August 5th, 2025
This week, a very simple truth has been resonating in my heart, and it’s the fact that God wants us completely free. Anything keeping us from living in joy, peace, and abundance is standing in the way of the freedom Jesus died for!
John 8:36 says,
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Galatians 5:1 says,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not submit once more to a yoke of slavery.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 says,
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Freedom doesn’t mean there are no battles that arise, but that no battle can steal the peace and joy that’s already been won. When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased your salvation, your healing – mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally – and your deliverance. If any area of your life does not reflect that truth, then a lie has allowed an enemy to camp out in a place he doesn’t belong. Jesus called the devil the “father of lies” because the primary way he functions is through deception. The enemy works to keep people in bondage by getting them to believe they are bound by something that actually has no power.
We see an example of this truth in the historical account of the Israelites entering the promised land. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. He told them they would go in and take possession of the land He had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, the people rebelled after spies went in to see the land and the Bible says that their “hearts melted” because of their enemies. They refused to believe God’s promise so a whole generation died in the wilderness. A whole generation that God intended to take into the land spent 40 years in a wilderness. They were provided for, but they weren’t living in God’s promises.
It was the next generation that was allowed to enter the land, and they were commanded to possess the land God was giving them. God told them to completely drive out the nations dwelling in Canaan and warned that if they did not, it would be their children that would turn away to serve other gods (Deuteronomy 7:1-6).
Deuteronomy 11:8-9 says,
“Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Deuteronomy 11:22-23 says,
“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him and to hold fast to Him— then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours…”
If they obeyed God, He would drive out every enemy before them. Every place they set foot would belong to them. These are powerful promises, and we see God keep them in the book of Joshua. Moses was buried outside of the promised land, along with all the older generation, and the next generation entered the land to claim their inheritance. Jericho was the first city the people came to after they crossed into the land of promise. It was a mighty, fortified city that would have been impossible for the people to conquer but God said, “I have given Jericho into your hand” (Joshua 6:2). After a miraculous display of God’s power, Jericho fell and the fear of the Israelite army, backed by the God of heaven, spread across the whole land of Canaan. God did what He promised He would do.
However, just a few years later we see the result of what happened when the people did not obey God’s command. Judges 1:27-34 tells us all the nations the Israelites failed to drive out. Here are just a few examples:
Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. (Judges 1:27)
Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them. (Judges 1:29)
Zebulun did not drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, so these Canaanites lived among them, but Zebulun did subject them to forced labor. (Judges 1:30)
Asher did not drive out those living in Akko or Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob. The Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they did not drive them out. (Judges 1:31)
Naphtali did not drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. (Judges 1:32-33)
The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain. (Judges 1:34)
Because they did not heed His word and completely drive out those nations, God told His people that their enemies would become a thorn in their sides – a snare to their children. We see that cycle throughout the book of Judges – sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance – over and over again. Generations of people knew war and unrest because their enemies remained in a place they were never supposed to be.
One generation failed to complete the assignment God had given them and it was their children who suffered.
Judges 2:10 says,
“There arose a generation that did not know Jehovah or the work He had done for Israel.”
They abandoned God and began to serve the pagan gods of the people that should never have remained in the land.
Think about it. God promised them He would drive out every enemy and they saw Him give them victory after victory until they had their inheritance in the promised land. They fought every battle and won as long as they were in obedience. However, they stopped fighting when they were able to live comfortably with their enemies. It says multiple times in the verses above that they lived among them. They had made it to the promised land. They were in the place God had given them, enjoying the fruits of His victory. However, there were still enemies in the land. They would have had to muster their armies from the houses they had built. They would have had to rally soldiers from their inheritance – the places they felt safe and comfortable – in order to drive out the remaining nations. They fought Jericho because they had to. They could not have entered the promised land if Jericho didn’t fall. They saw God give them the victory that was absolutely necessary for them to enter the land. However, they failed to go after the enemies dwelling in the land when they could live comfortably with them. They failed to pursue the victories God wanted to give them.
This week, we want to ask you what enemies God is waiting for you to chase down? Often, we seek God passionately in His word when there is a battle we have to win to live. It’s in life-or-death situations that people often turn to Him in desperation and see Him work miracles. However, it’s when things are comfortable that we have to ask God what territory still needs to be taken. What victories is He waiting to give you if you will refuse to be satisfied with just “good enough”? God doesn’t want us living comfortably with a little fear, sickness, financial struggle, or unrest. Jesus came that we would have abundant life and anything less than that is an enemy that needs to be defeated. Don’t tolerate the things Jesus shed His blood to defeat. Anything less than the fullness of the Gospel is a battle that still needs to be fought and won – by faith and in His Word. We fight knowing we have been promised victory. Every battle has the guarantee that as long as we obey His word, we are standing on ground He’s promised to give us. This week, we encourage you to ask Him what victories He has waiting for you if you will refuse to live comfortably with things He never wanted you to tolerate. Take possession of everything God has for you! It’s His inheritance for you in Jesus Christ. It’s your total freedom, peace, and joy. Take possession of all that He’s given, so you, and those after you, will live in the victory He’s promised!
John 8:36 says,
“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Galatians 5:1 says,
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not submit once more to a yoke of slavery.”
2 Corinthians 3:17 says,
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Freedom doesn’t mean there are no battles that arise, but that no battle can steal the peace and joy that’s already been won. When Jesus died on the cross, He purchased your salvation, your healing – mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally – and your deliverance. If any area of your life does not reflect that truth, then a lie has allowed an enemy to camp out in a place he doesn’t belong. Jesus called the devil the “father of lies” because the primary way he functions is through deception. The enemy works to keep people in bondage by getting them to believe they are bound by something that actually has no power.
We see an example of this truth in the historical account of the Israelites entering the promised land. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, He promised them a land flowing with milk and honey. He told them they would go in and take possession of the land He had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, the people rebelled after spies went in to see the land and the Bible says that their “hearts melted” because of their enemies. They refused to believe God’s promise so a whole generation died in the wilderness. A whole generation that God intended to take into the land spent 40 years in a wilderness. They were provided for, but they weren’t living in God’s promises.
It was the next generation that was allowed to enter the land, and they were commanded to possess the land God was giving them. God told them to completely drive out the nations dwelling in Canaan and warned that if they did not, it would be their children that would turn away to serve other gods (Deuteronomy 7:1-6).
Deuteronomy 11:8-9 says,
“Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land the Lord swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Deuteronomy 11:22-23 says,
“If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him and to hold fast to Him— then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you. Every place where you set your foot will be yours…”
If they obeyed God, He would drive out every enemy before them. Every place they set foot would belong to them. These are powerful promises, and we see God keep them in the book of Joshua. Moses was buried outside of the promised land, along with all the older generation, and the next generation entered the land to claim their inheritance. Jericho was the first city the people came to after they crossed into the land of promise. It was a mighty, fortified city that would have been impossible for the people to conquer but God said, “I have given Jericho into your hand” (Joshua 6:2). After a miraculous display of God’s power, Jericho fell and the fear of the Israelite army, backed by the God of heaven, spread across the whole land of Canaan. God did what He promised He would do.
However, just a few years later we see the result of what happened when the people did not obey God’s command. Judges 1:27-34 tells us all the nations the Israelites failed to drive out. Here are just a few examples:
Manasseh did not drive out the people of Beth Shan or Taanach or Dor or Ibleam or Megiddo and their surrounding settlements, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that land. (Judges 1:27)
Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, but the Canaanites continued to live there among them. (Judges 1:29)
Zebulun did not drive out the Canaanites living in Kitron or Nahalol, so these Canaanites lived among them, but Zebulun did subject them to forced labor. (Judges 1:30)
Asher did not drive out those living in Akko or Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob. The Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land because they did not drive them out. (Judges 1:31)
Naphtali did not drive out those living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath; but the Naphtalites too lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land. (Judges 1:32-33)
The Amorites confined the Danites to the hill country, not allowing them to come down into the plain. (Judges 1:34)
Because they did not heed His word and completely drive out those nations, God told His people that their enemies would become a thorn in their sides – a snare to their children. We see that cycle throughout the book of Judges – sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance – over and over again. Generations of people knew war and unrest because their enemies remained in a place they were never supposed to be.
One generation failed to complete the assignment God had given them and it was their children who suffered.
Judges 2:10 says,
“There arose a generation that did not know Jehovah or the work He had done for Israel.”
They abandoned God and began to serve the pagan gods of the people that should never have remained in the land.
Think about it. God promised them He would drive out every enemy and they saw Him give them victory after victory until they had their inheritance in the promised land. They fought every battle and won as long as they were in obedience. However, they stopped fighting when they were able to live comfortably with their enemies. It says multiple times in the verses above that they lived among them. They had made it to the promised land. They were in the place God had given them, enjoying the fruits of His victory. However, there were still enemies in the land. They would have had to muster their armies from the houses they had built. They would have had to rally soldiers from their inheritance – the places they felt safe and comfortable – in order to drive out the remaining nations. They fought Jericho because they had to. They could not have entered the promised land if Jericho didn’t fall. They saw God give them the victory that was absolutely necessary for them to enter the land. However, they failed to go after the enemies dwelling in the land when they could live comfortably with them. They failed to pursue the victories God wanted to give them.
This week, we want to ask you what enemies God is waiting for you to chase down? Often, we seek God passionately in His word when there is a battle we have to win to live. It’s in life-or-death situations that people often turn to Him in desperation and see Him work miracles. However, it’s when things are comfortable that we have to ask God what territory still needs to be taken. What victories is He waiting to give you if you will refuse to be satisfied with just “good enough”? God doesn’t want us living comfortably with a little fear, sickness, financial struggle, or unrest. Jesus came that we would have abundant life and anything less than that is an enemy that needs to be defeated. Don’t tolerate the things Jesus shed His blood to defeat. Anything less than the fullness of the Gospel is a battle that still needs to be fought and won – by faith and in His Word. We fight knowing we have been promised victory. Every battle has the guarantee that as long as we obey His word, we are standing on ground He’s promised to give us. This week, we encourage you to ask Him what victories He has waiting for you if you will refuse to live comfortably with things He never wanted you to tolerate. Take possession of everything God has for you! It’s His inheritance for you in Jesus Christ. It’s your total freedom, peace, and joy. Take possession of all that He’s given, so you, and those after you, will live in the victory He’s promised!
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