Sermon Central
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Promises Fulfilled
Contributed by Mike Shreve on Jul 23, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: This sermon looks at: Five aspects of a Promise Fulfilled. Drawing us to trust in the All-Knowing God.
Promises Fulfilled
“The All-Knowing God”
Introduction:
Throughout scripture God has given man a multitude of promises:
Promise of Love
Promise of Forgiveness
Promise of Salvation
Promise of the Holy Spirit
Promise of Everlasting Life
Promise of Peace
Promise of Joy
Promise of Freedom
Promise of Growth
Promise of Encouragement
Promise of Excellence
Promise of Strength
Promise to Make You Holy
Promise to Bless You
Promise to Guide You
Promise to Protect You
Promise to Care for You
Promise to Chasten You
Promise to Come Again
Promise to Reward You
He makes a promise to the guilty and dejected that earnestly seek reconciliation
God makes a promise to those that are in despair
He makes promises to those that are disappointed with the present
God makes promises to the depressed and persecuted
God makes promises when you are Anxious, Confused, Impatient, Tempted, Weak, Afraid, Suffer and Grieve.
God makes promises to those that obey
God promises to take care of your needs and when you Witness.
God promises to Answer Prayer and to be with you wherever you go.
We have an almighty God that cares for us and desires that our hearts would heed His leadership for our lives. And so, He challenges us in the testing of our hearts and faith in Him so that we would grow in the understanding of His ways, learning to stand upon the solid rock of His unchanging and powerful promises.
LET US PRAY!
(READ Joshua 21:1-3, 41-45)
This chapter speaks specifically of the cities of the Levites and how these cities and the common-lands were distributed for them. Then to close off the chapter we are given a reflective moment that magnifies the faithfulness of God by fulfilling the promises He made to the nation of Israel.
Today we are going to look at the five aspects of a Promise Fulfilled here in this
21st chapter of Joshua:
1) God made a Promise to Israel
2) God kept His Promise to Israel
3) Israel took possession of the land Promised
4) Israel dwelt in the land Promised
5) The Lord gave them rest
1) God made a Promise to Israel
So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers,
God gave the nation Israel promises to develop within them the realization that they must be dependent upon Him and Him alone. Having no other God’s before them, but casting all their energy into following through on the direction God gave them through His promises. God told them that he was leading them to a land flowing with milk and honey and that he would deliver their enemies into their hands.
Why Does God Make Promises To You? He makes promises to you to demonstrate His sovereignty and raise your level of reverence towards Him. He makes promises to help you grow in your faith and to see the reality that God is Almighty. He’s more than able, He’s more than trustworthy, He’s impeccable, He’s perfect, Holy, and Righteous.
2) God kept His Promise to Israel
Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
Time and again the Lord placed before the Israelites His plan for their success. He gave them a promise and all He asked was that they would be faithful enough to follow through. He provided for all their needs, He gave them the direction and the leadership that was required and yet often times they turned away from the Lord of Lords.
Thankfully, during this period in Israel’s history it is a time to rejoice for the nation. They could reflect on God’s Word and the guidance that He provided for the nation and praise His name for the great things He had done.
How can we trust God? Because God keeps His promises, God doesn’t let His people down. He will never leave us nor forsake us. His Word is unshakable and we can rest assured when we live our lives by the Word of God our lives are going to be fulfilling.
Will there be trials and tribulations? Yes, of course there will be it’s promised in His Word and yet we can take comfort in knowing He’s in control and all that He has said will come to pass. The ultimate victory will be the glorifying of our heavenly Father and if we have trusted in the Lord we will rejoice in the last day.
3) Israel took possession of the land Promised
…and they took possession of it…
Although, the way in which the people of Israel took possession of the land was not the way God had designed. It was nevertheless completed. The nation through disobedience allowed obstacles to get into their way, such as, the fear of the giants that sent them wondering for forty years in the wilderness.