Joshua 1:2-3 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
After Moses’ death, God commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan—a real place that carried profound spiritual meaning. Canaan was not a picture of heaven, for it was filled with enemies, obstacles, and the ongoing need for faith and obedience. Instead, it symbolized the believer’s journey: a life marked by conflict and conquest, failure and faithfulness, struggle and surrender. Just as Joshua was told to rise and cross the Jordan, every follower of Christ is called to move beyond mere spiritual survival into a victorious, Spirit-empowered walk—a life that embraces the fullness of God’s promises with courage, rest, and purpose.
Joshua is the book of fulfillment—the moment the children of Israel realized that God’s promises were no longer just declared, but now had to be possessed. It reflects every believer’s journey: while some remain stuck in the wilderness of spiritual frustration and defeat, others move forward into the “Promised Land” of a Spirit-filled, surrendered life. The difference isn’t about salvation, but about how fully we yield to God’s call to go deeper.
Taking the land of Canaan first and foremost represents victory—not the absence of battle, but triumph in the midst of it. Yeshua (Jesus) offers more than just forgiveness; He promises authority over sin. “Sin shall not have dominion over you.” (Romans 6:10-14) By the power of the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered to live as overcomers. (1 John 5:4-5)
Taking the land also represents realization—when God’s promises move from abstract truth to lived experience. The Holy Spirit brings spiritual realities to life within the believer, making them deeply personal and powerfully real. Love, joy, strength, and intimate fellowship with God are not just concepts—they become felt, known, and tangible.
Entering and possessing the land symbolizes a life of power. Just as Jericho’s walls fell—not by human strength, but by God’s command—so the believer is given spiritual authority to walk in boldness, victory, and fruitfulness, it is not by might or by effort, but by the power of the Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; Luke 10:19; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5) that strongholds fall and the life of promise unfolds.
The call to enter the land is God’s invitation to every believer to move from wandering to walking, from surviving to thriving, from promise to possession. This is not a distant idea but a present reality for those willing to trust, surrender, and obey. The inheritance is before you—rich with victory, rest, power, and divine presence. But it must be seized by faith. Just as God told Joshua, He tells us: “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you.” Step forward. Cross your Jordan. Claim your inheritance. The fullness of God’s promises awaits the fully surrendered heart.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Some time ago, I wrote a devotional about not worrying for tomorrow because tomorrow holds its own worries. But it occurred to me recently, that just about as often as we worry for tomorrow, we fret about yesterday. How many times do we find ourselves saying, "I wish things could be the way they were, I wish I was younger, I wish I could fit into those jeans again, I wish I didn't make that terrible mistake ... you fill in the blank"?
Colonel G.W. Goethals, the man responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal, had major problems with the climate and the geography as it was being built. If that wasn’t enough to deal with, he had an even bigger problem. It was the growing criticism back home from those who predicted he’d never finish the project and had opinions about how to do it better.
While on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul, blinded him and directed him to go to Damascus. There, God spoke to Ananias of Saul and told to lay hands on this troubled man. Ananias did as he commanded and Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit, healed of his blindness and immediately baptized.
Shortly after WWI, Lawrence of Arabia was entertaining some of his Arab friends in Paris. He showed them the sights of the city: the Arc d’Triomph, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees. It was a remarkable irony to Lawrence that these amazing sights were not what most impressed his Arab friends — but rather the bathtub faucet of their hotel room. They were completely astonished that someone could turn a handle…and get all the water he wanted.
In this prophetic passage the critical question is immediately followed by the powerfully convicting answer. Joel prophesies the Day of the Lord, and asks, “Who can endure it?” The next word “therefore”, is followed by the prophet’s urgent counsel: “Turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning!”
The Lord gave us His promise to send us a helper -- the Holy Spirit. The word for "helper" in the NT Greek is "paraclete". This word has more meaning then simply "helper" -- it was also an ancient term used in warfare. When Greek warriors went onto the battle field, they went out in pairs, so when the enemy attacked they could stand back-to-back, covering each other's blind side. The battle partner in Greek was called a "paraclete" -- he was there to watch your back!
When I was younger I used to take an ax and cut up firewood from the woods behind our house. The one thing I always did was sharpen my axe! A dull axe meant harder work chopping through fallen trees. The sharper the ax the less effort and energy required for the task. So I learned early on to sharpen my ax before venturing into the woods, and I saved myself a lot of time and energy. (Besides I was a small kid, growing up, so I needed all the help I could get! 😉 )