MARCH ON!

By: Dennis Harworth

          Spring is the most pleasant season of the year in my opinion.  I so enjoy everything coming to life after winter – even in Southern California.  Winter is symbolic of life being cold, dark, and dormant.  Spring, on the other hand, represents rebirth and hope as the natural world revives and reinvigorates.  There is a sweet freshness all around as the warm, sunny days of Spring once again overtake the long, dark days of Winter.  As the flowers, plants, and trees begin blossoming and budding, these are the first signs of new life, vitality, and the hope of going forward.  Spring is all about getting a fresh start, a clean slate, and an opportunity to start over.  How fitting it is that the beginning of the season of Spring is in March.

I found it very interesting that Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land in our month of March.  If there ever was a group of people that needed a fresh start – surely it was the Israelites.  But this new life of theirs was going to be a battle.  Shortly after entering the Promise Land, God told Joshua that He had given Jericho to him and then gave instructions that did not make any sense at all. 

You probably know the story and what happened.  The Israelites marched around the city of Jericho in silence once a day for six days as the walls loomed high above them.  On the seventh day they all walked around the city seven times, the priests blew their trumpets, the people gave a mighty shout, and the walls of the city fell down. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for the Israelites to penetrate the impregnable fortress of Jericho.  "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26). 

The example of Jericho is a wonderful spiritual lesson for believers today.  There are times when you might be facing enormous “walls” that are impossible to break down by human strength.  Hebrews 11:30 tells us, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.”  If you put your faith in God and follow His commandments, even when they seem absolutely ridiculous, He will perform “great and awesome deeds” (Deuteronomy 4:34) and give you the victory.

Realize God created you and everything in your life to move forward.  By God’s divine design, you were never meant to back up, give up, nor quit.  You’ve always been meant to march on to victory in every area of your life – spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally, and socially.  Will it be easy?  Not a chance.  But know there is never a victory unless there is first a battle.  So, if you want to start living a triumphant life, let’s find out how to MARCH ON!

Make a decision to follow orders. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, (Psalm 37:23)  

Always go forward. I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (Philippians 3:14, MSG) 

Resist weariness.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galatians 6:9)

Call on God’s strength. Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Heed His instructions. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

Obey and serve God.  If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (Job 36:11)

Never give up.  We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. (2 Corinthians 4:8, NLT)

God will never ask you to do anything unless He is going to give you the strength to do it!  Whatever you have gone through in the past, God can help you go forward and get a fresh start.  It won’t be easy and your God-given solutions might seem foolish, but God will be with you every step of the way.  God is faithful to His promise that He will never, ever leave you or forsake you! (Hebrews 13:5). 

And if you do stumble along the way, just know:

YOUR FAILURE IS NOT FINAL.  YOUR FALL IS NOT FATAL.

YOUR FAITH IN GOD IS NOT FUTILE.

BECAUSE YOUR GOD IS NOT FINISHED!

SHOUT! FOR THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE VICTORY!

MARCH ON!