captivates. Now it no longer reigns victorious. Now it no longer holds as a strong one.

I am the Resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in Me shall never die. The one who believes in Me passes from death to life, passes through death to life.

You know you have passed from death to life when you have love for the brethren. You know you have passed through death to life when the Spirit of Glory and of God rest upon you. You have entered the rest of resurrection.

This brings the persecution of the righteous, for the evil despise and reject what is holy. They call good, evil and evil, good for they are perverse to the ways of God.

Light promotes justice for it exposes evil, coercion, abuse of power and authority, the loving of violence, loving what My soul hates. Salt preserves truth. You are light and you are salt.

Prepare for war. Prepare for persecution. I am taking captivity captive. I am stirring within My people a hunger and thirst for the fire of My holiness, a desire to know Me as a God of justice. Upon some, upon many I am putting a spirit of justice, and they will carry My justice to the nations.

They will cry out for justice. They will raise the standard of My justice. They will hope in Me and not despair in days of death, in the depth of man’s depravity. They will seek Me and stand for the weak, the oppressed, the orphan and the widow in the gates.

I am bringing justice and with it the dry tree will green and grow and bear fruit. I the Lord love justice, but My people have turned to ignore Me as a God of justice. They ignore the plight of the persecuted. They cannot be bothered, be-stirred. These do not carry the passion of My heart. They do not love what My soul loves or hate what My soul hates. They walk with a god of their own making and not with Me.

I am pouring out a spirit of justice, not as the world with its perversion and greed, but with grace, compassion, and mercy.

I am bringing justice. I try the reins and look to the heart. I know false from true, truth from lie, what is dead and what is living.

In justice I deliver the needy and rescue the oppressed, hear the cry of slavery, give voice to the voiceless.

I am the Lord of Hosts and I am bringing justice to the land, to the earth, to rid the world of evil.

I am taking captivity captive. 

All is darkness. All are dead.
But out of darkness,
He commands light.
Out of the dead,
He brings life.

Calling the nations to resurrection,

Mary Craig

In that day the Lord of hosts will be
For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty
To the remnant of His people,
For a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and
For strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate. (Isaiah 28.5, 6)