The third principle Joshua pursued to receive victory upon victory is a deep confidence in God’s faithfulness to His promise. In Joshua 21:45 from the
Berkeley version, notice what is written: “Of all the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel, not one failed; they were
all fulfilled.”
Again from the Berkeley version in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “In Him all the promises of God are yes. For this reason we also say through Him ‘Amen’
to God for His glory through us.”
When God promises something, He also provides the power to cause it to come to pass. When we simply add our agreement with it, we obtain the power of God
for that promise. God cannot be changed from being a faithful God. His words are as sure as the dawn (see Hosea 6:3). There is a sustaining power deep
within that continues to remind us that God will fulfill every promise He has made.
He remained faithful through all of Israel’s rebellious wanderings in the wilderness. As they stepped into a steady walk of loyalty to God, they activated
the power within the promise. His faithfulness to them became apparent as they faced each obstacle. They were filled with such enormous confidence
and unflinching faith, no enemy could stand successfully against them.
God responded again and again to their faith. Notice Joshua 21:43-44, again from the Berkeley version, “The Lord gave Israel the whole land which
He promised their fathers to give them. They took possession of it and lived in it. The Lord gave them peace on every side, according to all that He
had promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could withstand them, because the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands.”
They were in the land of their dreams. Living in peace! All their enemies had been conquered.
God had remained faithful!
That is the God we serve. He has defeated every enemy that challenges us. He is faithful to us, and will make every promise a reality in our lives. We
can possess the land of our dreams and begin to live in them.
Today there is an immense need for God’s holy nation of believers to embrace this same unshakable confidence in God’s faithfulness. We must let God show
His faithfulness to us.
Israel was entering the days of victory and tranquility. The people spent several years moving into the land they were to inherit. Not only had God liberated
them from Egypt and their wanderings, but also there was now liberty from the constant warfare in Canaan.
Along with victory and liberty in Christ comes a new challenge to spiritual stability. There is a tendency to drop our guard to Satan’s more subtle attacks.
It demands as much spiritual diligence to maintain a position as it does to obtain it.
Times of peace can be deceptive. Though the conflict on the outside may have ceased, pressures can arise from within that are just as deadly.
Many who have stood through great trouble and conquered, later found themselves defeated because of sloppy spiritual conduct in times of seeming peace.
Our confidence can never rest in the accomplishments or achievements of the past, but only in our continual place in the presence of God. Be sure to
maintain an intimate relationship with the Lord daily.