Wednesday 18 January 2017; Waking Faith By Steven Furtick - Talk Yourself Into It

 Joshua 1:9-11

"'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.'" So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 'Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.'"
 
 God's presence is guaranteed, but your personal experience of His promises is optional. Many of us choose to settle before we have fully possessed the promise.

This is where Joshua stands in Joshua chapter 1, as the Lord encourages him to be bold and keep his confidence as he leads Israel into the Promised Land. You see, God is reminding him that he stood right outside the Promised Land before — forty years ago.

Moses was in position to possess the Promised Land, and he sent Joshua and eleven other spies into the land. The Bible gives a recording of the report that the men brought back.

It says in Numbers 13:31-32, "But the men who had gone up with him said, 'We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are. And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, 'The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.'"

Let's face it: The spies were being realistic. The enemy was bigger and stronger, and the Israelites couldn't conquer the land on their own. But Joshua knew something that the other spies had forgotten — they were not on their own. They carried a promise of God's presence. And God's presence guarantees His power. And His power guarantees that we will prevail!

I don't know what you're currently going through, but you have the same promise of God's presence. In fact, as a believer in Jesus Christ, you have an even better promise! Not only is God with you, but He is in you, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

You don't have to stop short. You don't have to settle for less. God is with you wherever you go and you can be assured that He will be bigger than anything you face.

Written By: Pastor Steven Furtick