Conquer& Focus On God

Conquer & Focus On God
1After Joshua died, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Which tribe should attack the Canaanites first?"

2The LORD answered, "Judah, for I have given them victory over the land."

3The leaders of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, "Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory." So the men of Simeon went with Judah.

4When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed ten thousand enemy warriors at the town of Bezek. 5While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated. 6Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 7Adoni-bezek said, "I once had seventy kings with thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them." They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

8The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire. 9Then they turned south to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills.^[a] 10Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 11From there they marched against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher).

12Then Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher." 13Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel's wife.

14When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him^[b] to ask her father for an additional field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What is it? What can I do for you?"

15She said, "Give me a further blessing. You have been kind enough to give me land in the Negev; please give me springs as well." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

16When the tribe of Judah left Jericho,^[c] the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses' father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.

17Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed^[d] the town. So the town was named Hormah.^[e] 18In addition, Judah captured the cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories.

Israel Fails to Conquer the Land

19The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains because the people there had iron chariots. 20The city of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak. 21The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.

22The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the LORD was with them. 23They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), 24who confronted a man coming out of the city. They said to him, "Show us a way into the city, and we will have mercy on you." 25So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the city except for this man and his family. 26Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a city. He named the city Luz, and it is known by that name to this day.

27The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan,^[f] Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and their surrounding villages, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. 28When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them out of the land.

29The tribe of Ephraim also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, and so the Canaanites continued to live there among them.

30The tribe of Zebulun also failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron and Nahalol, who continued to live among them. But they forced them to work as slaves.

31The tribe of Asher also failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. 32In fact, because they did not drive them out, the Canaanites dominated the land where the people of Asher lived.

33The tribe of Naphtali also failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, the Canaanites dominated the land where they lived. Nevertheless, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were sometimes forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali.

34As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. 35The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves. 36The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass^[g] to Sela and continued upward from there. The Bottom Line:

The Israelites were convinced that the war against the Canaanites was to be continued; but they were in doubt as to the manner in which it was to be carried on after the death of Joshua. In these respects they inquired of the Lord. God appoints service according to the strength he has given. From those who are most able, most work is expected. Judah was first in dignity, and must be first in duty. Judah's service will not avail unless God give success; but God will not give the

success, unless Judah applies to the service. Judah was the most considerable of all the tribes, and Simeon the least; yet Judah begs Simeon's friendship, and prays for aid from him. It becomes Israelites to help one another against Canaanites; and all Christians, even those of different tribes, should strengthen one another. Those who thus help one another in love, have reason to hope that God will graciously help both. Adoni-bezek was taken prisoner. This prince had been a severe tyrant. The

Israelites, doubtless under the Divine direction, made him suffer what he had done to others; and his own conscience confessed that he was justly treated as he had treated others. Thus the righteous God sometimes, in his providence, makes the punishment answer the sin. (Jdg 1:9-20)

The Canaanites had iron chariots; but Israel had God on their side, whose chariots are thousands of angels, Ps 68:17. Yet they suffered their fears to prevail against their faith. About Caleb we read in Jos 15:16 to 19. The Kenites had settled in the land. Israel let them fix where they pleased, being a quiet, contented people. They that molested none, were molested by none. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Jdg 1:21-36)

What is it today that we can do within us? As People of the most high God we look deepwith in and see what needs be change and move in him. This give us some wonderful revelations in developing it within us as children of God.as we enter upon new terrority in new lands as God as our blessed leader in that divine headship that we can only have within us and his word. We ought to be about addressing whom are our enemies are within our lives in seeing those principlities of darkness in defeating them and stomping on those heads and crushing them all mightly as God and his head Arch Angle which goes on before us in that battle. When can take such a conquest when being completed in addressing our lives in keeping one's own focus on ever so building ones life brand new land burried deep within us in gving all that's within us in the spirit of all truths whom helps us at all times. He with us as his can divide and conquer all thats comes against us as his children He's satify's everything our victorious warrior, shelters us in whom reigns upon His throne, that comforts us as his. That fountain just pours in us as we are hidden in His rock being our redeemer. catcmo2006