In the first chapter of Joshua he was given two mandates from the Lord:
A. Vs. 2-3 Conquer: “Arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them–the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.” Conquer the inhabitants of the land that was in control of the cites this took approximately 7 years.
B. Vs. 6 Settle: “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” The second part of Joshua’s commission was to settle the land which took 8 years. Did you get that? It took longer to “settle in” than it did to “root out” the enemy! It was going to take as much strength and courage to posses the land as it did to win the land.
Friends Joshua 13 reminds us that the battle is not over once the enemy’s cities have been overthrown and he has been tossed out of the ground of your heart. No, I’m here to tell you the battle has just begun as it always takes more energy and effort to keep the enemy out of the land won as it does to root him out in the first place.
Those big cities are taken and God tells them to go after the little cites. Hey saint’s that’s the way it is in our lives as well. You may have well conquered the walled cites of Alcohol and Pornography but what about the cites of “helping your wife”, or the city of “gossip”?
Saint’s you can have as much of the Lord as your faith will carry you, without limitation, He will grant you increase upon increase and expand all the boarders of the land.
The time had come for the people of God to build homes upon the land won by the Lord, and it was time for them as well as for us to LIVE with our God in the land of promise.