ICS Daily Devotions
Take Hold of What Is Yours
Joshua 14:9-13 (NKJV) So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance.
Are you aware that the Old Testament saints are cheering us on in our walk of faith with the Lord? As such, have you ever wondered whether you are taking hold of what belongs to you, like Caleb did? In this passage, he was making a recollection of what happened when he and the 11 spies were asked to scout the Promised Land. Caleb differed from his peers with regards to trusting God and taking Him for His Word. This is one of the reasons why he and Joshua were allowed to enter the Promised Land while the rest of the entire generation died in the wilderness.
A parallel exists between us and the Israelites in that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt while we were slaves to sin prior to receiving Christ into our hearts. The crossing of the Red Sea also likens to us entering into the baptism pool and emerging as new persons through our identification with Christ. Meanwhile, the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey is similar to the abundant life promised to us.
As Christians, we have to take hold of what belongs to us in the abundant life just like the Israelites needed to conquer the inhabitants of the land with the help of God in order to take hold of what rightfully belonged to them. The inhabitants of the land would be a thorn in their flesh and a brier in their eyes unless the Israelites were to completely eradicate them. Likewise, we won’t enjoy the abundant life unless we deal with our flesh and stand on the promises regarding what belong to us in the new life.
The Israelites obtained the promises given by God when they entered the Promised Land. Let us also press on to obtain the promises given to us in the abundant life!
Sermon Series: You Are in the Hall of Faith! (Part 4)
