If You’re In The Ring With It, You Can Defeat It (Part 2)

If You’re In The Ring With It, You Can Defeat It (Part 2)

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, he will clear away many nations ahead of you… These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you conquer them, you must completely destroy them. Make no treaties with them and show them no mercy.” Deuteronomy 7:1-2 New Living Translation

Before Israel could occupy the land of promise, the nations already living there had to be removed. The land was the Lord’s, and only he could determine who the inhabitants should be. The war against the inhabitants of Canaan was led by God. You’ll notice that without the hand of the Lord on their side, these nations were greater and more numerous than the Israelites. You’ll also notice that God handed them over to the Israelites, yet it was up to the Israelites to actually destroy the enemy by the power of God.

God gave them explicit instructions to completely annihilate their enemy. But Biblical accounts tell us that the Israelites settled for not completely killing them; rather they forced some of the Canaanites to become their slaves. Sadly, that poses the same problem that is experienced from failing to remove ashes from a kindling fire. The accumulation of ashes will eventually threaten your fire. Similarly, those forced slaves eventually rose up and reclaimed Canaanite territory.

God commanded His people to kill all the inhabitants of the land while they were still in the period of war and conquest, because there would come a time when they would be at rest and warring would cease. Eventually, they would no longer be fighters, but would become shepherds and farmers. Once settled, the Israelites would become attracted to the Canaanite gods (fertility, rain, and crops), and their gods would become a snare to the people of God. Likewise, the people allowed to remain in the land would become a thorn in their side.

It’s during those times that God is dealing with us concerning certain issues and struggles in our lives that He is giving us the grace and power to confront and annihilate our enemies. These are the times that God has created an opportunity for us to get complete victory in those areas of our lives. Failing to completely destroy our enemies through the power of God will allow them to reclaim territory and dominate those areas over which God has already given us the victory. So let’s remove the ashes. Annihilate all our enemies. Because it is only presented as an enemy because God has given us the ability to defeat it!