God has something for you, something divinely designed as your calling, your place, your territory … but you will still have to fight for it. Have you forgotten your fight? Have you decided this is far enough so you’ve stopped moving forward? Have you settled for where you are and therefore sacrificed the fullness of what God has called you to?

I have a scripture for you today that will absolutely leave your jaw on the floor. It’s so personal, so direct and so perfectly timed. Are you ready?

Joshua 18:3, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of what God has given you?” Now using other translations, let me put it this way: How long are you going to put this off? How long will you neglect to go? How long are you going to waste time? How long will you delay? How long will you be slack about going and taking possession of what God has already given you?

If he’s told you to go, why aren’t you going? If he’s told you to make a change, why are you still waiting? If he’s told you to move forward, why are you just sitting there? If he’s told you there’s so much more, then honey, why in the world are you settling for less?

Oh, I know why … it’s the exact same reason I too hold back and settle. Because I don’t want to really work for it. I’ve gotten lazy and easy has become more appealing to me than destiny. I don’t need the full promise, just this little bit of promise has become good enough for me.

That’s just the truth. That’s where I am, and I bet that’s where you are too. BUT, MY SISTER, THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT YOU. This is bigger than you. This is about future generations. They won’t be where they’re supposed to be if you don’t go where you’re supposed to go and do what you’re supposed to do. You’re creating the gap. You’re digging the ditch where others will get stuck. In your selfish feelings of just wanting to coast and take it easy, you’re not only delaying what God has called you to, but you’re denying those behind you.

MOVE GIRL, GET OUT THE WAY! (There’s a song for that … we won’t sing it today.)

Okay, now context. Remember how God’s people were the Israelites who had been stuck in slavery in Egypt for 400 years. God raised up a chosen leader for them named Moses. Moses went to the King of Egypt, Pharaoh, and demanded he let God’s people go. Pharaoh didn’t want to lose his slaves, so he didn’t let go easily. God had to bring 10 different plagues on the Egyptians until they were so desperate and miserable that they finally set the Israelites free. But where would these people who had spent generations being slaves go and how would they get there?

Where they would go would be the land God had promised them. A land about 250 miles away from their former captivity in Egypt. How they would get there would be nothing short of miraculous. God would part seas for them to walk across on dry land. He would guide them by day with a cloud and by night with a pillar of fire, showing them precisely where to go. He would make quail to rain down on their camp each evening for meat, and in the morning they would wake to manna (a stick bread substance) on the ground.

Their journey was nothing short of absolutely miraculous. All leading them to a land God promised to be theirs.

But of course, there were problems on the way. Doubt and fear crept in because of the battles they would have to face in claiming their promised land. They complained to their leader Moses and refused to move forward to step into their God promised destiny. Out of fear, they literally forfeited what was guaranteed to be theirs. And that is why the Israelites ended up in the wilderness for 40 years.

Now, after 40 years, God has brought a new leader for his people, Joshua. The time has come to try again! Try again to step into the fullness of God’s promises. Try again to show up to the battles with courage and move forward. Try again to trust God enough to go for it.

Isn’t that where you are? Isn’t this your time to trust God enough to try again? Isn’t this your time to not settle for where you are claiming it’s good enough, but finally realize this is bigger than just you. You can’t dismiss this again. God is speaking loud and clear.

The book of Joshua starts out like this. The Lord spoke to his new leader Joshua and says, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you. No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

And so, the people who had been stuck short of their promise for 40 years, wandering in the wilderness, finally moved forward. For the next 17 chapters we see God undeniably fulfilling his promises. He stops the flow of the Jordan River for them to cross. He gives them a wild battle plan to penetrate the impossible walls of Jericho, and it works. They claim territory after territory. One victory after another. Fully spreading out and each tribe of Israel claiming their territory in this land God had promised them.

But then we get to Joshua chapter 18. Verse 2 says there were still 7 tribes of Israel that had not claimed their land.

Hmmmm … why is that? Could it be for the same exact reasons we stop moving forward and start playing little? They had settled. They decided where they were was good enough. They had seen so many battles along the way they simply craved something easier now. Easy was stopping short of the promise. Easy was settling for good enough. Easy was avoiding the battle ahead.

That’s precisely what we do. So hear this loud and clear, GOD IS NOT PLEASED WITH HIS PEOPLE STOPPING SHORT OF HIS FULL CALLING AND PROMISE. GOD DOES NOT PLAY LITTLE AND HE DOESN’T WANT HIS GIRL PLAYING LITTLE EITHER. NO, THIS ISN’T FAR ENOUGH. NO, THIS ISN’T ALL THERE IS. AND NO, YOU HAVEN’T BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO JUST GLIDE FROM HERE.

I have this seemingly humble conversation all the time, “I’m just so happy with where I am, I don’t need more. This is so much more than I could have imagined any way. I’m good with this.” And it’s true, I’m really content. But God smacked me up side the head with his word and truth and said, “Pamela, HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO WAIT? I’VE CALLED YOU TO THE FULLNESS OF WHAT I HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU, AND THIS ISN’T IT. THIS IS GOOD, BUT THIS ISN’T IT. THIS IS BIGGER THAN JUST YOU.”

Are you hearing it too? This is bigger than just you. Sure, you could be content here, but future generations are depending on you to keep moving.

These 7 last tribes of Israel had decided they didn’t want to face more battles to claim their land. They had decided easy would be better and easy was just not going. And this is where their leader, Joshua courageously steps in and says in verse 3, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord has given to you?”

Borrowing from other translations, he’s saying, “How long are you just going to keep putting this off? How long will you straight up NEGLECT going? How long are you going to just waste time? How long will you be slack about doing this?”

My sister, you have unclaimed territory. Yes, you do. A blessing, a breakthrough, a book, a business, a baby, a new beginning, a beloved one, a birthright that you have not claimed. You have stopped short? Why? Because you aren’t willing to face the battle. Because you are craving easy over eternal. Because you are settling. Because you are selfish.

Those 7 tribes that had stopped short started showing up. They finally moved forward, fought the battles, won the battles, and claimed the territory God had promised them. But not just for them, for every future generation. Their children, their children’s children, and their children’s children’s children were where they were supposed to be because they finally claimed their territory.

Girl, claim your territory. Be so bold as to ask God what your unclaimed territory is. Ask him to give you a generational perspective to see beyond yourself. Ask him for courage to fight the battles and not settle for easy.

No, this isn’t far enough. There’s more.

Now are you going to go for it?

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