So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them. None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled. (Joshua 21:43-45 HCSB)
This is not a promise… but it makes the amazing statement that “none of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed!” So this passage has everything to do with the subject of promises.
This passage refers to Joshua and the Israelites after they had taken possession of the land of Canaan, defeating seven stronger and more developed nations, and taking possession of their own land for the first time in their lives. Every one was at a severe disadvantage; each one was the child of former slaves who had only known harsh oppression from birth—for five to six generations—and had the scars on their backs to prove it. Each one’s parents had died in the desert after rebelling against God at the border to Canaan. After all this, how did they rise up, become a people, establish a culture, conquer seven different nations, and make homes and cities for themselves in the new land of Israel? The only answer is that they believed in God’s promises with more fervor than their parents. They decided to be pioneers, to avoid the mistakes of the previous generation. It took audacity, fearlessness, and determination, but because they trusted in God and acted on their faith, every promise that God had made to them came true.
Wouldn’t this be a great thing for you to say at the end of your life? “…none of the good promises that God made to me has failed in my lifetime.” Impossible? Asking for too much? I actually know people who can say this! And as for myself, I have seen many come true, and at 54 years of age am determined to see more in the years I have left than I have seen up to this point. This is possible. In fact, it is more possible for us than it was for Joshua because we have the understanding of the New Testament and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This needs to be our goal in life, and clearly, it is God’s goal for us since He did it in the life of Joshua and the Israelites.
Start being more audacious about what God has promised. Insist on them coming true, and refuse to allow the devil to win by stealing them from us. May God bless you in this holy quest!
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