Revisiting the Cave

The kings of fear inside of my mind have been jostling around.

My Bible Study group discussed Joshua 10:16-27 last Tuesday. There is a message in it that I want to share with you. Let’s first read the passage of Scripture together to better understand the lesson.

“Now the five defeated kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. It was reported to Joshua: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings. But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has handed them over to you.” So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities.The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten the Israelites. Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.” That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave. When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks. Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.” After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees and they were there until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are still there today.” -Joshua 10:16-27 CSB

We all have caves in our lives. They are tucked away so that most people cannot see them. What is hiding inside of your cave? Is it fear, insecurity, rejection, anxiety, shame, or past regrets? 

The things hiding inside the caves of our lives are full of destruction. The five kings Joshua faced were out to harm him. Nothing inside of a hidden cave is going to better us. Satan uses the caves of our minds and the caves of our pasts as objects of ruin. I believe Satan longs to trap you and I inside a box of limitations. Our enemy wants to steal our joy, zeal, passion, excitement, and freedom. Yes, freedom. Satan is really after our freedom. He wants us to be held captive by someone or something so that we will not be effective in God’s kingdom. For a long season, Satan used fear to entrap me. It made me weak. Fear wrung life and joy out from me. The battle I faced was held in my mind, but it affected every other aspect of my life.

For the past two days, I have heard the kings of fear speaking lies in my mind. They have been spitting anxiety out over me regarding my new school year. Satan wants to scare me by giving me thoughts about the past. As I heard the kings inside of my mind moving around, my Heavenly Father, the One true King, helped me remember the lesson I first encountered in Sadie Robertson’s Bible study resource titled Awaken.

It is time for us to revisit the cave. Revisiting something can sometimes be scary, but our God has not given us a spirit of fear. In the King James Version, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” I challenge you to write that verse down and hide it in your heart. Fear is not from God. Shame is not from God. Anxiety is not from God. Pain is not from God. Insecurity is not from God either. Jesus Christ died on the cross and gave Himself up for us so that we can be children of God. Being a child of God changes everything, my friend. Because we are children of the Most High God, we are not held captive by the things of this world. Satan has no grip on us. Sin has been paid for by Jesus. Death has lost its sting. 

What kings are moving around in your mind and life today? In what ways is the enemy trying to enslave you?

On the morning I was set free from fear, the lady praying with me said that our God is bigger than the things we face! There is nothing bigger than our God. I have not forgotten those words of truth spoken to me. 

We must kill the things lingering around in the caves of our minds and lives. We cannot leave anything alive in there. We must go revisit the cave. We have to get rid of the things being used by Satan to kill us! I love how Sadie Robertson said, “The enemy attacked me right where the Lord was going to call me in speaking and writing. He was trying to shut up my voice for the Lord.” That could not be more true for you and me too. The enemy always attacks the people, places, and things God is going to use most!

Are you ready to go break some necks? That sounds terrible, but it is necessary in defeating Satan. Let’s defeat fear today. Let’s defeat insecurity, shame, and past regrets right now. Defeat anything that is holding you back from being who God created you to be! Let’s empty out our caves today and close them back up clean so that nothing else can enter into them. 

I want us to live in freedom this school year and forever. I never want us to be held captive by lies from Satan. We have to fill ourselves up with Truth and ask God to guard our minds. Fall into Him today, brother or sister. Jesus never looks at you with disgust. Yes, He hates your sin, but He loves you. That is why He gave up everything to forgive you. He will make you clean. He longs to give you a fresh start. Claim and receive it today.

Striving to live in freedom always,

Haley