“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”
Joshua 1:3
Abraham Lincoln is widely recognized as one of the greatest presidents in the history of our country. He stood tall and strong in a very critical and decisive time in our history. We certainly would regard him as a successful man. But this man also experienced many failures throughout his life.
When Abraham Lincoln went off to the Black Hawk War he was a captain. Through no fault of his own, he returned a private. That brought an end to his military career. His little country village shop “winked out” as he used to say. So he failed as a businessman.
As a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, he was too impractical, too unpolished, and too temperamental to be successful.
Turning to politics, he was defeated in his campaign for the legislature.
He was defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for Congress and in his application to be Commissioner of the General Land Office.
He was defeated in the Senatorial election of 1854 and in his aspirations for the Vice Presidency in 1856.
Finally, he was elected President of the United States and fulfilled his destiny and the destiny of a nation. Although maybe not as dramatic, Lincoln’s experience is the experience of many of God’s people. The enemy of our soul comes to us after repeated defeats and whispers in our ears, “You’re a failure!” He tells us we will never win, are trapped forever where we are, and will never fulfill our God-given destiny.
The first chapter of Joshua tells the story of God’s people who escaped the cycle of defeat and moved into the new day of victory.
Prayer Focus: Pray that Grace will engage the world with the gospel and Jesus’ love like never before. Pray Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Ask the Lord to encourage you in your walk with Him. In your prayer time, claim victory over evil for our church and for yourself.
