The Premise Versus The Promise

UV 3517/10000 The Premise Versus The Promise
No man will be able to stand before you to oppose you as long as you live. Just as I was present with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you.

Joshua 1 v 5

. Worldly people live on the basis of a premise or assumption, for example that as long as they are having enough money, they will be fine. But people of the Word who is God, live on the basis of a promise, for example, the belief that the Lord will secure their lives and as long as they are in a right or covenant relationship with God, all will be well in their lives. This uni-verse is an amazing promise of protection, strength, vindication, victory and security given to Joshua on his succeeding Moses as leader of Israel. On the basis of this promise, Joshua was to be strong, confident and courageous. The only reason for godly leaders to succeed is that God is with them. The only precondition for their success is that they should be faithful and consistent in obeying all the commands of the Lord and believing all the promises of the Lord. They are to never stray away from following biblical principles and teachings. They should meditate on it day and night. Scripture should saturate our minds and thoughts 24 x 7. Then, the word becomes our source of strength, inspiration, guidance, wisdom and hope. When we fulfill this precondition or prerequisite, the Lord will not forsake or abandon or fail us.

The promise holds good for us as long as we live. We are not to move to the left or the right or waver in our faith as we hold onto this promise of God. We are to be steadfast in remembering, relying on this promise. It was this promise and the confidence and strength it produced in Joshua that enabled him to defeat 31 kings physically and wrest the promised land from them. Likewise, many spiritual kings of darkness are squatting on our inheritance, our rights as children of God. The Lord will enable us to defeat these 31 kings and come into our “promised land” in due time. No man or spirit can contend against us and win. Yes, they will attempt to resist, oppose, attack us for one third of the fallen angels cannot remain idle and unemployed. They would always be hatching some plot to attack or steal our happiness or peace but the Lord goes ahead of us, is with us and is also holding the rear, covering our backs. The plot to harm us cannot succeed as long as both the pilot and the escort are none but Almighty God.

Normally, when we put up our bare hands, it is a gesture of surrender and defeat but as long as Moses’ hands were held up the Israelites had victory in battle against their enemies. Likewise, when our hands are held up in “sweet surrender” and worship of the Lord, we have victory. The law of God was given through Moses while the love of God was revealed through Christ Jesus. Christ promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to be with His followers. Today, the Holy Spirit is present with us, leading, guiding, comforting, strengthening, emboldening, encouraging us. He lays the promises of the Lord on our hearts to believe, claim and receive in our every situation. The battles we face are not physical or military like Joshua’s but are intense and lifelong. We can draw courage, strength, confidence from the fact that the Lord will never abandon, forsake or fail us.