Judges 1:1

Letters to the Faithful - Judges 1:1

Berean Standard Bible

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”

King James Bible

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

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To the beloved people of God scattered throughout cities and nations, those sanctified by the blood of the Lamb and called to walk in His light, grace and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I write to you not as one above you, but as a brother walking beside you, bound by the same gospel, seeking the same kingdom, and longing for the same eternal home. My heart is stirred to speak to you today from a moment in the history of our spiritual ancestors—a moment that speaks with striking relevance to the condition of our times and the posture we must adopt in the season ahead.

After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked the Lord, “Who among us shall go up first to fight against the Canaanites?” These words form the beginning of the book of Judges—not merely a transition in Israel’s narrative, but a crucial hinge in her spiritual journey. The great leader, the one who had followed Moses and led the people into the land of promise, was now gone. The nation found itself in a time of uncertainty. There was no central figure to rally around, no visible voice to declare the next move. But the people turned to the Lord. And in that singular act of seeking God first, there is both wisdom and warning for us.

There are times in our lives when we too must face what lies ahead without the leaders we once leaned on. Perhaps a spiritual mentor has passed, or a movement has faded. Perhaps your church is in transition, your family in disarray, your community fractured. Perhaps, like Israel, you stand on the far side of inheritance, knowing what God has promised but unsure how to possess it fully. The land had been entered, yes—but it was not yet fully claimed. Enemies remained. Battles were ahead. And leadership, as they had known it, was no longer present. In such times, what will we do?

The people of Israel did well in that first moment. They asked the Lord. That is no small thing. In a time of grief and uncertainty, they did not immediately organize committees, draft strategies, or look for the strongest among them to assume control. Their first instinct was to inquire of the Lord. Let that be our instinct as well. For the temptation in times of transition is to trust in the strength of man, to rush ahead with plans, or to descend into passivity, assuming that someone else will fight the battles we are called to face.

We must remember that the promise of God is not a finished possession simply because we have crossed a boundary. Possessing the promise requires persistence, obedience, courage, and spiritual discernment. The passing of one generation’s leadership does not excuse the next generation’s responsibility. The ground ahead must still be claimed. There are still spiritual enemies in the land—not nations of flesh and blood, but forces of darkness, compromise, pride, and idolatry. And each of us is called to ask: Lord, who will go up first? Who will lead the way in battle? Who will rise in faith? And if no one else steps forward, will I?

It is not enough to be part of the people of God in name. Each generation must decide whether it will pursue the fullness of God’s purposes or be content with partial victory. The book of Judges is a sobering record of what happens when people begin well but fail to follow through. It is the chronicle of decline—not because God changed, but because His people did. The people stopped seeking. They settled. They compromised. They intermarried with the world. They allowed what should have been driven out to remain. And soon, what they tolerated began to rule over them.

So I appeal to you, beloved, do not settle for what is partial when God has promised what is full. Do not be content with the victories of yesterday while the work of today remains unfinished. Do not idolize the past, as though the best of God’s power was only for those who have gone before you. Joshua is dead, yes—but the Lord is not. The God who led Joshua into battle, who made the sun stand still, who shattered walls with a shout—that same God is with you now. But the question remains: will you ask Him what is next? And will you go where He sends you?

Our churches must not become monuments to past revivals. They must become launchpads for fresh obedience. Our families must not simply inherit traditions—they must be taught to contend for truth. Our hearts must not be satisfied with emotional experiences—we must hunger for transformation. And that begins when we ask, in faith and sincerity: Lord, what would You have us do now?

But let us not make this inquiry casually. To ask the Lord who should go up first is to acknowledge that battles remain. There is no spiritual inheritance without warfare. There is no sanctification without struggle. There is no kingdom without a cross. So let us be sober. Let us not be shocked when obedience costs us. Let us not be surprised when the path of faith is narrow and steep. And let us not shrink back when the Lord says, “You must go.” Because the Lord is not merely looking for spectators of His power; He is looking for participants in His purpose.

And yet, how merciful He is. He does not abandon His people. He does not demand that we face the enemy alone. In every generation, He responds to those who seek Him. He speaks to those who inquire. He raises up leaders, not because of their greatness, but because of their availability. He anoints those who will yield. He equips those who step forward in faith. And if you are one who feels unqualified, unprepared, or unnoticed—take heart. The Lord is not searching for those with polished resumes, but those with surrendered hearts.

So this is the hour to seek the Lord. Not tomorrow. Not when the road feels easier. But now. Let us ask not only who will go up first, but let us also ask what must be driven out in our own hearts. Are there areas of compromise we have tolerated? Are there altars to self or comfort still standing where only God should reign? Is there obedience that has been delayed, forgiveness withheld, or assignments ignored? If we will inquire of the Lord, He will surely speak. And when He speaks, let us not hesitate.

Beloved, may you not be found among those who admire the promise but avoid the price. May you not be among those who begin with boldness but end with apathy. May you be among those who rise in the strength of the Lord, who ask Him for wisdom, who follow Him in obedience, and who finish the work that remains.

And when the world looks on, may they see not a church that clings to the past, but one that presses forward into the future with holy fire. May they see a people who do not merely speak of faith, but who act in it. May they see a generation that, even after the great leaders are gone, still seeks the face of God and carries the mission forward with courage, purity, and perseverance.

I commend you to the Lord, who is able to strengthen you, guide you, and empower you to take the ground He has given you. Do not grow weary. Do not lose heart. He is with you. Now ask Him what must be done—and rise to do it.

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O Sovereign Lord, eternal and unchanging, we come before You with hearts both reverent and dependent, seeking Your face in a time when many voices clamor for our attention, but only Yours can lead us rightly. You are the God of every generation, faithful through ages past, unshaken by the passing of time or the faltering of men. We acknowledge that You alone are the source of wisdom, power, and direction. You reign beyond the rise and fall of human leadership, and Your purpose is never halted by death, delay, or disorder.

Father, we confess that we often stand at the edge of what You have promised, unsure how to take the next step. We feel the weight of transition—the silence after faithful leaders have gone, the void after voices of guidance have faded, the uncertainty that settles over a people unsure of what comes next. Yet we do not despair, for You are still present, and You still speak. In moments like these, we echo the cry of those who came before us: “Lord, what do You require of us now? Who shall go first? What must we do to walk in Your will and possess all You have called us to inherit?”

We thank You that You do not abandon us to wander blindly. Even when familiar structures fall away, even when the patterns we knew are disrupted, Your Spirit remains to lead and to guide. You invite us to seek, not with arrogance, but with hunger; not with presumption, but with humility. And so we seek You now—not to demand answers on our terms, but to align ourselves with Your eternal will.

Teach us, Lord, to be a people who inquire of You first. Let our instinct be to turn to You—not as a last resort, but as our first and most urgent priority. When the future is unclear, when enemies seem strong, when the road ahead is unmapped, may we be found on our knees before Your throne. Shape in us the heart of a generation that waits for Your direction before lifting a hand or taking a step. For only You know the path we must take. Only You see what lies beyond the hills. And only You can order our steps so that our journey leads to promise and not to ruin.

God of justice and truth, raise up in this hour those who are willing to go first—not for glory, not for title, but for obedience. Let there be among us those who do not shrink from spiritual battle, who do not delay when You say, “Go,” who do not wait for comfort or consensus but respond quickly to the voice of their God. Let the mantle of faith fall not just on the few, but on the willing. Let Your anointing rest on men and women who carry the burden of intercession, who move forward even when others hesitate, who lead not by strength of personality, but by yieldedness to the Spirit.

And Lord, may we be a people not merely content with surviving the moment, but determined to finish the mission. Let us not sit idly, content with partial victories or inherited ground. Stir in us a holy dissatisfaction with spiritual complacency. Awaken us to see that there is still ground to take, still enemies to drive out, still broken places that need the touch of heaven. And give us the courage to pursue what others have left unfinished—not in our own might, but in the sufficiency of Your grace.

We confess that it is easy to delay. It is easy to wait for someone else to move, someone else to sacrifice, someone else to obey. Forgive us, Lord, for our hesitation. Forgive us for retreating into comfort when You’ve called us to conquest. Forgive us for admiring past leaders while refusing to step into present responsibility. Break every chain of fear that holds us back. Uproot the idols of self-preservation, convenience, and passivity. May the cry of our hearts be, “Here we are, Lord—send us.”

And for those who feel small, unworthy, or unprepared—remind them, O God, that You delight to use the weak things to confound the strong. You are not looking for the most impressive vessels, but for those who will remain in Your hand. Strengthen the weary. Embolden the timid. Heal the wounded. Restore the disillusioned. Call forth the hidden ones, the overlooked ones, the ones who have been quietly faithful. Let them hear Your voice and rise.

Father, make us sensitive to the movements of Your Spirit. Teach us to listen before we act, to trust before we see, and to obey before we understand. Let us not lean on the memory of past victories, nor try to mimic what once was. Do a new work among us. Breathe new life into dry places. Pour out fresh oil on Your people. Let this be a generation that does not merely repeat history but fulfills destiny.

And above all, keep our hearts tethered to You. Let our strength be found not in what we do for You, but in who we are with You. Let us never run ahead without Your voice, nor lag behind when You are calling us forward. In our families, in our churches, in our communities—be the center. Be the light. Be the compass. Be the fire that leads us by night and the cloud that guides us by day.

We yield ourselves again to You, O Lord. We open our hands. We lift our eyes. We silence every competing voice. And we say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servants are listening.”

In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation, the One who leads us in triumph and never forsakes His own, we pray.

Amen.