DCLM Daily Manna Sunday 27 August 2023
TOPIC: Courage Wins the Battle
TEXT: Joshua 17:8-18 (KJV)
8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim;
9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea:
10 Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.
13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?
15 And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
KEY VERSE
“And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.”
(Joshua 17:16)
DCLM Daily Manna Sunday 27 August 2023 MESSAGE
Late Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear”.
Our text deals with the allotment of the inheritance in the Promised Land to Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. Due to their complaints that one lot was too small for “a great people”, Joshua directed them to “cut down” wood and possess the land for themselves. However, they again complained that the people of the territory had chariots of iron.
READ DCLM Daily Manna Saturday 26 August 2023 – Contentment Is Key
God’s directive to Israel was very clear. They were to go in and possess the land for their inheritance. They must make no covenant with the inhabitants but utterly destroy them and their idols. God assured them He would fight for them; but fear paralysed the tribe of Joseph and made them unable to possess their inheritance.
Fear disables its victims and makes them powerless. Fear makes believers unable to fight “the good fight of faith” in the face of adversity. Just as Apostle Paul told Timothy, God has not given us the spirit of fear but that of power, love and of a sound mind. The size of the enemy is not what matters, otherwise David would not have defeated Goliath. What matters is our faith in our all-conquering God and the courage to dare to take Him at His word. Notwithstanding the intimidation, harassment and assaults from the enemy, the believer in Christ must remember that in Him, he is “more than a conqueror” and that “the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits”. It is courage that gives the victory over every physical and spiritual battle.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
It takes sheer courage through God to overcome life challenges.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Psalm 39-43
