Joshua 12:1

Joshua 12:1 says,  Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:  This chapter lists all the kings that the people of Israel defeated in the promised land.  The people of Israel were successful because they followed God's guidance, and as long as we follow the guidance of God today as Christians, we will be successful in defeating all of our enemies as well.  Verse two states, Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;  First listed was the king of the land on the other side of the Jordan, who had been defeated earlier by Moses and the people of Israel.  Verse three adds, And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:  Verse four continues, And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,  Then verse four concludes, And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.  This was a rather large territory, but it was still on the other side of the Jordan from the rest of the promised land.  Still, it would be considered a part of the promised land.  Physical barriers should not separate God's people today.  We are all children of God if we are followers of Christ, having accepted Him as our Savior and Lord.  Verse six declares, Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.  After defeating the king of this land, Moses gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.  These were the tribes that sent their men across the Jordan to help defeat the rest of those in the land with the promise that they could return after the other people had been defeated.  Past victory and even security because of that victory did not exempt them from continuing to fight for the fulfillment of God's promise to all the people of Israel.  If we are followers of Christ, we are already assured of a home in heaven with Him, but that does not mean that we can quit the fight to reach the world with the gospel.  Verse seven says, And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;  Now, we are given a list of the people defeated under the leadership of Joshua.  Whether Moses or Joshua was the earthly leader, God was the One Who gave the victory.  It does not really matter who the earthly leader of a church is today, because God is the real leader.  Though it is important that a church, a fellowship of believers, be led by the man that God has for them, the man himself is not the reason that the church will be successful or fail to be.  God is.  Verse eight says, In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:  We now start to have just a listing of the people who were defeated.  Verse nine says, The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;  Verse ten states, The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one;   Verse eleven says, The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;  Verse twelve states,  The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;  Verse thirteen says, The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one;  Verse fourteen states, The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one;   Verse fifteen says, The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;  Verse sixteen states, The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;  Verse seventeen adds, The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one;  Verse eighteen continues, The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one;  Verse nineteen adds, The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one;  Verse twenty continues, The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;  Verse twenty-one states, The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one;  Verse twenty-two adds, The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one;  Verse twenty-three continues, The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one;  Then verse twenty-four concludes, The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.  There were a lot of kings and kingdoms defeated by the people of Israel, through the power of God.  Some were defeated under the leadership of Moses and some under the leadership of Joshua, but all were defeated by the power of  God.  When we, as followers of Christ, overcome spiritual enemies today, no matter how long the list may be, it will always be by the power of God.