In what ways can Joshua 13:11 encourage us to claim God's promises? Setting the Stage Joshua 13 opens with God telling Joshua, “You are old, advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed” (v. 1). Verse 11 sits inside a long, detailed inventory of territory already assigned to Israel east of the Jordan—“also Gilead and the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites—all of Mount Hermon, all Bashan to Salecah—”. Though the land is listed as theirs, most of it is still occupied by enemy peoples. How Joshua 13:11 Sparks Confidence to Claim God’s Promises • Specificity shows certainty. – God doesn’t speak in vague generalities; He names real mountains, valleys, cities, and borders. – We can trust His promises today are just as concrete (2 Peter 1:4). • The gift is already granted. – Gilead, Hermon, and Bashan are described as Israel’s inheritance before they physically control them. – Likewise, in Christ we are already “blessed … with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3); our role is to walk into what is ours. • Boundaries encourage bold faith. – By spelling out borders, God removes guesswork and fuels decisive action: the tribes know exactly what to take. – Clear biblical promises—salvation (Romans 10:9-10), peace (John 14:27), daily provision (Philippians 4:19)—set the boundaries of our inheritance. • A call to finish the task. – Verse 1 says much land “remains to be possessed,” yet verse 11 lists it as theirs. The tension presses Israel to complete obedience. – We are urged to “lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus laid hold of” us (Philippians 3:12). • Proof of God’s faithfulness. – All these regions were first promised to Moses decades earlier (Deuteronomy 3:12-17). God hasn’t forgotten a single acre. – “Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made … failed” (Joshua 21:45). Our confidence rests on the same unchanging faithfulness (Hebrews 10:23). Practical Takeaways for Daily Life • Name the promise. Identify a specific word of God that applies to your situation—healing, wisdom, strength—and keep it before you. • Speak possession language. Talk about the promise as something already given, not merely hoped for (Mark 11:24). • Confront the “occupiers.” Just as Israel had to drive out Geshurites and Maacathites, confront sin, doubt, or fear that stands on territory Christ purchased for you. • Keep advancing. Joshua was old, yet God still said, “possess.” Age, past failures, or present limitations do not cancel a divine mandate. • Rely on God’s timetable. The land list reminds us God plans in detail; trust His timing as He leads you step by step (Proverbs 3:5-6). Scriptures That Reinforce the Call to Claim • Numbers 33:53—“You are to take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land …” • 2 Corinthians 1:20—“For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” • Hebrews 6:12—“… imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” • James 1:25—The doer who acts on the perfect law “will be blessed in what he does.” Putting It Into Practice 1. Read the promise aloud. 2. Thank God it is already yours in Christ. 3. Act in line with it—make the phone call, forgive the offender, step into the ministry. 4. Persist until the promise moves from paper to personal experience, just as Israel turned boundary lines into lived-in land. |
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