“Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Joshua 14:12
The story of the twelve spies who explored Canaan illustrates how ten of them provided a negative report, while Caleb and Joshua delivered a positive one. Unfortunately, the Israelites heeded the negative report, leading to forty years of wandering in the wilderness until that generation passed away.
Following Moses, Joshua took leadership and began allocating land to the tribes. Caleb approached Joshua when he was eighty-five years old, requesting the hill country promised to him by the Lord. This region was inhabited by the Anakites, ancient giants who occupied large, fortified cities. Caleb was sure that with the Lord helping him he would be able to drive them just as the Lord said.
We need to have this assurance in our hearts that the Lord loves us unconditionally and that He is for us and never against us even when we mess up, fail or disobey. He knows our weaknesses and never judges us based on that. Even when we face life’s darkest moments, He stands by us, providing empowerment and support. As Jesus took victory over every demonic force, we are also called to overcome and conquer any authority that opposes us.
Caleb’s desire for the hill country, even at the age of eighty-five, serves as an example for us. He disregarded his age and the challenging circumstances, focusing solely on the Lord’s promise. The only thing that mattered was that ‘the Lord said and therefore it belonged to him’. Missed opportunities or the passage of time should not stop us. May we be inspired by Caleb’s determination. Our ability to achieve God’s calling doesn’t depend on external circumstances but on what God has called us inside. If the Lord has called us to take the hill country it doesn’t matter even if we are eighty-five, we can still take it.
Joshua 14:13-14 13Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
When Caleb made his request for the hill country, Joshua granted his blessing and assigned Hebron as Caleb’s inheritance. Notably, this exchange between Caleb and Joshua took place outside the borders of the land itself. The hill country remained occupied by the Anakites, but for Caleb, the only thing of significance was that the Lord had assured him it was his to claim. Even before he physically conquered the land, it already belonged to him spiritually. It teaches us that our inheritance, whether it’s a promise God gave us, our health, our financial prosperity, our miracles, or business success, belongs to us through the power of God, even before we tangibly possess them. Can we fathom this profound truth?
Caleb serves as a remarkable example of a man who operated based on the promises the Lord had given him. He didn’t rely on facts or attempt to calculate the feasibility of conquering the hill country. Caleb possessed a deep understanding that it was already his. In the same way, we too should cultivate such a profound understanding that every promise, healing, and deliverance is rightfully ours. Even if we haven’t witnessed their physical manifestation in our lives, we should firmly grasp the truth that they belong to us.
HOW TO DEVELOP THE UNDERSTANDING
Amidst challenges such as problems, sickness, and debt, cultivating the understanding that physical appearances aren’t the ultimate reality, but rather what the Lord has promised us, can be achieved through –
- Meditation
- Imagination
Meditation doesn’t mean sitting still in some posture. But it’s the thoughts that occupy our minds throughout the day. It is the thoughts that we force into our minds. It can be either be the promises of God or the medical diagnosis we receive from the doctor. The doctor’s words are just facts often reliant on what they see in the medical tests. However, we are not like everybody else as being His children we have His glory shining upon us. (Isaiah 60:2)
Though darkness covers the earth, the Lord rises over us and His glory will shine upon us. This sets us apart; while people around us may grapple with sickness, we are shielded from its grip. Cultivating such thoughts is essential. With Jesus in us, we stand undefeated. Our reliance is on God’s words that assure us that we are the apple of His eyes and He has engraved us on the palm of His hands. Our light is distinct, and it draws kings to the radiance of our dawn. We are unique, and to manifest this uniqueness, we must nurture both meditation and imagination. Our imagination attracts the power of God. The meditation of our heart is important. That is why David says, “Let the mediation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight”. It doesn’t talk about the sinful thoughts. It’s about thinking the thoughts that God has for us. We must meditate on the truth of God contrary to what the physical realities would tell us.
Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and that truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
“IF WE MEDITATE ON THE TRUTH, THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE
IF WE MEDITATE ON THE FACT, THE FACT WILL DESTROY US.”
Out of the twelve spies, ten meditated on the fact and spoke the fact and made all the assembly of people accept the fact. In contrast, Joshua and Caleb denied the fact. Similarly, when Abraham though knowing his wife’s barrenness and his own old age, considered not the facts but embraced the truth of what God had promised him. This transformation in our mindset is attainable only through meditation, consistently infusing what God has spoken into our consciousness. We must make a deliberate choice to focus on these things. Paul says in Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
The twelve spies as they prepared to go to spy the land of Canaan would have started their journey on a positive note fueled by faith, power and imagination but when they saw the Anakites all their power vanished leaving them feel as if they were deflated balloons. The crucial difference was that their hearts were not filled with meditation and hence they lacked power. But the other two spies saw it as an opportunity to display God’s glory.
Complaining and murmuring doesn’t work in the New Testament setting. It’s only by meditation and imagination can we bring God’s power into us. We need to spend more time meditating than praying. That is because if we do not have the right meditation or imagination, our prayer will only be a complaint box.
God does not fight our battles. Instead, He gives us the power to fight our battles. While there are instances where God promised to fight battles, it was still people who actively participated, with God granting them the power needed. God doesn’t provide us with money but gives us the power to create wealth. We get the power through meditation and cultivating the right thoughts.
God has a call and a destiny regarding our lives but we need to wait for power. Jesus instructed His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel. But before His ascension, He told the disciples that before they would go, they had to wait in Jerusalem until they received power.
If we start doing the will of God without power, we will be defeated. Waiting however transforms our imagination and thought processes. Our understanding changes and this attracts the power of God in us. Jesus lives in us and there’s no doubt about that but we require the power of God in our logical mind, heart and emotion which can bring victory.
Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”
God is powerful and omnipotent and He can do everything. However, He can operate only to the extent of His power working in our lives. The level of power we access is determined by our meditation and our imagination. Our hearts must be open to the degree where we confidently believe we can conquer our adversaries. When our meditation and imagination align with this conviction, we receive the power to overcome challenges. If our imagination leads us to anticipate defeat, even when it’s God’s will for us to prevail, we will be defeated. In such a situation, we must wait until our meditation, imagination, and faith are aligned correctly before taking action.
The electric motor in a ceiling fan is connected to a 220-volt power source, yet it can be stopped by human hands. This is because the fan’s power output is limited, usually around 40 watts. On the other hand, a different motor connected to the same 220-volt source may run at a much higher power, like 1000 watts, making it dangerous to touch. In a similar way, we are all connected to the divine source of God’s power, but what truly matters is the strength of that power within us. If we possess the equivalent of a 40-watt motor within us, we become vulnerable, and our progress can be hindered by the enemy. However, with a 1000-watt level of power within us, we become unstoppable and can overcome anything the devil throws at us. Meditation and the thoughts we cultivate open the gateway to the spiritual realm, infusing us with greater power. Conversely, if we choose to dwell in darkness, pondering our circumstances, and wallowing in self-pity, no one can help us. It’s essential to rise up, recognizing that our inner light is available, and we will not be defeated. Thus, we should dispel self-pity and remain confident that with God in us, victory is assured.
HEBRON
Joshua 14:15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.
Hebron was originally known as Kiriath Arba before its renaming following the conquest. It derived its name from Arba, who was one of the greatest giants. Hebron is situated about 30 kilometers from Jerusalem, along the border of the West Bank, a region partially under Palestinian control and partially governed by the Israeli military. The mention of Hebron in the Bible dates back to the book of Genesis. It holds significance as the burial site of notable figures like Sarah, Abraham’s wife, as well as Isaac and Jacob, along with their families. King David was anointed there, and several key events unfolded in this city.
While Hebron and other territories were once part of Israel, historical events, including the Babylonian and Persian invasions during the time of Daniel, led to the loss of Hebron. Subsequently, the Edomites took control of the Hebron area. It wasn’t until the Six-Day War in 1967 that Israel regained control over Gaza, the West Bank, and most other areas, though Hebron was later returned to Palestine due to international pressure. Presently, Hebron remains under the partial rule of both Palestine and the Israeli military. The situation in Hebron is complex and rooted in historical and geopolitical factors. It’s believed that Israel will reclaim Hebron, defeat its enemies, and establish the Temple of God, which is expected to coincide with the return of Christ.
It was the will of God for His people to inherit the land which God promised Abraham and his descendants. But the people of Israel heeded to the negative report given by the ten spies. Their lack of faith and futile imaginations resulted in wandering the wilderness for forty years until the negative-minded people passed away. Many times in life, despite God’s will to give us great things, our lack of faith, influenced by the opinions of others and the consideration of mere facts, can hinder us from seizing the opportunities laid before us. Each challenge we encounter often stems from our failure to recognize the power and promises of God. By aligning our meditations with faith, we can overcome any obstacle in the name of Jesus!!