Mighty Are Those Who Obey His Command (Joel 2:11)

In Joel 2:2-11, we see a vivid picture of a vast and powerful army of Yahweh breaking through every barrier and pushing forward as a unified militant people under the command of Yahweh. Joel 2:11 says, "The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command." (NIV)

There are many lessons we can learn from this verse, but in this article, I would like to explore the significance of the obedience and strength of those in Yahweh's army.

Who Is Yahweh's Army?

First of all, we must define who is in Yahweh's army. For the purpose of this article, we will consider it to include all those who have dedicated their lives to Yahweh, who live in a way that is pleasing to him, and who are obedient to his word. This is, as verse 11 describes, a very large group of people "beyond number."

How Do We Obey?

Before an army goes to battle, each soldier goes through extensive training and conditioning so that when it is time to march and fight, each person knows what to do and how to do it.

We too, as disciples of Yeshua, train and condition ourselves regularly by reading the Bible, praying, listening to the Holy Spirit, and living in a way that pleases Yahweh. That sort of lifestyle demonstrates a general "obedience" to Yahweh.

Part of the conditioning a soldier goes through before going to battle is learning to obey his commander and all those in authority over him. That way, when the battle is on, the leader of the army can best utilize each of his soldiers in order to succeed and win the battle, despite any unforeseen challenges that may arise.

Again, the same is true with us. By conditioning ourselves to obey Yahweh's instructions that he gives to us personally, we make it possible for God's Kingdom to advance rapidly and successfully.

The Value Of Obedience

Obedience is very empowering, because it takes a huge load off of our shoulders. If plans change, it can sometimes become difficult to know what our next steps should be, since we only see part of the overall picture.

But by looking to Yahweh for guidance and acting upon his instructions to us, we can advance forward with immeasurable confidence, overcoming obstacles and breaking through barriers.

Sources Of Strength

Where there is purpose, there is strength. When a group of people come together for a common purpose, each person's strength increases. And as goals are achieved and remarkable progress is made, the strength of each individual in the group continues to increase.

As we can see, strength can be found in having a purpose, and it can be found in succeeding as a group. However, Yahweh himself is the source of our strength. But how exactly can we obtain Yahweh's strength in order to advance his kingdom?

How We Activate Yahweh's Strength Within Us

Just as it is important to recognize and acknowledge Yahweh as our source of strength, it is also necessary to understand that our obedience to him is what activates his strength in us so that we can accomplish his purposes.

For example, a flashlight may be fully functional, with a fully charged battery and a working light bulb, but in order for it to produce light, someone must flip the switch to turn it on. So it is with us. In order to activate the strength of Yahweh within us, we must remain obedient to his instructions - both his written word, and his personal instructions that he gives us as individuals. In doing so, Yahweh is able to work through us to accomplish his purpose.

Conclusion

Hopefully, all this talk has made it clear to you that we are mighty when we obey Yahweh's command, and also that our "might" or strength is designed to advance Yahweh's kingdom. Let this serve as an inspiration to you to continue walking in obedience to Yahweh so that his purposes may be accomplished through you. Stay strong, mighty one! comments powered by Disqus