Date: August 26, 2026
Series: Youth for Jesus
Number: Vol. 9, No. 15
“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”” (Josh 1:3NIV)
Who said the words we have in our opening text? It was God. And who did He say them to? He said them to Joshua. Why did He say them to him? He said them to him so that he would be encouraged to lead the children of Israel to possess the land He had promised to their forefathers and also to Moses.
Now, based on what God said to Joshua, what would Joshua and the Israelites possess? Every place in the land of Canaan where they set their foot! So, we know that it was not anywhere they set their foot in the world that would theirs. Rather, it was anywhere within the Promised Land that they set their foot that they would possess.
For instance, God clearly told them before Moses died that He would not give them the lands of the descendants of Esau and Lot, that is, the lands of the Edomites, Moabites and Ammonites. Why? Those lands were not part of the land He had promised to give to their forefathers. So, if they should set their foot on any of them, attempting to take it, they were bound to fail. (Cf. Deut 2:2-19)
This is showing us that we must know the limits or boundaries of any promise God has made to us. That way, we will not find ourselves trampling on the rights of others or wanting to take for ourselves what God has legitimately given to others, all in the name of wanting to possess our God-given inheritance. Where that is the situation, we are bound to meet with nothing but frustration.
But then, we also see from what God said to Joshua that even when He has given something to us, we must still take steps to possess, own or enjoy it. God indeed had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites. But they would have to take steps towards possessing it. Yes, they would have to place their foot on any part of the land that would be theirs to enjoy. Otherwise, the promises and gifts of God to them would not be theirs to enjoy or possess. And thankfully, they did that under Joshua and possessed for themselves every place that they set their foot on.
In like manner, if God has given something to us or made a promise to us, we must be ready to understand what legitimate and righteous steps we need to take in order for us to experience the fulfilment of that promise and also enjoy it. We must know that it is not every promise of God that will be automatically fulfilled in our lives, without our taking any action. There are promises of His that will never come to fulfilment, if we do not take necessary steps to experience their fulfilment.
Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus, for instance, did not need to do anything in order to conceive baby Jesus and give birth to Him. That was all on God. But Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth had to meet as husband and wife in order for the promise of God to give them a son to be fulfilled. If they had not done that, His promise to them would not have been fulfilled. He may, then, have to try another family that would be ready to do the needful. (Cf. Luke 1)
So, when you have a promise of God, also make effort to know whether the fulfilment of that promise is all on Him or you have roles to play in seeing its fulfilment. If it is not all on Him but also on you, then, you have to know what you need to do and begin to do it without delay. Otherwise, you may wait forever and still not see the fulfilment of certain promises of His to you.
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