Holy Spirit uses this word nathan no less than six times in the first chapter of Joshua to remind Israel that He had “given” them the land of Canaan (verses 2, 3, 6, 11, 13, 15). Canaan was the land He had promised (“given”) their forefather, Abraham (Genesis 12:7). They were now being assigned the task of conquering and taking possession of what God had given. Someone once asked, “Well, which was it; was God giving, or were they taking?”

Thirty years ago, I visited the Supreme Court for the first time. On the way, I heard Holy Spirit speak as clearly as I’ve ever heard Him: “Now I am going to show you where the strong man over America lives.” The words “strong man” were taken from the passage of Scripture in Mark 3:27: “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.” (NASB)