Chariots of Iron

Joshua 16-20 Focus Verse 17:16

Chariots of Iron.  That is what kept the tribe of Joseph from inhabiting the valley.  The hill that was the portion of their inheritance just wasn’t enough land for them to be effective, and they wanted more land.  So there in the valley, the Canaanites intimidated them with their chariots of iron.  Does that story sound familiar?  Remember the spies that were sent to Canaan?  All but Joshua and Caleb saw that “we were grasshoppers in their sight.” What was it about the Canaanites that sparked fear in God’s people?  Was it their strength?  Their great number?   The Israelites let their fear control their actions, and the world and our circumstances will cause us to do the same thing.  We will let fear control our service or our commitments to Christ.

Then we see Joshua with the same confidence and positive outlook as he did when he spied out Canaan; he told them that although the chariots of iron were strong, they, as God’s people, were stronger.  There are going to be chariots of iron that we must face.  Circumstances that seem too big to overcome; obstacles that don’t seem worth the effort.  And we become content in our small Christianity.  To overcome chariots of iron, it will take focus, it will take hard work, and it will take a certain determination to realize that we CAN overcome.  Just for today, I will not fret over my chariots of iron, but I will find the confidence to defeat them.