"When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, 'You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.'" (Joshua 13:1).

Each day presents us with new challenges.

There is a powerful parallel relationship between the commission of Joshua (See Joshua Chapter 1:1-9) and the commission of another - a greater Joshua - Jesus (See Matthew 28:18-20). The commission given through Joshua occurs after the death of the law giver Moses. The commission given through Jesus occurs after his own death on the cross. Moses was able to bring a revelation of God's righteous demands but was unable to enter into an experience of their fulfillment. Jesus not only reveals God's righteousness but takes the capital punishment it demands for sin. His passing from death to life marks a new era, even as Joshua's crossing of the River Jordan. God's people were no longer under the leadership of Moses. We are no longer under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). The letter of the law given by Moses prescribes righteous living but cannot carry us into a land where we can experience it. Jesus provides His indwelling resurrection life as the means for fulfilling the laws demands.

Joshua is told that the title deed to the land of his inheritance is in his hand. He is to possess his inheritance by faith. Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. A new era has begun. I've been given the title deed to the earth on your behalf. The dominion which the first man, Adam, forfeited through disobedience, I have reclaimed through obedience. Therefore go in my name and wherever you place the sole of your foot remember your mission! Make disciples of all nations. Take my delegated authority to trample on all snakes and scorpions. Drive out all the power of the enemy. Deliver people from the kingdom of darkness and the bondage to sin and death by preaching the gospel. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. Instruct them to meditate on my Word and not turn to the left or right. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

There is important unfinished business before us. The Old Testament book of Joshua and the New Testament book of Acts record the God-ordained mission of people who have passed from their wilderness wandering into their promised inheritance. At first they are granted much victory. It was as if huge walls fell at Pentecost (Joshua 6 and Acts 2). But soon covetousness, deceit and greed sought to destroy the testimony of the Lord's victory (the trespasses of Achan in Joshua 7 and of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5). Selfish preoccupations, failure to seek the mind of the Lord, fear of the enemy and laziness kept them from fulfilling their commission. At the end of the Book of Acts, the church has much ground that remains to be taken. At the end of the Book of Joshua, the influence of the enemy has yet to be driven out. There is much frontier territory yet to be claimed.

Think about this in relationship to your own life. What territory has already been taken from the enemy? What ground remains unclaimed? Jesus gave us the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) as driving purposes for the church. What steps are we taking to see them fulfilled? Are there areas in our lives that are still unsubdued by the Lordship of Christ? He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, with all of our minds, and all of our souls, and all of our strength. Have we discovered, developed and utilized our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ and win the lost? Are we taking further ground in building Christ-centered communities in our families and through our other relationships? Are we continually seeking to improve our skills and perform our daily tasks with such excellence that they truly honor God and inspire men?

Looking to take higher ground,