Give and Take

A very good friend just text me this verse to read and it has knocked me into a revelation! Thanks Shiko and Alice!

Joshua 21: 43-45: So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. 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. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

The amazing thing about this short passage is that it makes clear God's promises to us:

• the land God swore to our ancestors
• He gave us rest
• and then on every side - just as He had sworn to our ancestors
• gave all our enemies into our hands
• not one of the good promises failed, NOT ONE....
• ALL was fulfilled

It is important that this verse is broken down like this because a lot of times:

1. We battle with the truth of God's provision for us - is it really there or here?  Is God with us?  How come we are not getting blessed like that other person?
2. And then the anxieties that life brings and the several attacks that surround our minds - when will they stop?  How come its only me that suffers like this? When do I get free?

All these, in some way or form, depending on how much weight we put on it, tend to become our enemies....

I don't know about you but the God that I serve is a promise-keeping God. He never leaves or forsakes us.  He never abandons or forgets about us.  He thinks of us ALL of the time, and He provides all our needs. When God makes promises, He keeps them...because He is that type of God.  You can trust His every word and His great works.

The other part of this passage is that the people of Israel TOOK possession of the land, the promises and the rest. And the bible said, "they settled in it".  THAT IS POWERFUL, ladies!

Question to myself: How many times have I believed God, and actually settled in my belief?  That challenges me... because someone can hand something to you all day long, but if you do not take possession of it, and then settle in the blessing...then, ladies, its all in vain.  You know how it is, we hear something good...it sounds life-changing, we talk about it for days and days but do we really settle in the truth and the confidence that it holds?

I pray that this passage does to you what it's doing to me.... If you do not remember anything else, please focus on the last part of the verse: Not one of  all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled!  AMEN!

Possession Builders:

• When have you doubted God's promises to be good for your life?
• In what ways can you begin to take possession of God's blessing and promises over you?