Overcoming Doubt: The Strength of God's Promises
Josh. 17:18b
…for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
God knows ALL that! Whatever you are concerned with, God’s promises are greater still. We as humans sometimes feel the need to inform God of all He’s up against, as if He were not already aware of it. When God issues a promise, He seldom discloses the minute details of how He’s going to work things out; generally, He gives what seems to us to be a clear and simple promise. And when He doesn’t even reference the problems He’s going to have to address when He promises us victory, we sometimes think that it is our job to try to convince God that He’s got His work cut out for Himself!
Think about it. Joshua had already led Israel through many victorious battles, and was fully aware of God’s covenant-keeping power. So, when the house of Joseph came to him, informing him of the sheer might and power of the Canaanites, Joshua already knew that the house of Joseph was still stronger, because Joshua remembered the covenant that God made with Israel.
Just because God’s promises sometimes seem to be a bit vague on the details to us, does not mean that He is any less aware of any and every detail involving the keeping of that promise. He knows your weaknesses, your insecurities, your obstacles, your enemies, and everything else He needs to know. That still doesn’t change the fact that when God speaks, no matter how simple His Word is, it is all-powerful and will finish what God sent it to accomplish.
We need only replace all of our worries about all of the details of our struggle with the promises of God’s word, remembering that He who is in us IS INDEED greater than he who is in the world. We will never inform God of anything He doesn’t already know. God wants us to talk to Him, but it is not because we can teach Him anything. Rather, it is because He can teach us even when we’re doing all the talking.
How many times did God ask a question in the Bible, for the sole benefit of the one being asked? For example, God asked Adam where he was after he had sinned and hid himself in the garden. God did not ask because He did not know; He asked because Adam needed to know and confess. In other words, God taught Adam a very important lesson by the words that came out of his own mouth in response to God’s question.
In like manner, we can learn a lot about ourselves by just listening to ourselves talk. Had the house of Joseph listened to their own speech, they would have learned that they were losing sight of the promises of God. What is your talk teaching you?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
…for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
God knows ALL that! Whatever you are concerned with, God’s promises are greater still. We as humans sometimes feel the need to inform God of all He’s up against, as if He were not already aware of it. When God issues a promise, He seldom discloses the minute details of how He’s going to work things out; generally, He gives what seems to us to be a clear and simple promise. And when He doesn’t even reference the problems He’s going to have to address when He promises us victory, we sometimes think that it is our job to try to convince God that He’s got His work cut out for Himself!
Think about it. Joshua had already led Israel through many victorious battles, and was fully aware of God’s covenant-keeping power. So, when the house of Joseph came to him, informing him of the sheer might and power of the Canaanites, Joshua already knew that the house of Joseph was still stronger, because Joshua remembered the covenant that God made with Israel.
Just because God’s promises sometimes seem to be a bit vague on the details to us, does not mean that He is any less aware of any and every detail involving the keeping of that promise. He knows your weaknesses, your insecurities, your obstacles, your enemies, and everything else He needs to know. That still doesn’t change the fact that when God speaks, no matter how simple His Word is, it is all-powerful and will finish what God sent it to accomplish.
We need only replace all of our worries about all of the details of our struggle with the promises of God’s word, remembering that He who is in us IS INDEED greater than he who is in the world. We will never inform God of anything He doesn’t already know. God wants us to talk to Him, but it is not because we can teach Him anything. Rather, it is because He can teach us even when we’re doing all the talking.
How many times did God ask a question in the Bible, for the sole benefit of the one being asked? For example, God asked Adam where he was after he had sinned and hid himself in the garden. God did not ask because He did not know; He asked because Adam needed to know and confess. In other words, God taught Adam a very important lesson by the words that came out of his own mouth in response to God’s question.
In like manner, we can learn a lot about ourselves by just listening to ourselves talk. Had the house of Joseph listened to their own speech, they would have learned that they were losing sight of the promises of God. What is your talk teaching you?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill