It’s the next step in conquest but the battle lines are drawn in an unexpected manner. There’s opposing “sides” as always but this time there’s more to the fight that one army against another.It’s holy ground. It’s God’s fight. Battle hardened strategist Joshua could have ploughed straight into the battle with scarcely a second glance at a man standing in the middle of the road. Mindful of his commission – be bold, be strong, be courageous – he advances with care as he learns that God has it all under control. It’s easy to jump in when we think the plan is clear enough. Joshua’s example reminds us that it’s vital to follow God’s directions not our own inclinations. The latter will only result in confusion at best and disaster at worst (as chapter 7 illustrates).