October 21, 2026

4 minutes ago

5 min read

Standing for One Another

In the first chapter of Joshua, God gives Joshua incredibly important instructions about fulfilling His covenantal promise to Abraham. This promise to Abraham was about more than the nation of Israel. It was a covenant He initiated in order to use Abraham and his offspring to help Him save the world. The Messiah would come through them. God’s gifts are often also assignments and joint ventures with Him.

The book of Joshua is another step in this partnership He established to redeem the world. That makes the instructions God gave Joshua regarding this important next step very significant. And as He lays out the important commands and encouragements, God mentions one to three of the tribes that may seem a bit unusual.

In verses 13-18, He reminds 3 of Israel’s 12 tribes of a promise they made Moses 40 years ago. Shortly after leaving Egypt, they came to land suited to their ranching lifestyle, whereupon they asked Moses if that could be their inheritance, rather than a portion of land in Canaan on the western side of the Jordan. This was agreed to, as long as the men promised to temporarily leave their homes and ranches to war alongside the remaining tribes as they possessed their inheritance, when that time came. God’s plan was for all of the tribes to fight for one another, and these three tribes would not be allowed to sit comfortably and enjoy their inheritance while their brothers and sisters fought for theirs. Though the promise had been made 40 years earlier, holding them to it ranked toward the top of Joshua’s instructions.

Though the book of Joshua can be read in a couple of hours, the conquest of Canaan took 7 years. This commitment these tribes had to keep was no simple task; it wasn’t just a couple of months or a few weekends here and there. It was 7 years! I’m not sure how they did this while protecting their families and possessions back home. Perhaps they alternated - a month on, a month off. Certainly, the women and kids had to pick up the slack and take over some of the responsibilities of caring for the livestock and land - for 7 years! Whatever the plan was, it was a very significant commitment.

This requirement was so important to God that failing to do so would have been punishable by death (verse 18). Since what happened to Israel was written for our instruction (1 Corinthians 10:11), we can assume that the principle behind it is important for us, also.

What if, rather than operating in a competitive spirit and building only our own ministries and churches, we took the command to help one another seriously? What if, rather than attempting to transfer sheep from another pasture (local church) to our own, we worked and fought spiritually to grow everyone’s congregation? What if, instead of attending “Church Growth/Sheep Transferring” conferences, we attended “How Can I Help My Fellow Believer Take His/Her Inheritance” conferences?

It is an established fact that between 75-90% of all church growth in America over the last 50 years has been transfer growth.(1) This means that rather than drawing in unchurched individuals or producing new converts, the vast majority of expanding congregations are simply “recirculating the saints”—gaining members who left a different church down the street.

What if pastors and ministry leaders with successful ministries, large facilities, good salaries, etc., decided to spend time helping their fellow “tribes” possess their inheritance, as these tribes in Israel did? I’m not talking about a pat on the back, or a hundred bucks once in a while. I’m talking about true commitment, Joshua 1-type commitment – fighting for them, sharing resources, building buildings, etc. What would it look like if every larger church in America paid the salary of a pastor pioneering a church - a church that isn’t in their network or carrying their name, by the way? What if they supplied them with a worship team? A children’s pastor? What would happen?

Well, fortunately, we don’t have to wonder. Jesus told us in John 17:21: “That they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” He said this unity would generate more believers!

He also told us in Psalm 133 what would happen:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, as on Aaron’s beard, the oil which ran down upon the edge of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon coming down upon the mountains of Zion; for the Lord commanded the blessing there— life forever.”

Salvation and eternal life were the result of true unity in Psalm 133. Interestingly, the word “good,” describing unity in verse one, is the exact same Hebrew word as the “precious” anointing oil of Aaron’s priesthood. God places unity on the same level as His anointing. Perhaps if we had more unity, we would have more anointing.

The unity described in Psalm 133 included working together practically, by the way, not just well-wishing or a lunch once in a while. The passage makes it clear that real benefits and blessings were being exchanged – Mt. Herman was watering Mt. Zion. This mountain to the North was known for producing heavy mist and dew, sometimes even snow. When the sun rose, the dew evaporated, forming clouds. The afternoon winds blew the clouds southward, where the moisture rained on Mt. Zion.

Could any picture be more poignant and clear? The dew of Herman literally rained on Zion! And God said this is what He wants among His family. “Share some of your abundance! Fight for one another. Do so even at the level of inconveniencing yourselves.”

What if…

Pray with me:

Father, please forgive us for arrogantly thinking that what You want to do through us is more important than what You do through others. Forgive us for our divisive actions and for allowing competition with our brothers and sisters to rule our hearts.

We ask You to give us hearts that prefer one another in love, as You said (Romans 12:10). Give us hearts willing to serve our brothers and sisters and war spiritually for their inheritance. Tear down every wall that has been built by religion and pride. Give us the heart of Jesus, who made of Himself no reputation, laying everything down for others.

Bring the greatest revival of unity and love the church has ever experienced. May we take joy in raining down blessings on ministries led by others. Please tear down every man-made kingdom in the church until only Yours stands.

As we move forward into this great awakening, may it be marked by a generation of believers that gloried in warring for others’ success and inheritance. We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.