Working to Conquer Canaan!
Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. Heb. 4:1.
A disciple must understand the difference between “rest” and “works” if he is to be successful. The Bible says, “We who have believed enter that rest” (Heb. 4:3), but that refers to the rest of not having to strive for our salvation. It does not refer to the rest of not having to strive for our victory. We understand that victory was won at Calvary by Jesus’ redemptive work but we are also exhorted to “fight the good fight of faith.” (I Tim. 6:12).
Too often Christians have a carry-over attitude toward their spiritual life. Because we are saved through faith alone, we feel victory should come the same way. While we trust in God to see us through, we are not exempt from suffering, struggling, and striving in order to achieve victory. The land of Canaan, while promised to the Israelites, had to be fought for, maintained, and worked before it began to yield its fruit of possession to them. So is it with me. Christ has provided me with all things that pertain to life and godliness, (2 Peter 1:4-5) but must be received by faith put into action. They become a reality in my life as I “fight the good fight of faith.” by warfare and hard work.
I conquer Canaan by working on it. I work hard in prayer, self-denial, in witnessing to a hostile world, in facing opposition, in living in accordance with the Word of God, in obeying God’s Word regardless of the obstacles, and in challenging Satan’s right to trespass.
That way of life is anything but easy. But when Canaan begins to yield it fruit, what blessings and what glory! Victory does not come without a battle, but my faith is like Caleb’s, “Give me this mountain…the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them [the enemy] out, as the Lord said” (Joshua 14:12).