But a new generation had arisen who decided they would no longer be denied what God said belonged to them. They were prepared to “arise and go” with their new leader, Joshua. A generation of conquerors now began to control this nation’s destiny.
Joshua declared with bold authority, “Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess” (Joshua 1:11).
Joshua had taken charge! And with this bold stroke of leadership came a response from a people who had come to know their God: “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go” (v. 16). The skeptical resistance that once held back this nation had died. Faith to conquer was alive.
This same faith stirs within us. Faith to live with God’s promises as a reality in our lives. Faith to overcome those things that have stopped us in the past. Faith to take charge! We must let the fear and the feelings of inadequacy die and from deep within the strength to overcome will spring up.
After crossing the Jordan River, Israel made a startling discovery. Two men sent to survey Jericho met Rahab, a harlot who lived in the wall that surrounded the city of Jericho. To their amazement, she told them that the entire city was terrified of Israel. Jericho fully expected to fall into the hands of the mighty nation that had defeated the powerful armies of Egypt.
The inhabitants had waited with dread for the day Israel would cross the river to take possession of their cities. All those years, the enemies of God’s people had known that they would be overpowered if Israel came in the name of Jehovah God. Israel was the last to find out!
It is a sad fact that Christians are the last to find out how complete their victory is in Christ. All of heaven knows! All of hell knows! Satan has dreaded the day that we would realize the power of that victory.
Many Christians remain in the dark about their ability in God to overcome the enemy strongholds in their lives. But Satan knows when God’s power is truly unleashed in us, his defeat is at hand. Philippians 1:28 says, “Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.” When our confidence is in God and His promise this confident attitude becomes a frightening sign to our enemy of his defeat.
Satan’s most successful tactic is to keep us uncertain of God’s willingness to help us. We cannot truly trust anyone in whom we have little confidence. Second Timothy 1:12 says, “For I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.”
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