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]What a week we've been having! We're getting ready to fly to the States for a much needed time, to see our families and to share what's going on here in the Land. Along with all the hustle and bustle of packing, running loads of errands and training a new volunteer, we just got word that the airport employees have begun a strike and customers have not been able to get on their flights all day. Not only that, we've been having computer problems galore! As the saying goes -- when it rains it pours!
Many times, our unbelieving family and coworkers -- society in general, can make us feel small and inferior -- like second class citizens -- because we are Christians. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, somehow, we begin to believe it! We become what I like to call "mopey Christians," just moping around, keeping our faith hidden under a bushel, feeling afraid to say a word about Jesus, in fear that we might offend someone! And that's precisely what the enemy wants us to feel!
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, age five and Ryan, three. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson so she said; "Now boys, if Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait.'" Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus."
I read a story about a new young partner in a law firm. The senior partners had set extremely high standards and had coached him carefully. He did well in some minor trials but he lost his first big case. When the partners reviewed the trial, they pointed out his errors and suggested different strategies. Even with all their critique, he lost the next big one. He felt terrible. Were they ready to give him the boot?
We have a Christian friend who constantly talks about her problems. Every single time we talk to her she tells us how bad things are going in her life and how much she is lacking. Interestingly, in all the years we've known her and prayed for her, things have only gotten worse. Though she has come to believe in the God of victory, she is not living a victorious life. How many of us are in this boat?
During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays.
Yeshua (Jesus) began His earthly ministry by being baptized in the Jordan river. The word Jordan in Hebrew is "Yarden" and its root is "yarad". It literally means to descend, which would make sense being that the Jordan descends from over 8,000 feet from Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea which sits more than 1,000 feet below sea level.