It’s time to reflect on Week 3 of our Scripture Plan, Victorious: 30 Days with Joshua. This week we learn some lessons on how to claim your victory from Joshua 12-19. If you are new to these studies you can download the plan below and find links to the previous reflections at the bottom of the post.
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This Scripture Plan takes us through the book of Joshua in 30 days. My Scripture Plans are undated, so you can choose to do them at any time.
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How to Claim your Victory
In Joshua 12-19 we meet the Israelites after they have taken possession of the Promised Land. Now we zoom in for the finer detail. Every city and village needs to be conquered, and each tribe and family now has to claim their inheritance.
By looking through these chapters I found six illustrations on how to claim your victory.
Reflect on the victory so far
This section begins with a summary of all the kings that have been defeated by Moses and Joshua.
As we journey in our Christian walk it is good to take time to remember the victories God has already accomplished in our lives.
Trust God and press on
In Joshua 13 God speaks to Joshua and encourages him that even in his old age he still has work to do. But, God says he will be the one to drive out the enemy, all Joshua has to do is allot the land to the different tribes.
We also need to trust God to do his part and have faith that we can manage the task he assigns us.
Be Patient
I loved the story of Caleb in Joshua 14:1-15 and 15:13-19. Forty-five years before, Caleb had spied out the land and, along with Joshua, trusted in God to give them victory. However, the other ten spies did not trust God and instead convinced everyone they could not defeat the enemy.
Caleb had to pay the consequences along with the rest of Israel and wander in the wilderness for forty years, waiting for everyone else in his generation (except Joshua) to die.
He’s now spent five years conquering Canaan and finally returned to the land he scouted out, the land that Moses promised him. He now claims this inheritance for his family.
Sometime we need to be patient and wait to claim our victory. The waiting may be of no fault of our own, we simply have to trust God for the promises he has give us, and for our families future. Like Caleb, we need to keep our faith strong, don’t let the wait weaken it.
You can read more about the spies in the Promised Land in my post, Stop Complaining, from my Scripture Plan on Numbers and Deuteronomy – Established: 30 Days before the Promised Land.
Prayerfully make your requests known
We can’t sit back and passively wait for our ‘inheritance’. You may have a particular issue that you need to address and this could be overlooked by those in leadership.
Caleb went to Joshua to claim his inheritance, and so did the daughters of Zelophehad (Joshua 17). Their situation was unique because they had no brothers, so they wanted to claim their father’s inheritance for themselves rather than it getting lost. They had previously gone to Moses who had made a decision to give the daughters their father’s inheritance. Now they approach Joshua to make sure this decision is carried out.
Like Zelophehad’s daughters, we might need to prayerfully and respectfully go to others for decisions, advice or support.
Don’t hesitate
After wandering in the dessert for forty years, and fighting in Canaan for five, the Promised Land is now ‘theirs for the taking’. But, some tribes have not yet taken possession of their land. Joshua has to prod them to take action!
So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Joshua 18:3 ESV
They finally have a home! Why are they reluctant to claim it?
Sometimes even a good change can be daunting. Stepping into the unknown and changing your lifestyle can be scary.
But, we must trust that God’s ways are best and he will help us.
Look after the needs of others first
After everyone else has claimed their land Joshua finally gets his. He has made sure that everyone else is settled before he receives his own inheritance.
In fact, it is the people of Israel who give the inheritance to Joshua, he does not take it for himself. This is a lesson for us to care for our leaders, who often sacrifice their needs for ours.
- Bible Verses about Victory (Introduction to the Scripture Plan)
- Be Strong and Courageous – Preparing for Victory
- Overcoming the Enemy
I have also written a Bible Study Guide and Workbook to go with the Victorious: 30 Days with Joshua Scripture Plan. Here you will find a page for each day of the study. The daily worksheets use my 5L Bible Study Method: Letter, Look, Learn, Live, Love which encourages and guides us to look deeper into the text we are reading.
Each day I give a short description or question to give you a start, but please remember to look for what God is teaching you through each passage – this may be different to what I have said. That’s why there is also space for you to write your own thoughts in each section. Get your copy here!
