We can too easily think that those who do not agree with us are the enemy. We can form narrow assumptions and miss a greater truth: we cannot always discern who the real enemy is, those who are shaping our thoughts and leading us to make false assumptions. That clarity will not come from political pundits or someone’s blog post. It will come from the Spirit. Joshua teaches us a valuable lesson on this issue.

“When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” (Joshua 5:13). What Joshua did not yet understand was that the man blocking his way was the commander of God’s army, an army not seen by natural sight.

The man standing in Joshua’s way said, “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army” (vs. 14). This message was to let Joshua know that he did not yet understand how the Lord would fight Israel’s battles under his leadership. The man with the sword was there to block Joshua from moving forward until he understood what was about to happen. It would also give Joshua the ability to fight against impossible odds.

“At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?” Because Joshua was still learning how the Lord executes His will in battle, he needed to be reminded that all future conflicts would not be fought in human strength and reasoning, but under the Lord’s leadership, who ultimately wields the sword of victory.

“The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did as he was told” (vs. 15). God’s battles are holy in nature. We must approach them in reverence and honor.

The Church must understand these things, as Joshua did, so we can understand how the Lord conducts spiritual battles and who and what the real enemy is. When that discovery happens, and as our faith matures, we are not always sure who the real enemy is, which leads us to ask the same question Joshua asked: “Are you friend or foe?” 

God’s answer will deconstruct our assumptions about who the real enemy is and prepare us to follow the warring angels of Heaven who have been assigned to help us experience the kind of victory the Lord desires. This is especially true when we are outnumbered and inexperienced in spiritual battle. 

In just a few days after Joshua’s encounter with the commander of Heaven’s host,  he would lead Israel into their first battle, the taking of the walled city of Jericho.