Joshua 13

Joshua was “old and advanced in years.” The work that the Lord had given to the conquest generation was not yet completed. Despite the great victories noted in the previous chapters, “there remained much land to possess.”

Included in the list were the lands of the Philistines, and significant territories in the south and the north. This unfinished work of the conquest would lead to much misery in the history of Israel.

In our conquest of love we still have work to be done. The remnants of selfishness, laziness, pride, arrogance, and a host of other enemies have not entirely been put to the sword within us. When we give up on the battle of sanctification, we forget the extent of the work of the cross that Jesus has accomplished for His church. While we are thankful for the sanctification that the Lord has granted to us so far, the fight is not over.

What can we do when we are tired of fighting the good fight?

God says to Joshua, “I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel.” This is good news for weary warriors. We do not have to find our own strength, but His. He will not give up.

But the Lord continues with this instruction to Joshua: “Only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you.” The leader of the Lord's chosen flock must still allot the land to the various tribes according to God's promise and provision, and not according to our weariness. He must walk in faith and not make God's promise seem to be less than it is in light of the failure of Israel to take all the land.

There may be reasons for the remaining work to be done. Some of those reasons have to do with Israel, and some of those reasons are an expression of the Lord's wisdom, and His awareness of what His people will need to experience at some future date. Yet Joshua must allot the full land now according to the full promise of the Lord.

The Lord has promised us complete sanctification, the fullness of Christian obedience and love. There is much ungoverned land in our souls that still remains where the Lord will soon display His grace more fully. We cannot give up on His promise, and we must not give up on the conquest of love. We want to be able to say with the Apostle Paul,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

An aid to us in the current battle for love that we fight within our own souls is our remembrance of the victories that the Lord has brought in the past. Included with this is our recollection of what was left undone in earlier days, and how that unfinished work has caused us some significant problems right to the present day.

The Lord will bring the complete victory that His perfect Son has won for us through His own battle of love. He who began a work in you will be faithful to complete it. Remember all that He has done already, and surrender all the territory of your soul to Him today as the full allotment that belongs to Him. Some enemies still remain in the land. Don't give up. He will display His great victory in the battle of love. He will win in you, and He will win through you.