Judges 1

Keep moving forward

_{And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.” ~ Judges 1:2}

Have you ever started something you knew God told you to do, only to find resistance right away? Not just a small inconvenience, but real opposition that made you question if you heard Him correctly. Today’s scripture reading opens with a people who just lost their leader, stepping into uncertainty, asking God what to do next and God answered them clearly. He said: Go up, I’ve already given it to you.

What’s interesting is that even with that promise, the journey wasn’t instant victory. There were wins, but there were also areas they didn’t fully take. That tension speaks to us right where we are as children of God in the world today. We’ve been given promises, direction, and purpose, yet we still face resistance, delays, and moments where we don’t finish what we started. But God’s faithfulness doesn’t change, and His call to move forward still stands.

Here are three truths for us in this chapter to walk out in real life:

1. Move when God speaks, even if you don’t see the full picture.

Judah didn’t have all the details, but they had a word from God, and that was enough to take the first step.

In your daily life, this might look like God nudging you to reach out to someone, start something new, or step into a role you feel unprepared for. Maybe you feel called to pray more consistently, or to speak truth in a situation where you’ve stayed quiet. You might not know how it will turn out, but obedience starts with movement. One step at a time builds momentum. When you choose to act on what God has already said, you position yourself to see Him move in ways you couldn’t have planned.

2. Don’t let partial progress become your stopping point.

The chapter shows several victories, but it also repeats something important, they did not drive out all the inhabitants. They settled in some areas instead of fully possessing what God gave them.

It’s easy to do the same today. You start strong, you make changes, you see growth, but then you get comfortable. Maybe you begin to set healthy boundaries, but you allow certain habits to remain. Maybe you step into your calling, but hold back in areas that feel challenging or uncomfortable. Growth requires consistency. Finishing what God started in you means not settling for halfway freedom when full freedom is available. Keep pressing forward, even when it stretches you.

3. Be aware that what you tolerate today can affect tomorrow.

The people allowed some of the inhabitants to remain, and over time, those compromises became problems.

In your life, this can look like ignoring small things that don’t seem like a big deal right now. It might be negative thoughts you entertain, distractions that pull you away from time with God, or relationships that quietly influence you in the wrong direction. At first, it feels manageable, but over time it grows. Being intentional now protects your future. When you notice something that doesn’t belong, address it early. God’s desire isn’t just for you to survive, but to walk in total freedom and strength.

I’ve mentioned this situation in other messages, but one real life example of this played out when we were buying our home. We were trying to secure a land easement with our neighbors so we could move forward with the purchase, and they weren’t willing to cooperate. We explored every option we could think of. We considered cutting a new access point through our property, taking them to court, or even walking away and finding another home. Every option was expensive, time consuming, and stressful, but because we knew this was where the Lord had led us, we were committed to see the transaction through to the end. The opposition was real, and it would’ve been easy to stop or settle for a different outcome.

One morning during that process, I felt a nudge in my spirit to bake a cake, take it to the neighbors, and talk with them about the situation. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it because I wasn’t exactly happy about the complications they were causing, but I chose to take that step of faith. I was willing to do what God was asking, to make an effort to bring peace into the situation. As I baked and prepared for the visit, something shifted in me. I began to feel excited because I realized I had the opportunity to bless them, regardless of the outcome. I didn’t even tell my husband what I was doing, so you can imagine his surprise when they called later that day and agreed to sign the paperwork. What could have cost us thousands of dollars and created years of tension with the people we were moving next to turned into peace, favor, and even a friendly relationship. God is so wise.

As we chose to keep moving forward, we saw God show up in ways that reminded us He had already gone before us. What felt difficult and full of resistance at first became a testimony of His faithfulness.

Today I want to encourage you, if God has spoken something to your heart, don’t stop halfway. He hasn’t changed His mind about what He’s called you to do. Even if it feels unfinished, even if there’s resistance, keep going. The same God who said go up is the same God who goes with you. You’re not doing this alone, and you’re not without direction. Stay committed, stay attentive, and trust that what He’s given you is still yours to walk in.

Today’s scripture reading: Judges 1

1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, “Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?”

2 And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.”

3 So Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me to my allotted territory, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted territory.” And Simeon went with him. 

4 Then Judah went up, and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they killed ten thousand men at Bezek. 

5 And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fought against him; and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. 

6 Then Adoni-Bezek fled, and they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. 

7 And Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me.” Then they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

8 Now the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it; they struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire. 

9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwelt in the mountains, in the South, and in the lowland. 

10 Then Judah went against the Canaanites who dwelt in Hebron. (Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kirjath Arba.) And they killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

11 From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir. (The name of Debir was formerly Kirjath Sepher.)

12 Then Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give my daughter Achsah as wife.” 

13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife. 

14 Now it happened, when she came to him, that she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you wish?” 

15 So she said to him, “Give me a blessing; since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water.” And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

16 Now the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the City of Palms with the children of Judah into the Wilderness of Judah, which lies in the South near Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. 

17 And Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah. 

18 Also Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 

19 So the Lord was with Judah. And they drove out the mountaineers, but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the lowland, because they had chariots of iron. 

20 And they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had said. Then he expelled from there the three sons of Anak. 

21 But the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

22 And the house of Joseph also went up against Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 

23 So the house of Joseph sent men to spy out Bethel. (The name of the city was formerly Luz.) 

24 And when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us the entrance to the city, and we will show you mercy.” 

25 So he showed them the entrance to the city, and they struck the city with the edge of the sword; but they let the man and all his family go. 

26 And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called its name Luz, which is its name to this day.

27 However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. 

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites under tribute, but did not completely drive them out.

29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

30 Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites dwelt among them, and were put under tribute.

31 Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 

32 So the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

33 Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but they dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.

34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley; 

35 and the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; yet when the strength of the house of Joseph became greater, they were put under tribute.

36 Now the boundary of the Amorites was from the Ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela, and upward.

  
Journal:

• What has God asked me to step into that I may have slowed down in
• Where have I settled for partial progress instead of continuing forward
• Is there anything in my life I’ve been tolerating that I need to address now
• What is one step I can take today to keep moving forward