God has given each of us over 5,000 promises in Scripture. But He’s not going to force anyone to live in the victory of His fulfilled promises. You have to go get them. Like Joshua who had been promised that He would be given any piece of land where his foot walked (Joshua 1:3), he had to go get it. He couldn’t stand where he was and simply claim victory over all of his enemies. There are four key principles to going and getting the promises God has made. Let’s look at them briefly here.
1. Leave the Past Behind
Learn from yesterday; don’t live in it. As Joshua set out to take the Israelites on a military conquest across enormous geographical areas, he had to let go of Moses as the leader and commander. As we see in Joshua 1:1-2, Moses had died. The miracles Moses had performed for the Israelite people existed now in the past. God would use a new man and a new plan to secure their victories moving forward. Embracing that truth was critical for their progress.
2. Seize Your Spiritual Inheritance
As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Joshua had to take steps of faith in order to secure the promises made by God. God gave a condition to the receiving of his victories. He had to place the sole of his foot where he may normally be afraid to do so. He had to do that in faith. Sitting around and waiting for God to simply dump your spiritual promises on you is not how God operates. You have to go get it!
3. Focus on God and Not People
Joshua 1:5 says, “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” No doubt Joshua faced oversized, overpowering enemies as he sought to gain military victories and conquer the land. But God assured him of his victory. Had Joshua focused on the people in his way, he might have cowered in fear. Likewise, when you direct your focus to God and His assuring Word, you can reduce fear and doubt in your own life. Keep your eyes on your Source, and only your Source.
4. Stay Tethered to God’s Word
Lastly, a critical element to Joshua’s conquests was his consistency in staying tied to God’s Word. We read in Joshua 1:7, “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.” God’s Word gives wisdom about what to do, when to do it and how to gain spiritual victories in the midst of physical limitations or obstacles. As you move forward in life, meditate on and apply the truth of Scripture, you will gain insight into how to accomplish all God has in store for you.
I recall a time when I had some serious ant hills on my front lawn. As these ants served their queen, they built mounds on my lawn, turning a once-green lawn into a place of foreign habitation. They were building their own kingdom on my lawn, so I needed to address their presence. If I didn’t...
Everybody needs someone to help them navigate through their life. Timothy had the best of mentors in the apostle Paul, who wrote two letters to encourage him in his life and ministry. During his missionary journeys, Paul had left Timothy behind in Ephesus so that he could grow the ministry that...