My holy fit against unbelief

A few nights ago, I got mad with the tribe of Judah. Yes, you are allowed to laugh at this situation, but it is true. My heart was racing. I also got mad at the tribe of Benjamin. Then, I got mad at the sons of Ephraim, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Don't even get me started on the sons of Asher.

Now you should know that I am not one prone to anger. I wasn't transferring anger from another situation to this one either. I had a holy fit though. And I haven't been able to speak to the beginning of the book of Judges for a few days now. I will confess; I gave the tribes of Israel a bit of the silent treatment and ran to talk to my Jesus.

The tribes of Israel have finally entered Canaan, their promised land. They are to take possession of it and remove the enemies from their land of inheritance. God has promised to deliver their enemies unto them. He has promised to be their Captain of Host. He has "given the land into their hands." (vs. 2). And then it happens...

vs. 19 "Now the LORD was with Judah (don't miss that point)...but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they (their enemies) had iron chariots."
vs. 21 "But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites ... so the Jebusites lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day."
vs. 29 "Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them."
vs. 31 "Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites..."
(You get the point...)

The tribes of Israel, the people deemed His treasured possession, got me in a tizzy. They forfeited part of their inheritance, and 'settled' in their settlement. They allowed themselves to live amidst the very people that God had commanded them to drive out. He had been clear that they were to destroy the altars of their false gods and make no covenant with them (2:2). Yet the Israelites allowed them to stay. A people group whom God had said would be a snare to them, lived in their land of promise. And they permitted it!

I'm no scholar, but I'm going to propose that the generational sin of unbelief roared its ugly head again. They saw the 'iron chariots' (vs. 19) of these 'giant' Canaanites, allowed fear to direct their steps, and gave in. They didn't even fight. They "did not drive them out."

Did not drive them out...did not drive them out...did not drive them out.

Sigh...don't we do the same dear sister? God has promised us a life of purpose, a life meant to be victorious in Him, a life that bears much fruit, and yet we've been lazy or fearful, and decided not to fight. We have not driven out the "little foxes that ruin the vineyards" (SoS 2:15). We have walked in the sin of unbelief, deciding that this 'thing' is too big or difficult to be free from, and allowed it to live in our God promised land of inheritance! We have accepted our strongholds, addictions, and unhealthy states of mentality, allowing them to be our own "iron chariots," whose grandness in our minds is really only a pretense that needs to be taken captive and made obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

Might I add that several of the tribes even made some of these 'enemies' servants and forced labor. Sweet sister, those sins taking up space in your promised land that you think you have control over may not be as much under your reign as you have been hoping. Dare I say that we are the ones enslaved, if we are not absolutely bound to the freedom of Him and His law? Dare I agree with Him that those 'things' will become a "snare" to us?

Dear friend, we do not have to 'settle' in our settlement. It is our absolute right as a child of God to walk victoriously in the land of freedom that He has promised to deliver to us, if we would just work with Him! BELIEVE God to do what He has promised to do for you, and cease allowing the 'giant' in your promised land to remain there. Oh, would we but uncover the revelation of who He is by believing Him! May we fight in Jesus' Name! May we destroy the altars and break covenant with those false gods.

Our Yahweh has sworn Covenant to us. By His might, we can fight the 'Canaanites' in our lands of inheritance. Take possession of what He has called you to sister. He is faithful to His Word. And your Deliverer. Believe Him.

And PS - I have forgiven the tribes of Judah. Grin.