When a bully picked a fight with me in grade school, I wanted to avoid it. Refusing to fight him didn’t stop the conflict. Maybe you also feel that peace comes when we avoid conflict. As we have been studying Joshua, we encounter battles and warfare. Since the Old Testament was written as examples to us for our instruction according to I Cor. 10:11, what we have studied in previous blogs from Joshua symbolize the spiritual battle we fight as good soldiers of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:4).
A multitude from northern Palestine fought Israel (Josh. 11:1-4). Not only did the Lord tell Joshua not to fear, but gave him a practical strategy to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire (Josh. 11:6). They obeyed God and captured Hazor, the head of all these kingdoms in northern Palestine (Josh. 11:9-10).
In the spiritual battle we face, do we obey some of God’s word or do all of it? Joshua was thorough and did all God commanded him. Four times in these five verses it says He destroyed everyone and everything so nothing was undone just as the Lord commanded Moses (Josh. 11:11-15). Joshua captured all the cities of these kings and destroyed everything, including the kings.
Joshua’s obedience in every word, matter or thing extended to taking all the hill country, Negev, Goshen, Arabah, from Mt. Halak as far as Baal-gad in valley of Lebanon. He captured all their kings, struck them down and put them to death (Josh. 11:15-17). Many times we fool ourselves saying we are obedient, but don’t follow God in specific areas of our lives. Victory over the world, flesh and devil doesn’t occur overnight. Joshua waged war for a long time (Josh. 11:18).
We must face the tough issues or giants in our lives like Joshua who defeated the Anakim (Josh. 11:21). The Anakim were the giants so feared by the 12 spies whose unbelief led to Israel’s defeat and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness (Num. 13:33). Victory comes when we daily trust God to fight for us.
Joshua’s faithfulness in the fighting these battles in obedience to God’s command allowed the land to have rest from war (Josh. 11:23). Peace and tranquility occur as we daily fight the spiritual battle.
Like Joshua, check your obedience in specific areas of your life by answering the following 7 questions:
1. Have you spent time with God on a regular basis?
2. Have you compromised your integrity in any
way?
3. Has your thought life been pure?
4. How much time have you spent in prayer this
week?
5. Are you giving to the Lord’s work financially?
6. Have you demonstrated a servant’s heart?
7. What specific thing did you do for your spouse
and/or family?
