How To Conquer and Overcome Your Land
Preached at Harvester Reformational Church by Pastor Jack Magakwe
Sunday: 22 March 2026

Introduction
Joshua 13:1- 32
Remaining Land to Be Conquered
13 Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.
2 This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites, 3 from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites; 4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites; 5 the land of the [a]Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath; 6 all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the [b]Brook Misrephoth, and all the Sidonians—them I will drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide[c] it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you. 7 Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
The Land Divided East of the Jordan
8 With the other half-tribe the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses had given them, beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of the Lord had given them: 9 from Aroer which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the town that is in the midst of the ravine, and all the plain of Medeba as far as Dibon; 10 all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the border of the children of Ammon; 11 Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan as far as Salcah; 12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants; for Moses had [d]defeated and [e]cast out these.
13 Nevertheless the children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites, but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.
14 Only to the tribe of Levi he had given [f]no inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as He said to them.
The Land of Reuben
15 And Moses had given to the tribe of the children of Reuben an inheritance according to their families. 16 Their territory was from Aroer, which is on the bank of the River Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the ravine, and all the plain by Medeba; 17 Heshbon and all its cities that are in the plain: Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaza, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kirjathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the mountain of the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who
reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the country. 22 The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the [g]soothsayer, among those who were killed by them. 23 And the border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and their villages.
The Land of Gad
24 Moses also had given an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the children of Gad according to their families. 25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites as far as Aroer, which is before Rabbah, 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir, 27 and in the valley Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Jordan as its border, as far as the edge of the [h]Sea of Chinnereth, on the other side of the Jordan eastward. 28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Half the Tribe of Manasseh (East)
29 Moses also had given an inheritance to half the tribe of Manasseh; it was for half the tribe of the children of Manasseh according to their families: 30 Their territory was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair which are in Bashan, sixty cities; 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were for the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, for half of the children of Machir according to their families.
32 These are the areas which Moses had [i]distributed as an inheritance in the plains of Moab on the other side of the Jordan, by Jericho eastward. 33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He had said to them.
The Book of Joshua, chapters 1 through 13:
Marks a pivotal transition in Israel’s history from nomadic wilderness wanderers to possessors of the Promised Land. Historically, it records the military conquest of Canaan; spiritually, it illustrates God’s faithfulness in fulfilling covenant promises, the necessity of obedience, and the concept of spiritual rest.
Historical Overview (Chapters 1–13)
Commissioning and Preparation (Ch. 1-2): After Moses’ death, God commands Joshua to lead Israel across the Jordan River, promising His presence. Joshua prepares the people, sends two spies to Jericho, and receives assistance from Rahab, a Canaanite woman who trusts in Israel’s God.
Entering the Land (Ch. 3-5): The Israelites cross the Jordan River on dry land, mimicking the Red Sea parting, which establishes Joshua’s authority. They set up memorial stones, undergo circumcision (a new generation covenant), and celebrate their first Passover in the land.

The Conquest Campaigns (Ch. 6-12):
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Jericho (Ch. 6): The first city falls through divine intervention rather than conventional warfare—a “passive” victory highlighting God as the warrior.
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Ai and Achan (Ch. 7-8): Israel fails at Ai due to Achan’s sin (stealing devoted goods). After purifying the camp, they conquer Ai in a second battle.
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Gibeon and Alliances (Ch. 9-10): The Gibeonites deceive Israel into a treaty. Joshua then defeats a coalition of southern Canaanite kings (the “sun stood still” event).
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Northern Campaign (Ch. 11-12): Joshua conquers the northern Canaanite kings, finishing the major campaigns.
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Unfinished Business (Ch. 13): Despite the victories, the text notes that “very much of the land remains to be possessed,” and Joshua is aging.
Spiritual Overview and Themes
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God’s Faithfulness and Promise Fulfillment: The central theme is God bringing his people into the land He promised Abraham.
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“Be Strong and Courageous”: God calls Joshua (and Israel) to courage based on His presence and to obedience to the Law (Torah) given by Moses.
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The Role of Faith in Victory: The conquest is presented not merely as a military feat, but a spiritual battle where God gives victory to those who trust and obey.
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Holiness and Consecration: Before entering the land, Israel must be set apart (circumcision, Passover), showing that taking the land is a holy endeavor.
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The Significance of Canaan/Rest: The Promised Land is a place of “rest” and security from wandering. In a spiritual sense, it represents the believer’s inheritance and the “rest” of living in obedience to God.
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Type of Christ: Joshua (“Yahweh is salvation”) is a prototype of Jesus. Just as Joshua leads the people into the Promised Land, Jesus leads believers out of the “wilderness” of a fallen world into true rest. Key Takeaway (Ch. 1-13)
The narrative highlights a paradox: the land is a gift (grace), but it must be possessed through fighting and obedience (faith). It is a story of transition where the focus is on faithfulness, with Joshua’s successful leadership serving as a model of trusting God for what seems impossible
Even at this stage of the conquest, there still remained much land to be conquered. The Philistines would prove to be troubling throughout the Judges and in Saul and David’s reigns. Leaving areas in our lives unconquered causes those problems to fester over time causing more pain and suffering.
Practically, make a list of things you are struggling with in your life and commit them to the Lord in prayer. Ask Jesus, the conqueror to take over those regions with his mighty Sword and declare His Lordship over it until you have the victory. Sometimes, we need our spiritual oversight to help us win the victory – remember the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ, so stop trying to win on your own – you have a Church through which God makes known his manifold wisdom to principalities and powers.
God told Joshua that he would “drive out their enemies” from before them, only that Joshua needed to divide this land “by lot” “as an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half tribe of Manasseh.” Joshua 13:7
We see that the Geshurites and the Maachathites were not driven out but they remained among the Israelites until the time of writing the book of Joshua.
The Levites were not given an inheritance as the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire were their inheritance. This reminds me of something the Lord said to Apostle Andre Pelser after a mission, it was from God’s promise to Abraham:
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
If you are in God’s service in ministry, remember that He is your shield, your exceedingly great reward. Dr. Roy M. Gray used to say, “Don’t seek the gifts, seek the Giver.”
Never neglect the family as the major building block of society. Today the devil seeks to destroy the concept of family, with a father, the priest of the home, a mother the builder of the home and care giver in mutual submission with the husband, not in competition but a helper comparable to him. The husband a loving father as an image of the heavenly Father to the children, a husband that loves his wife and lives with her with understanding, as Jesus loved the church and gave himself for her, washing her with the water of the Word as Ephesians describes. Read also 1 Peter 3.
Look how the Lord speaks about Abraham:
Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,
Gen 18:18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Gen 18:19 For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD,
In the Bible, to “conquer” and “overcome” generally refer to achieving victory over spiritual, moral, and worldly obstacles through faith in God, rather than through personal strength or physical force
. While Old Testament conquering often involved physical battles (e.g., Joshua and Jericho), the New Testament shifts this focus to spiritual victory over sin, temptation, and the influence of the world.

Key Aspects of Biblical Victory
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Meaning: Rooted in the Greek nikao, to conquer or overcome means to prevail or subdue spiritual and moral challenges.
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The Ultimate Overcomer: Jesus, having triumphed over sin and death, empowers believers to do the same.
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Faith-Based: True victory is achieved not by might, but through faith in God, enabling believers to be more than conquerors in the face of trials.
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Promises: Biblical texts, particularly in Revelation, promise spiritual rewards to those who overcome, including eternal life and sharing in Christ’s authority.
We’re looking at the word overcomer. The term comes from the Greek word no which means to conquer, prevail or be victorious. We see it used as the word overcome in John 16:33 says, “But take heart. I have overcome or neo the world.” We often think of an overcomer as someone who always comes out on top, winning battles, courageous, standing tall with medals in hand. But in the Bible, being an overcomer is less about outward triumph and more about really an inward faithfulness.
First John 5:4 says, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world.” This is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. To overcome isn’t to avoid pain, doubt, or hardship. It’s actually to hold on to faith in the midst of life. I know when you are thinking about it, we can often feel anything but an overcomer. But here’s the truth.
Overcoming is about trusting that God is good, even when the world feels broken. It’s choosing to follow Jesus when it would be easier to give up. It’s worshiping through the storm, forgiving when it hurts, and walking forward even when you feel weary. Being an overcomer means believing that your victory is not in what you can do, but in who you belong to. An overcomer is spiritual, not circumstantial. You can be an overcomer even if your external situation doesn’t look like a win. And it’s a promise that in him we are overcomers.
Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” So today, if you’re clinging to Jesus, know that you already are an overcomer in Christ Jesus.
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Old Testament: Often focused on physical battles, territorial possession, and obedience.
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New Testament: Focuses on spiritual, internal battles, urging believers to overcome temptation and the world’s influence.
How Believers Overcome According to Revelation 12:11, believers conquer “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony,” emphasizing reliance on Christ’s sacrifice, confession of faith, and commitment, even in the face of death.

We are Sons of God
Know who you are in Christ. It is vital for your spiritual and natural life. It will stabilize your faith.
When Moses asked whom God was He said: ‘I am that I am.’ Jesus proclaimed many ‘I am’s’ as recorded in the book of John. Paul wrote: ‘I am what I am by the grace of God.’ At the time of Christ there was much speculation about re-incarnation and lies. Jesus asked His disciples who people say He is and they mentioned that some said Elijah and some said John that came back from the dead. Then Jesus asked them: ‘but who do you say that I am?’ (Matthew 16). Simon (‘reed’) had a revelation that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God. Jesus commended him and explained that he did not hear that from flesh and blood but the Father in heaven revealed it to him. Jesus changed Simon Bar Jona (son of Jonah) to Peter (‘petros’ or little rock) expanded this revelation (‘petra’ – rock of revealed knowledge) by saying He would build His church on this revelation and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The church is built on the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One (the Messiah) Son of the living God.
Once we accept this truth, we are saved and born again, and then we begin to discover our new nature called ‘a new creature in Christ’. (II Cor 5:17)
In Ephesians 1: 1-14 we see many instances of who we are in Christ and this helps us to have a sane estimate of ourselves:
1. In Fellowship with Christ 2. Blessed in Christ in heavenly places 3. Without blame in Christ 4. Well-accepted in the Beloved 5. Redeemed in Christ 6. Wisdom in Christ 7. Understand the mystery of His will 8. Have an inheritance in Christ according to His purpose 9. Sealed with the Holy Spirit in Christ
God has set boundaries for the sea, for nations and for individuals. We need meekness to accept these limits that God set. Moses led Israel through the Red Sea and the wilderness but did not enter the Promised Land. That was meant for Joshua. He conquered some of the nations in the Promised Land but not all. The Judges had to do that. John the Baptist prophesied about Jesus and then pointed to his cousin and said ‘this is He!’ But when Herod arrested him and put him in prison he doubted his own words and wondered if Jesus really was the Chosen One. He died without seeing his prophecy come true. Jesus was also limited in the sense that God only allowed certain
healings. He never healed the lame man at the gate beautiful because he was left for Peter & John who raised him up a few years later.
God has given us gifts, abilities, and talents, but also set some boundaries for our lives. Meekness accepts God’s dealings with us in a good attitude. Accept who you are in Christ and accept the boundaries God set in your life. Acknowledge who you are: ‘I am what I am by the grace of God.’ It will give you assurance and peace and you will have authority. Jesus said: ‘I give you authority over all the ability of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ (Luke 10:19)
Because God accepted us for Christ’s sake we accept one another also – for Christ’s sake. We trust God who started the good work in all of us will also complete it in Christ Jesus.
We are His workmanship in Christ created for good works before the foundation of the world that we might walk in them. (Eph 2:10-12).
So when someone asks: ‘who do you think you are?’ respond with: ‘I am what I am by the grace of God!’
We are shining light in the world: He is the light of the world and we conform to His image- His Word is light
Where we speak or write the Word, its light Christ is within us, so we bring light wherever we go- the entrance of His Word bring light- Psalm 119:105- Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path

Application
Enter into the promised land by faith
Who are the giants in your life that prevent you from progressing and ask God to conquer and overcome them?
Ask God to remove all obstacles in your life to shine as a light in your area of influence.