[303 words]
The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel” (Joshua 17:16).
When the land of Canaan was being divided, the descendants of Joseph, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, were given land but were not satisfied. They felt they were too numerous and needed more land. The problem was that they saw the people living in the towns on the plains as too powerful for them to conquer (Joshua 17:16-18). Not only that, but they were also well armed, even having “chariots of iron.” The Israelites were afraid!
Why do we often find ourselves unsuccessful in “taking the land”? Why have we failed to drive the sin out of our lives? Are we like the Israelites who are afraid of the enemy? Are we intimidated by “chariots of iron”? Have we forgotten the One who is fighting our battles for us?
God has told us how to be successful. It has nothing to do with conventional weapons and strategies for warfare. We do not need sword, spear, or even chariots of iron. What we need is faith in God. What we need is a steadfast determination to fight with the spiritual armor God has supplied. Trusting “…in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10-19).
Don’t let the iron chariots scare you. We all have areas we need to change. We all have tasks that we know God wants us to do, that require us to step out on faith. You’ve got the God of heaven and earth fighting with you and for you. Do not fear! Go out and slay the enemy!
Brad Tolbert
Monticello church of Christ
Monticello, AR