How should believers today trust God's promises as seen in Joshua 13:4? Setting the Scene Joshua is old, yet God is still detailing territory that belongs to Israel—land not yet taken but already promised. One slice of that land is described in Joshua 13:4: “to the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians to Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;” What God Was Saying Then • God’s promise covered territory Israel had not occupied. • He spoke of future victories as present realities. • Joshua was to allocate this land to the tribes as their inheritance, underscoring God’s certainty that it would be theirs (cf. Joshua 13:6–7). What This Means for Us Today • God’s word is so reliable that He can speak of unseen outcomes as though already finished (Romans 4:17). • Present obstacles never cancel divine promises; they merely reveal where faith is required (Hebrews 11:1). • Our inheritance in Christ is secure even when circumstances appear contrary (Ephesians 1:13–14). Why We Can Trust These Promises 1. God’s Character – “God is not a man, that He should lie” (Numbers 23:19). 2. God’s Track Record – He fulfilled the land promise to Israel generation after generation (Joshua 21:45). 3. God’s Covenant in Christ – All promises find their “Yes” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). 4. God’s Unchanging Word – “The grass withers…the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Practical Ways to Trust His Promises • Read Scripture daily, noting promises and their fulfillments. • Speak God’s word over unmet needs, as Joshua allocated unconquered land. • Obey in the present; faith is proven by action (James 2:17). • Remember past deliverances; gratitude fuels confidence for future battles (Psalm 77:11–12). • Encourage one another with testimonies of God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 10:23–25). Scriptures That Echo This Assurance • Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The LORD Himself goes before you…” • Psalm 37:5 – “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.” • Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart…” • Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son…how will He not also…graciously give us all things?” Living It Out Joshua 13:4 shows a God who calls unfinished territory “yours.” Believers today can rest in that same certainty: if He has spoken, the outcome is settled. Walk forward, act on His word, and watch Him turn promised ground into possessed ground. |
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