Fighting for the land

Joshua 14:6-15 and 15:13-19 has an awesome story. The main character, other than God, is Caleb.

Caleb had received a promise from God years ago. In fact he says when it was: 45 years ago. This promise had his name on it; it was specifically designed for him, promised by God –the One who doesn’t break promises.

The interesting part is that Caleb goes to Joshua, the leader after Moses, and tells him essentially: “Give me the land God promised me.” Before that he explains that even though he’s 85 years old, he is as strong as when he was 40 and can go and war to get the fulfillment of the promise –the land.

It amazes me what he says next: “if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” The “if” lets me know that he knows he cannot do it without God’s help, but with it he knows it’s a given. I love the fact that it hasn’t happened yet. Caleb can’t see the future. He just has a promise with his name on it. 

Another point that caught my interest is that I had wrongly believed that Caleb got the land because God gave it to Him, in other words, that He had dropped it on his lap. I somehow missed the part that he had to fight for it. 

The land was already his in light of the promise and the promise-Giver, but God expected him to go get it. It was already his but he wasn’t going to enjoy the land, taste its fruits, and see his children run and play in it and sleep under its trees until he had fought for it.

And there’s more. When Caleb goes to Joshua, he says: “So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke that day. For you heard then how the [giantlike] Anakim were there and that the cities were great and fortified; if the Lord will be with me, I shall drive them out just as the Lord said (Joshua 14:12).” The Amplified version helps us out with a fact we would miss if we’re not consciously remembering the rest of the story (found in Numbers 13:27-33): there were giants inhabiting the land!

Conquering giants isn’t easy. It’s already something to fight for the land, but what if giants are protecting it? “Oh boy, and you say the land is mine?” I would be tempted to say in Caleb’s place. But Caleb didn't think so. He fought those giants and won with God's help and asking others to help him do it (Joshua 15:16-17). 

I love the fact that he couldn’t do it alone, even though he had faith that God would do it because he had a promise with his name on it. I love it because it shows a bit of God’s heart: He’s all about relationship. 

I think that to fulfill His promise to Caleb God wanted Caleb first to stick to Him for help, advice and courage, among a million things he’d need from God. And secondly, He wanted Caleb to establish bonds with others. Essentially, I think God likes showing us that we can’t do it alone so that we’ll ask for help. His help most of all, but also the help of those around us. He’s a God that loves relationship, community and knows that the best stories one can live are shared.

I’m learning so much from Caleb’s story. As a way of recapping, I think Jesus teaches me these things through Caleb:

      God has promises with my name on them.

      Even though what is promised is mine I still have to fight to get it.

      God's promise normally looks impossible, like conquering giant dwellers in the land that God said is mine.

      The fight includes getting God’s help for it, sincerely believing He will come through and being willing to ask for others’ help.

      This creates a story of the kind God likes: where faith, courage to take action and relationship are keys to make it happen.

However I'm struck again by the point about going to claim the land and fight when I read: "And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?" 

The question I'm left with is, what promises has God given me that I'm being negligent to claim and fight for? 

Warrior, I invite you to think on the answer as well. 

If you want to read the whole story about the promise, 

you can find it in Numbers 13:27-33, chapter 14 and in Deuteronomy 1:19-36.

When at war

"Don't let the annals of Heaven say "Here is the record of a warrior who could have been, who could have defeated Satan, but he or she ran in fright when faced with the opportunity". What a horrible thing that would be. Instead, let this be the inscription next to your name: "Here is recorded the tale of the undefeated warrior of David. Within this record is an example of an overcomer. The halls of heaven proudly salute (your name here)"." -Jesus

"War means fighting. The business of the soldier is to fight. Armies are not called out to dig trenches, to throw up breastworks, to live in camps, but to find the enemy and strike him; to invade his country, and do him all possible damage in the shortest possible time."

-Stonewall Jackson, a general in the American Civil War.

"You ask what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terror. Victory however long and hard the road may be. For without victory there is no survival." -Sir Winston Churchill

"We shall have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but we have only the few hours before sunset in which to win them." -Amy Carmichael

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

To all soldiers

How would you like a surcease from battle, a reprieve from all sacrifice, a break from the suffering, a time off from the battleground?
There is more than just a need to rest from the fight in a soldiers life. The soldier needs faith, endurance, conviction, courage and a will to not let up the fight. He will encounter all manner of foes, because the possibilities of confrontation are endless. There will be need to get up and counter another blow when he is already tired and wounded in heart and body.
That is why not many are soldiers, and why you are so precious, a rare breed in great demand. That is why our human history remembers great fighters. And that is why we live and die everyday to complete what they began. That is why the records of universal history will honor your name, because you won´t put your weapons down.
There is no glory in spilling blood, but there is glory in bringing to an end the reign of Satan. We don't carry the flag of any earthly nation, not even the the flag of aliens -to those who believe in their existence. We carry our personal flags of Victory, and the banner of Heaven stands high over the defeated armies of Hell that keep retreating in terror and utter confusion.
You feel confused? They're ten times worse.
You feel defeated? They don´t have a chance to triumph.
You feel alone? They shriek in fear knowing what you alone can do to them.
You feel tired? They are more than spent, and will soon shout helplessly their surrender.
You feel weak? They don´t have a back up strength that is sufficient to win every battle -you do.
Carry on!
I´m honored to fight along your side, and I´ll do my best to cover your back, uphold you when you´re wounded, strike a blow to your aggressor, help you out of a tramp, raise the flag of your victory, and give my life for you; because I know you'd do the same for me.
Lets learn from the greats, shall we? Lets learn from battles past and from wars fought. One thing they all have in common. Whether there was a stronger side, whether extra help was given, whether the times sent a turn of events, or whether they were all helpless, the victors always were the persevering, enduring ones -no matter what the rest of their condition looked like. Their cause was worth it.

By the way, I just finished watching "The Patriot", and I couldn't restrain myself from thinking about my own life as a soldier, and of those of you who fight with me.
And just for the record: Your name will be written next to the fighters of old, the great warriors of the past, the soldiers of the cross, under the title "Victors of the Lamb", because you are still here, because you're a soldier.
with love, a fellow comrade in arms.

"You hold the victor’s flag, and thus you shall not fail.

You hear the victor’s song, so let your faith be strong!
Raise your voice, lift your eyes, step forth with heart of praise!
The battlefield is yours to conquer, so let your flag be raised!"
-Jesus.