Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah. (Joshua 15:63)
Who are the Jebusites in your life? For the Israelites, they were a pesky people, a nuisance to say the least, and an enemy that just wouldn’t go away. They remained in the land, were a thorn in the flesh, and whose very presence was tolerated at best and a source of defeat at worst. They were a reminder of where the people of God came from (Egypt) versus where they were to dwell in victory (Canaan). The Israelites were commanded to drive out all the Jebusites, but these people just did not go away easily.
If we are really honest, we all have Jebusites in our lives. They are that one issue, one temptation, or one constant source of frustration that appears impossible to drive out. And just as the Jebusites of the Old Testament, the modern-day Jebusites in our lives can interrupt the work of God and corrupt us as well.
So what gives us hope that they will ever be defeated? After all, if the all-time commander-in-chief of the Old Testament, Joshua, couldn’t do it, what gives us hope that we can? Simply because the Old Testament Joshua is a type, a foreshadowing of the New Testament Joshua— Jesus Christ himself. Joshua was a mighty man, but only a shadow of the Son of Man to come. And now that Son of Man & Son of God, Christ Jesus, lives and dwells within us through the Holy Spirit.
As we face the Jebusites, the Holy Spirit will:
- Help us to identify the conflict and establish what the Jebusites represent in our lives and how they originated.
- Lead us into an intimate communion with the Father, where we discover the reality of a God who is an ever-present help in time of trouble.
- Inspire creativity within our hearts to outmaneuver the Jebusites as we first engage them in battle.
- Instruct us with divine counsel as to how to overcome them and lead us into all truth that will make us fully free.
- Instill confidence within us to continue fighting so that once we have done everything, we can stand.
The key to tapping into the Holy Spirit is not focusing on the conflict but on our commander in chief— Jesus.
We tap into the Holy Spirit by:
- Refocusing our eyes — Today, do not focus on the Jebusites, focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Refuse to lean on the fatigue of the battle, and instead lean into the one who makes your faith fresh for a new day. Pause throughout the day and express your reliance upon him and remind yourself of who He is.
- Re-centering our thoughts — as you pause and pray, realign any thought patterns that are not of truth. Recognize the lies and replace them with the truth of God’s Word.
- Realigning our steps — make sure there are no physical expressions of you giving into the enemy at hand. Intentionally walk in the opposite spirit of how the enemy is attacking you. Refuse to go the way of the Jebusites. The normal course of how the conflict usually unfolds for you.
- Refresh your heart — praise the Lord today, receive strength from a renewed sense of God’s character and nature by releasing praise from your lips.
- Reopen your hand — remember that dislodging the Jebusites is not an easy task. It was difficult for Joshua, and it is difficult for us. But in the midst of the difficulty, do not allow the frustration of the battle to cause you to clinch your fist toward yourself or God. Keep your hand and heart open. Extend yourself grace and receive the grace of God in the midst of the battle. He will not withdraw His grace from your life but will increase your awareness of it as you take your stand against the Jebusites of your life.
I am believing today that you sense and experience the Jesus who empowers you to overcome the Jebusites of your life!
