The Victories
Words of Faith 8-6-26
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2026
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Nehemiah 9
[22] "You gave them kingdoms and nations, allotting to them even the remotest frontiers. They took over the country of Sihon, king of Heshbon, and the country of Og, king of Bashan. [23] You made their sons as numerous as the stars in the sky, and you brought them into the land that you told their fathers to enter and possess. [24] Their sons went in and took possession of the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who lived in the land; you handed them over to them, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with them as they pleased. [25] They captured fortified cities and fertile land; they took possession of houses filled with all kinds of good things, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate to the full and were well-nourished; they reveled in your great goodness.

The worship leaders of Jerusalem recounted the journey of God’s people that had brought them to that place and time. They were chosen, freed, identified, fed, and protected as they moved toward the Land of Promise. When they came to that land, they were not alone. God was there to win the battles.

The victories God won for His people were a vital part of their spiritual history. God never left them or forsake them. He gave over to them many kingdoms and nations. He blessed them with growth. Their numbers grew, and they took possession of the land.

The blessing of God was not the handing over of an untamed wilderness to them. The Israelites took possession of lands that were already cleared and cultivated, wells that already provided water, groves that had taken years to grow, and vineyards that were ready for harvest. They did not experience hunger as they entered the Land of Promise. They readily experienced the goodness of God.

We may ask: But what of the people who dug these wells and cultivated these lands? What of the Canaanites? Sadly, these were people who had lived in rebellion against God. They had worshiped idols and sacrificed children on altars to Moloch and Baal. We might question this. How could they have known any better? How could they have chosen differently?

The Apostle Paul gives us the answer. He explains in the book of Romans that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities— his eternal power and divine nature— have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, and reptiles (1:18-23).

Part of the blessing that should have been observed by the children of Israel is that by honoring God and recognizing His power, they were given great blessings and great victories. In our human nature, we often think we have won the victories rather than that God has. If the children of Israel had carefully looked at the plight of the Canaanites who had chosen their own way and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man, birds, animals, and reptiles, they might have been more careful about falling into the same trap as time went on.

The victories of God offer us an opportunity to reflect on His faithfulness. We can watch carefully for the hand of God. We can rejoice gratefully because of the hand of God. We can witness faithfully concerning the hand of God. These are His victories. What would we ever do with Him?

Father God, I come in gratitude, utterly overwhelmed by Your power, majesty, and generosity. May You be glorified in my actions and in my speech. May You be lifted up in all that I do. May You be proclaimed in every place. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy.