Rev. Dr. Kenneth Gronroos
“Joshua and His Enemies” · Upper Room Fellowship
God’s promises call us to move forward in faith. Yet the journey of obedience can bring us face to face with opposition, uncertainty and struggles within our own hearts. At Upper Room Fellowship on 24 October, Pastor Kenneth Gronroos brought a message of encouragement from Joshua: the presence of obstacles does not mean the absence of God.
As Israel prepared to cross the Jordan, Joshua directed the people’s attention to the One who was with them:
And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites:”
Joshua 3:10 (NKJV)
Israel had received a promise of a land and a future from God. Entering that land would require trust and obedience. Pastor Kenneth drew on the seven peoples named in Joshua’s account as illustrations of challenges believers can encounter today. These connections were spiritual applications of the passage, rather than literal translations of the peoples’ names. Through each illustration ran the same encouragement: the living God is among us, and we can trust Him as we take the next step.
The Canaanites — stand firm against compromise
The Canaanites were a people associated with trade and commerce; the Hebrew word can also refer to a merchant. Bargaining and negotiation provide the picture for this part of the teaching: compromise in our faith, when we begin to negotiate away what God has entrusted to us. There are moments when stepping back from our convictions appears easier than standing by what God has shown us. We may be tempted to bargain away our values to avoid discomfort or opposition.
Pastor Kenneth challenged us to remain wholehearted in faith. Compromise can leave us divided in our thinking and hesitant in our obedience. Standing firm begins with a heart willing to honour God, including when doing so is difficult.
The Hittites — face fear with confidence in God
The Hittites were a powerful ancient people. In this teaching, they represent intimidating strength and the fear it can awaken. The challenges before us can seem like “giants,” towering over us until they appear larger than God’s promise. Fear can paralyse us, causing us to withdraw before we have taken a step.
David’s encounter with Goliath reminds us of a different response. His confidence rested in the Lord whose name he carried into the battle (1 Samuel 17:45–47). The encouragement for believers is to look to God even when the obstacle before us feels overwhelming.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
Courage grows as we remember Who is with us. We can acknowledge a difficulty and still move forward in faith.
The Hivites — allow God to renew your perspective
The Hivites were among the peoples of Canaan, and Scripture places some of them in the mountains of Lebanon (Judges 3:3). Their name is commonly associated with village life, although its precise origin is uncertain. The picture of tent-dwellers in small mountain villages illustrates a perspective confined by familiar surroundings. We, too, can let our immediate circumstances limit our thinking. We may see only what we lack: resources, opportunities, the right location or the experience we believe we need. Over time, those thoughts can become boundaries around our willingness to obey.
Romans 12:2 calls believers to the renewing of the mind. True transformation comes only by the Word of God. We can bring our limitations before Him, remain willing to learn and make room for His ways. A renewed perspective helps us recognise possibilities that fear and unbelief may have hidden from view.
The Amorites — resist arrogance and the voices that diminish you
The Amorites were among the peoples of Canaan, with communities in its hill country. The mountain setting supplies the picture for this lesson: looking down from a height becomes an illustration of arrogance, placing ourselves above others and treating them with contempt. People may dismiss others because of their age, nationality, language, education or background. Such judgments can begin to influence how we understand ourselves and whether we believe we have anything to offer.
Pastor Kenneth encouraged believers to resist allowing those voices to determine their identity or stop their obedience. Paul’s instruction to Timothy was to answer the dismissal of his youth by becoming an example in his life and faith (1 Timothy 4:12). We, too, can walk humbly and faithfully, confident that another person’s contempt does not define our calling.
The Perizzites — stay spiritually attentive
The Perizzites were among the inhabitants of Canaan; their name is traditionally associated with the open country. Life outside protective walls provides a picture of vulnerability. The spiritual warning is against carelessness: failing to recognise dangers or to guard what God has given us. Faith calls for attentiveness: caring for our own spiritual lives, recognising what can draw us away from God and taking responsibility for what He has entrusted to us.
Paul charges us to watch over ourselves and the flock (Acts 20:28), and Peter calls us to remain sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). Prayer, attention to Scripture and fellowship with each other help us to remain alert without living in fear.
The Girgashites — give thanks for yesterday and remain open to tomorrow
The Girgashites were one of the peoples named in Joshua’s account. Here they represent the temptation to keep looking back. The teaching’s image of royal ancestry and cherished traditions asks us to consider whether inherited status and yesterday’s achievements have become more important than present obedience. The accompanying picture of “clay soil” raises a question about our foundation: are we resting on past status and familiar customs, or trusting God as we move forward? Memories of earlier blessings and victories can strengthen our gratitude. They can also become a measure against which we dismiss everything happening now.
Pastor Kenneth invited us to honour yesterday without becoming confined by it. We can thank God for His faithfulness in the past while remaining available for what He is asking of us today. Gratitude makes room for expectation: the God Who has led us this far is worthy of our trust.
The Jebusites — bring discouragement to the God Who restores
The Jebusites were inhabitants of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:63). In this teaching, they represent discouragement and the experience of being brought low by hardship. Disappointment, painful experiences and the actions of others can leave people feeling unable to rise again. Hurt may turn into bitterness, and an earlier setback may begin to feel like the final word over a person’s future.
The message offered hope to those carrying such burdens. God is the God of the second chance. We can bring wounded hearts to Him, receive His care and begin to take steps forward again. We were encouraged to persevere, trusting God to heal and lift up those who have been hurt.
Fight the good fight of faith
These illustrations return us to the character of the Christian struggle. Ephesians 6:12 directs our attention to spiritual opposition, while 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 speaks of God-given weapons and bringing our thoughts into obedience to Christ. Pastor Kenneth’s call was to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12), keeping our response rooted in God’s Spirit, truth and love.
The heart of the teaching was a reminder to all believers: we do not face these challenges alone. We can stand firm against compromise, meet fear with faith, welcome a renewed mind, walk humbly, stay attentive, give thanks for the past and trust God for our healing.
There may be opposition along the way. The living God is among us. As we follow Him, we can trust Him to prepare a way.