Spiritual warfare

 Christ in all the scriptures

Spiritual warfare   Joshua chapter 1

The book of Joshua corresponds to the New Testament epistle to the Ephesians.  Believers today are no longer involved in land grab or physical warfare.  The conflict we face is spiritual, unseen, but nevertheless very real.  One division of the epistle has been given, based on Moses' words in Deuteronomy 1v8, "Behold I have set the land before you (corresponding to Ephesians 1-3), go in and possess the land...(corresponding to Ephesians 4-6).  This brings us into conflict with powerful enemies stated in Ephesians 6v10-13.  Unseen, yet very real enemies who will use every form of  deception to destroy our peace.  They cannot touch our relationship with God, but they can rob us of the enjoyment of spiritual life (the enjoyment of the land in O/T terms).  This section opens in Ephesians 6v10, "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" and mirrors Joshua chapter 1, where four times over the people are advised "to be strong and of a good courage"-Joshua 1v6, v7, v9, and v18.

This brings us to a most important aspect of spiritual life today.  God did not redeem Israel from Egypt to leave them in a barren wilderness, but to possess "the land flowing with milk and honey", and enjoy its fruits.  However, there are enemies in the land that are too great for us, and we must rely on the strength of the Lord.  Thus we must adopt a war mentality while in this world as is evident throughout the New Testament.

The land equates to the "heavenly" places in Ephesians-1v3; 1v20; 2v6; 3v10; 6v12.  In that land there are spiritual riches that we can enjoy-1v7; 1v18; 2v4 and 2v7; 3v8; 3v16.  However, there are also the spiritual powers of wickedness, seeking to destroy our fellowship with God, and the enjoyment of our blessing.  So we must be aware, and alert to stand in the strength of the Lord.  As Paul says in Ephesians chapter 3v16, "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man".   The conflict today is not of land or material things, but of spiritual riches for the enjoyment of the things of God.  We are reconciled to God according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1v7).  We are empowered by God to enjoy riches this world cannot supply, according to the riches of His glory (Ephesians 3v16-20).  The O/T land, in N/T terms, is not heaven, for in heaven there is no conflict.  The land is heaven upon earth for us to enjoy.

Spiritual life is not for the fainthearted, we need courage to possess our benefits now.  Paul writes to Timothy, his younger brother in Christ.   "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare"-1st Timothy 1v18; again   "Thou therefore be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus...thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ..."-2nd Timothy 2v1-4.  The enemy is not the people around us but the unseen powers of spiritual wickedness with their false doctrines, and satanically inspired wicked ways.  We must not allow these to rob us of our Divine inheritance.

Joshua was told in chapter 1v3 how to possess the land, "Every place that the sole of your feet shall tread upon, that I have given unto you, as I said unto Moses".   To walk on it was to possess it, and Paul spells this out in Ephesians for us...walk on the land!

Walk worthy of the calling    Ephesians 4v1

Walk not as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind   Ephesians 4v17

Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us   Ephesians 5v2

Walk as children of light  Ephesians 5v8

Walk circumspectly. not as fools but as wise   Ephesians 5v15

All this will demand strength and courage with the help of the Lord to possess the rich land.