The children Manasseh had a giant problem, literally. They had seen God’s deliverance from Egypt’s oppression, daily experienced God’s provision, crossed the river into the land promised their father Abraham but there was still one problem…giants. They were in the promised land, it was under their feet, they could see it but it didn’t quite look like what they were expecting. Have you ever felt like you were where God wanted you to be but it was full of problems? Maybe those problems even caused you to question if you’re in the right place. You’re not alone.
The nation of Israel had the promised land in reach, all that was left was to take the land. We are in a similar position yet under a new covenant. We have been translated into the Kingdom of Jesus, delivered from the power of darkness with all spiritual blessings within our grasp yet our outer world may be full of problems. Let’s check back in with the tribe of Manasseh and see how they handled this issue.
The children of Manasseh came before Joshua and Eleazar the priest to remind them they were supposed to get some land. Joshua divides to them ten portions of land. The inheritance had been given, more than enough for the men, women, and children. I can see it now, the tribe packs up and heads toward their promised land, full of hope and expectation of a bright future. Maybe they’re even singing the song of Moses and telling tales of having to eat all that quail and manna. They arrive at the borders of their new sanctuary and then they see them, giants.
They were emboldened by the victories of Joshua and Caleb so they begin to fight for their land. It soon becomes clear they are not strong enough to take care of this problem so they go back to Joshua to ask for help.
Keep in mind Joshua is the one called by God to take Israel into the promised, he’s the one who led them to their promise and got them to a place of deliverance and given the land. He’s a type and shadow of Jesus. He’s God’s representative at this time. The promised land is under their feet but now they have to fight for it. What Joshua does next is a clue into how we’re to fight to see the manifestation of all the spiritual promises God has made to all who believe in the name of the Lord Jesus.
In Joshua 17 we also see the children of Joseph come before Joshua. Their issue is a little different than Manasseh. Joseph’s children complain about not having enough land and add that the land they do have is also full of giant Canaanites and there are too many trees. Joshua says ok, head up to the land of the Perizzites, cut down the trees and take that land too. Then they tell Joshua the giant Canaanites have iron chariots.
Then Joshua says, “do I have to do everything for you?” Not really but I can imagine he begins to get frustrated with all the excuses. He probably wanted to remind them of all the giants he’d killed, how he took Jericho, how he defeated 31 kings, how God sent hornets to clear the land but he didn’t. Instead, he declares the future of God’s favor and desire for them.
And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—saying, “You are a great people and have great power; you SHALL not have only one lot, “but the mountain country SHALL be yours. Although it is wooded, you SHALL cut it down, and its farthest extent SHALL be yours; for you SHALL drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong.” Joshua 17:17-18
I believe Joshua is prophesying the will of God for these tribes at this moment. He is speaking from a place of confidence and personal trust in the Lord but he is also representing the desire of the Lord for them in his declaration. Notice how many times he says shall, he’s not playing around, he’s very serious about what he is saying. He knows God is faithful, he has seen it. Joshua knows the Lord is trustworthy and when he makes a promise he does everything in his power to empower you to inherit that promise in its fullness.
I believe this is what God has done over our lives. Through Christ he has declared victory, he has made us righteous, he has sealed those who believe with his eternal spirit of promise, his favor goes before us and his protection follows behind, all that is left is to walk with him while renewing our minds to see his salvation in its fullness. We become dismayed at the sight of a problem or are afraid of a little work and allow the kingdom seed within our hearts to be choked out. Like we’re about to see in the destiny of these tribes all it takes to see God’s promises is to remain confident in what he has already declared.
These tribes must have been inspired and emboldened by Joshua in this exchange because we see a very different story a few chapters later.
Joshua 21:43 So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
WOW! All came to pass! This is God’s desire for you, that everything he has promised you comes to pass. Jesus said all things were possible to those who believe. Do you believe all of the promises You’ve stood on will come to pass?
So why don’t we see the manifestation of these promises? Possibly like the children of Israel we’re complaining in our hearts, perhaps like Manasseh we think our problems are too strong, maybe like the children of Joseph we don’t want to get to work and cut down the trees that stand in the way. It doesn’t matter why. That’s the wrong question anyway. The right question is “what has God said?”
God’s favor is not magic. Everything God has for us is experienced by grace through faith. The outward manifestation is directly tied to the inward expectation and commitment to be empowered by God. Far too often we complain or remain in our laziness rather than getting up, taking steps forward and putting our hand to the plow. We’ve somehow been lulled into an idealistic stupor that God will sovereignly make everything happen in our lives independent from our co-laboring.
We can never perform our way into a blessing but the paradox is we’ll never experience the fullness of what God has promised until we trust him and move forward to take the land. Faith comes before understanding, plowing comes before harvesting, foundations are laid before structures are built…do not let yourself be fooled into thinking your time of inactivity is being spent waiting on the Lord to perform a magic trick on your behalf. When we begin to move we can be led, while we’re parked at the dock it only serves to ensure nothing will happen.
That may be a little strong but I want to inspire you to trust God. I want you to take responsibility for what God has promised you and not let it go. His grace is ever-present and more than you’ll ever need to accomplish what is in your heart but grace doesn’t take the first step for you. God is seeking to bless you but you might have to kill a few giants to see the manifestation.
I dare you to take God at his word and step out in what he has declared over your life. Don’t know what God has declared over your life? Pick a promise, any promise and go for it for all of his promises are a resounding YES!
2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Either you’re going to believe God or you’re going to settle and come up with excuses, which will you do?
In my series “The City of God: Entering the Promised Land,” I discuss how God goes before you and fights for you. He’s the God of the impossible, he can make a way where there is no way. I look at the concept of abiding in Jesus as our place of victory and rest. I firmly establish the fact that God is for you and is, in fact, seeking to bless you every moment of the day. And I discuss the paradox of effortlessly producing fruit while gaining ground by the grace of God.
I believe this series will convince you that God’s promises are sure for you and he is relentless in helping you move toward complete manifestation.
