“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mk 4:1-9

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
The farmer sows the word.
Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” Mk 4:13-20

When Joshua came up against the northern kings, it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. It would be a real challenge, against those who were well prepared and well armed.

Yet, Joshua knew he wasn’t fighting in his own strength. He was doing the will of God, and so he could be confident that God would carry him through to victory.

The vistory would be complete because God tells Joshua it will be. Eventually the land would be at peace, with God’s people able to enjoy it.

Similarly, the Christian will not find spiritual battles, spreading the word, to be an easy task. However, it is the will of God and so we can take comfort that God’s will, that his word will be spread, will be accomplished, and that ultimately the victory will be God’s, with people from all nations saved to sin no more.