43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
-Joshua 21:43-45 NIV
This portion of the Bible comes near the end of the book of Joshua after the Israelites crossed the Jordan, defeated their enemies, and took possession of their promised land.
And what an encouraging word for each of us?! We all have things we are contending in the faith for; we each are holding on to God’s promises while praying and waiting for God’s will to be done. You may be praying for the salvation of a close friend, trusting God will provide; hoping for a day when you are truly free from addiction, or crying out to God for a breakthrough or miracle at work or in your health or at church or in your marriage.
I pray you are reminded today that God always makes good on His promises. Not one of the Lord’s promises failed the Israelites. Every single one was fulfilled.
In order to truly inhabit the land God had given them, the Israelites had to fight many battles. The same is true for us. Just like the Lord brought triumph to His people, you can trust that Jesus is your victory no matter what fight you find yourself in.
Not only is Jesus your victory, He also brings you rest. The Prince of Peace wants to bring rest to your weary soul, today. In Him, you can find true rest.
One last thing to note about Joshua 21:43-45: God fulfilled His promises generationally. They weren’t fulfilled in just one lifetime, which may sound discouraging when we would really like some promises fulfilled like yesterday. Haha! BUT when we think about life through the lens of legacy, our discouragement transforms into hope. The Lord makes good on His promises, and that will impact your kids and their kids and their kids. He is faithful not just to us— but to the generations to come. Talk about the goodness of God!
Here’s a simple prayer you can pray that I jotted in my Seek First Journal in response to my time of reflection in Joshua 21:43-45:
Lord,
You are faithful and true! You make good on every promise. There is no falsehood in You. Your promises never fail: You fulfill every word. Thank You! In Jesus, every promise is YES and AMEN! I trust in You. In You and You alone lies salvation and victory. You bring me rest. I am safe and secure in Your hands. Lead me. Watch over me. Take good care of me and my family, and may we follow You wholeheartedly and walk in obedience to Your ways and Your Spirit.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
*This reflection comes from my own time in the Word while completing the Seek First Journal. Click here to learn more