How can we trust God's promises like Israel did in Joshua 3:10? Setting the Scene in Joshua 3 Israel has camped on the east bank of the Jordan. Forty years of wandering are about to end, and the nation stands on the threshold of promise. The priests will step into a flooded river carrying the ark, and God will dry a path. The miracle is meant to settle every lingering doubt. What Israel Heard in Joshua 3:10 “By this you will know that the living God is among you, and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.” (Joshua 3:10) God ties a visible, present act—stopping the Jordan—to a future guarantee—defeating seven hostile nations. One promise realized becomes the down payment on all the rest. Why God’s Promises Are Completely Trustworthy • His unchanging character: “God is not a man, that He should lie… Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19) • His flawless track record: “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled.” (Joshua 21:45) • His living, active word: “So My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty.” (Isaiah 55:11) • His confirmation in Christ: “For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) Practical Ways to Trust Like Israel 1. Remember past interventions. Keep a written record of answered prayer and providence; they function like personal “stones from the Jordan.” 2. Stay close to His presence. Just as Israel fixed its gaze on the ark, believers fix their hearts on Christ through daily Scripture meditation and obedient living. 3. Step out when He says move. The priests got their feet wet first, then the water stopped; active obedience often precedes visible results. 4. Stand with a believing community. Israel crossed together; shared testimony strengthens individual faith. 5. Anchor thoughts in specific promises. Regularly rehearse texts such as Hebrews 10:23 (“He who promised is faithful,”) until they shape inner dialogue. Encouraging Snapshots of Fulfilled Promises • Abraham received Isaac: “Being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.” (Romans 4:21) • Israel left Egypt exactly as foretold (Exodus 12). • David’s throne produced the Messiah (Luke 1:32-33). • Jesus rose on the third day, validating every word He spoke (Matthew 28). Summing It Up Trust grows as we connect God’s past actions, His unchanging character, and His written word to the circumstances we face today. Israel’s confidence at the Jordan shows that one fulfilled promise is enough to stake everything on the next one. The living God who stood in the river still stands by every promise He has made. |
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