December 22nd
50 Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho, saying, 51“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you have crossed the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 52then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; 53you shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess. 54And you shall divide the land by lot as an inheritance among your families; to the larger you shall give a larger inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give a smaller inheritance; there everyone’s inheritance shall be whatever falls to him by lot. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers. 55But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. 56Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” Numbers 33:50-56 NKJV
God’s gave the Israelites specific instructions for the conquest of Canaan. He told them exactly what to do, how to do it and what would happen if they failed. He also reminded them that he had given them the land.
We can apply God’s instructions to the Israelites to the battle for freedom from habitual sin. The Israelites were to drive out the inhabitants of the land, destroy all the objects of pagan worship and take possession of the land. In the same way, we have the challenge of driving out our resident sin habits, destroying the objects or services that are helping us to fall, and taking possession of the “new life” that is ours in Christ. If we stop short in any of those objectives, we’re likely to encounter “irritants” that could hinder our walk with God and /or cause us to fall back into our addictions.
It’s important to remember that we cannot do these things in our own strength. The spiritual strongholds behind our sin are likely greater than our own willpower to fight. This is why God gives us the Holy Spirit to help us put the sinful desires of our flesh to death (Romans 8:11-13). He will help us in every battle we face in moving into our “promised land” of all of God’s blessings and freedom from addiction.
The first steps to take in preparing for the conquest of our land include confession of our sin and asking the Lord to accompany us into battle. We can also ask for:
- Recognition of the sin involved
- Strength and resolve to drive out the sinful habits
- Instruction and guidance on how to fight the battles and live the new life in Jesus Christ
As you move into your promised land, you can be sure that the devil will tempt you in many ways. He will oppose you and try to keep you from having a successful conquest of your land. Since you have the Holy Spirit living in you, you have all the power and resources needed to be victorious in your conquest. Don’t be like the Israelites, who did not complete their conquest, and as God promised, the remaining inhabitants corrupted and seduced them into idol worship and sexual sin.
Questions for further thought:
How does yielding to sin with our flesh affect our spiritual defenses? (Proverbs 25:28, Romans 6:11-14,16)
How would God use the “irritants” of the land against the Israelites if they failed to drive them out? (55-56)
What role does our faith in God (and his promises) play in our conquest of the land? (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 19:26, Ephesians 6:16)
Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, thank you for the good land that you have prepared for me to move into. I desire health, healing, joy, peace and every other good thing that comes with following you. I confess any sin that I’ve allowed a place in my life:________________. Please forgive me for harboring that sin. I turn from it right now and commit myself to living for you. As I look at the land you have prepared for me, I see the obstacles and strongholds the enemy has in my life. I need your help in overcoming and removing each one. Please strengthen me for the battle and train my hands for the spiritual warfare that will ensue. Holy Spirit, please guide me in truth and teach me how to walk in your ways. I believe, Lord, and help me overcome any unbelief that may linger in my heart. Thank you, Father! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”