Joshua 1:11 (ESV)

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Bible Commentary

Joshua 1:11 is a Bible verse from the Old Testament where Joshua is relaying a command from God to the people to go in and possess the land that He was giving them.

God has been preparing you all your life for a purpose. You may not have been aware of it, but He always has His eye on the big picture. It’s not just about your well-being, but the well-being of many others, too.

We have a big responsibility to be prepared, and when it’s time, to take possession of the land He has prepared us to receive. Most of us probably don’t understand why it is such a painstaking process to receive the gift. It seems as though receiving the gift would be the easiest part.

Not necessarily. In order for the children of Israel to receive the land flowing with milk and honey, they first had to drive out the people who were already living there. That meant war.

Spiritual War

Chances are, you have already endured some type of warfare in your life in the spiritual realm, even if you weren’t aware of it. God has ordered angels over us who have been with us from the beginning. (Psalm 91:11-13).

We have faced challenges, struggles and endured pain. We have conquered and overcome in some cases, failed in others, but all with the Presence of God by our side. He knows every situation we have faced, for He faced it with us. He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5).

Notice in Joshua 1:11 that God told Joshua to pass through the camp to command the people. The people needed to hear and see God through their leader, and after Moses’ passing that leader was Joshua.

God has been preparing you to lead, as well. It might not be in a traditional capacity or obvious to anyone yet but you and God. That’s okay. There is a master plan and you are an integral part of it.

Remember it is for God’s glory, not our own.

Possess the Land

Joshua 1:11 says, “…within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.”

You might not even understand yet what the “land” is that you are supposed to go in and possess. Don’t worry about it. God’s got it, and He’ll reveal it to you one step at a time.

Remember Psalm 119:105:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet  And a light to my path.”

One step at a time. As long as our main focus is Jesus Christ and His Word, the haziness of the plan will soon come into sharp focus alongside the development of our talents, skills and spiritual gifts.

God’s plan is far bigger than our own. That’s why it takes so much longer to evolve than we would like. Know that He is working harder than we are, putting things in place that will allow for the rise of His glory through us, His people.

And when we come up over the hill to see a beautiful horizon flowing with milk and honey, what a sweet slice of paradise it will be! All of the waiting, the struggles, the challenges and pain will have been so worth it. It will all make perfect sense, and we’ll know healing from every tear and every heartache.

And Jesus Christ will be right in the middle of it all—in our hearts and in our sights. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Luke 11:2).

Study the Bible verse of Joshua 1:11 to know this is the time, this is the place—of healing, of deliverance, of heaven on earth.