Joshua Overview Part 4 - Receiving My Promised Share Of Inheritance And Leave Behind Higher Vision

We want to get a portion of the divided land, and to become one of the warriors in the army.

1) Promise = God become my condition (with me), power, purpose

The people of this age do not love God’s promise. Back in old days, only Joshua and Caleb loved God’s promise. Many knew the promise, but were unsatisfied with only just the promise and could not see the completeness of the promise. What is the promise? The promise is that God’s condition becomes my condition (He is with me), God’s power becomes my power, and God’s purpose becomes my purpose. This means the promise is his entire possession. Promise means that God becomes his whole life.

Why are you sad in your work, after you bear a child, or when lead a family? We live starting from condition/power/purpose. Are we simple in being like this? Once the promise is believed, God will return everything. Yes, we need to consider practical things in the world, but the promise should be the starting point of all our thoughts. If not, because there is nothing new in the world, the consideration will go into one big cycle, and back to nothingness. If the promise does not become our perspective, we cannot go on to talk about other matters in Joshua. This promise must become our thoughts, and our nature. With this nature, when you wake up, you can then enjoy God immediately.

2) Heart’s witness

(1) The filling of the Holy Spirit <1-4> => when the promise becomes a fulfillment. Able to see love, God with him, God’s works

The filling of the Holy Spirit comes when the promise becomes a fulfillment. Then we will be able to see God’s love, He with us, and His works.

(2) Not afraid of problem

After receiving peace, joy and assurance, we must immediately receive challenges. I must bring fulfillments into my career.

(3) The heart to preserve

Preserve the filling of promises in your hearts. This is the same as the filling of Holy Spirit. This means enjoying prayers. Only when a person likes to pray then  fulfillments will come. How do we know that we will receive grace in today’s meeting? We know when we like to come for meeting.

(4) Become different

We must be willing to become different. Then Satan will be afraid of us. If not, before the war, we would already have lost. If we have a different heart, we have already won.

3) God driven (Conquer)

For such a person who is promise-filled and Holy Spirit-filled, no matter what circumstances he is in, God drives him. God drives him even if he rests and does nothing, or even when he does a lot. It is only when he slows down for one second, he will acquire wisdom. The system that has already been set up by the message becomes our nature. Slowing for one second is the willingness to stop and receive Holy Spirit’s conviction to take action. Those who often use will always be wise.

* He has already won (confirm)

We must confirm this, and we must understand. Then we can have land to divide up. How many of us do not hope that our children will be more blessed than us?

God leads us as a commander of the Lord’s army. Surely we already have victory. We must discover that there is victory in each and every part of my life. I discover that ever since I am born again till now, I have become more humble and know how to love the people around me. If I am weak everyday, God is there to discipline me every day. This is victory. I will rather let Him discipline me than to be left to the clutches of the world. Therefore, I confirm and impress upon my heart that I already have victory. Then we will have land to divide.

Joshua Overview

4. Division of the Land: conquer and see what land has to be conquered at the same time

The one who sees the commander of the Lord’s army will have land from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the world <Acts 3-28>. Conquer and at the same time see what land has to be conquered. Therefore Paul saw Spain after Rome. Though Acts suddenly stopped, in 2 Timothy, Paul’s life continued in Timothy. Even after he left, a new generation was left behind.

*Joshua 13 says what has been conquered in the central place of Canaan, where it should continue to expand.

1) Together conquer Canaan -> <22:1-9>

Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built an altar in Joshua 1:12-18. All Israel thought that they had rebelled and wanted to separate from Israel. The crux here is being together to continue to expand Canaan.

No one can say he has everything and he has been satisfied. Some people are satisfied once they get a blessed job through prayer or have a complete family. But this is not enough. The brothers have to continue to fight together even after having their own inheritance. The church must shepherd together, pray together, and lay hands together for people in the church. If not, even our own areas will be lost. Therefore in Joshua, if they (Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh) did not continue to fight alongside, they (all other tribes of Israel) vowed to destroy and kill them. If we see this already, follow, as this is never late. For those who are moving along, slowly expand and love the people around us.

2) 12 tribes divided the inheritance: Joseph became Ephraim and Manasseh

Two very strong tribes were born out from Joseph to leave behind the trace of blessedness of following God. Here, every tribe had their land of conquest and the land they should continue to conquer and receive.

-> To divide according to God’s arrangement (our ends, conditions, network, career, interpersonal relationships)

According to what God has arranged, inherit that. Do not envy or desire to get another tribes’ inheritance. Some things cannot be changed, such as our background and our history. If God arranged us to be a commoner, we will be in pain if we desire to be somebody. Of course we aim to be perfect. Presently, what God has arranged for me, there is gold and there is promise inside.

-> Widen, Expand -> More honoured vessel

Only getting, widening and then by expanding can we become a more honoured vessel.

<17:14-18> The tribe of Joseph complained why they were given so little. Joshua replied, “Yes, you are big. Though the Canaanites have iron chariots, go and fight.” Joshua continued to challenge them to expand. We have to expand from Canaan till the ends of the earth or we will have lack.

-> <20:1-9> City of refuge = Jesus Christ

Sometimes there is weakness amidst wars. God’s mercy is always present among all tribes. Cities of refuge were distributed among the tribes.

3) Levites (Holy ministers) Prayers for Israel and sacrifice

Only with the holy ministers, the Israel’s wars could continue to win and advance.

-> City 城邑, Pasture Land

-> 12 tribes 1/10 (tithes) => give to God

This tithes represents the testimony of our life or the firstborn of our life. If we have not given the firstborn of our life to God, what is the use of serving? But why did God not give inheritance to the Levites? This is no good. If Levites have inheritance, their prayers for Israel will become ceremonial and they will not pray with life. To the 12 tribes, it will not be good also. If they have received grace from the Levites, they can then fully and willingly cut that 1/10 firstborn of their lives to respond to God. This is to tell Levites and the 12 tribes to be blessed with their whole lives.

4) Rewards: Caleb had a different spirit, following the Lord wholly

Joshua 14:6-22

Caleb brought news back when he spied as was in his heart. Totally following the Lord, he did not overemphasize or belittle himself. It was in his heart. He had a different spirit.

(1) Promise -> Absolute perspective: already belong to him

Caleb did not just believe the promise; his perspective was that the land has already belonged to him! He did not even consider about the Anakites. Anakites were the people who melted the hearts of Israel.

-> 45 years (time): 3 years -> roads of wilderness

Time will prove itself. Weakness is not a matter. However, time will prove who are the true disciples. Time will build the disciples up ever closer to God. These 3 years are the roads of wilderness. If we continue to be together, we will succeed. The life that is hurt amidst the fellowship but yet can live through the 3 years is proven. Demas went into prison with Paul, but one day left and went to the world. We need time to see the Holy Spirit in him. Sometimes, we see revival in meetings, but the revivals that outlived time will therefore be more looked up to. Discover more of our spiritual problems and areas that need healing in the roads of wilderness.

-> Still strong

How can the strength of an 85-year-old person be compared to that of a 40-year-old person? This is only possible if he continued to battle and win for those 40 years. Though there will sure be weaknesses in the battles, only Caleb relied closest to the ark (promise).

-> Hebron = City of David = Jerusalem = Jesus Christ

This is the place where Jesus Christ came to be born. Some people are scared out of their hearts the minute they meet  problems of the family, etc. But because the heart of Caleb was different, he dreamt and talked about prophecies. One day, we will discover that victory is already in his hands. Therefore, there is really no use to struggle or be discouraged about.

Therefore Caleb asked for blessings from Joshua, and Joshua blessed him. If we notice, there is no one who dared to fight Hebron except Caleb.

5. Warning (23-35): Acquire fixed perspective

*24:14-27 Leave behind disciples

Joshua told Israel that they would leave the Lord, but he and his household would follow the Lord. But Israel says, “No, we will follow.” And it returned to and fro 3-4 times. Finally, they made a testimony out of the rock (Jesus Christ). Joshua told them that he was not responsible. He knew them to be stiff-necked even while they were alive. So what was Joshua’s purpose in his strict warning? It is for leaving behind disciples.

Only when we have confirmation of a portion of the divided land can we get advice on how to walk this life.

1) History: Leave behind testimonies and examples

Sometimes, people may not understand our motives to leave behind testimonies and examples. Testimonies and examples are for people so that they can be reminded. Jesus left behind the remembrance of Holy Communion. Peter remembered. John fought and wanted to gain the first place, but in the end, knew about brotherly love. Parents do so much to leave stories behind. Those of you who love the kingdom of God, leave such testimonies behind! “When the Holy Spirit comes, He will remind you of all these things!”

2) Law 律例 ＝ Love God, Love Men

* Today’s Success

How to be successful today? Just do your very best to love God and love men.

Principle: Promise (Emmanuel)

Because God is with you, you should shepherd your family by this principle, and you should go to work by this principle.

Method: Pray

Who does not know that we must love? But we cannot do so because we do not have the method to pray to preserve our hearts.

Purpose: Submit to God, Love souls

“Lord, I desire to love the people that You love.”

3) Prophecy

Blessings and Curses

There are definitely blessings and curses. With what you are today, see today what you are going to receive tomorrow and see tomorrow by the “blessings and curses”. If we have small and typical perspectives like the world, and not a different perspective, why do you then live? There will not be a good job and ending for you.

Live in the Vision of Christ

Live in the vision to receive discipline. If we have vision, our ministry, and our families will be fine in the end. This is not day dreaming.

The 4 messages in September must be heard along with the 4 messages of Joshua. Do you know that September is the month of miracles? These 8 messages are going to be spread all around. Quickly listen and fix up the system. If we can understand the September messages, the image that you are going to live will be different for the rest of our lives.

Taken from Discipleship Training on 29^th September 2006, Joshua Overview Part 4.