Joshua 13:1
"Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed."
We often hear how the "good ole days" were much better than they were today. Every generation has heard how the previous generation was much better than the present one. Yet, what many fail to see is that God leaves something for every generation to conquer.
Joshua had come to the end of his life. He, of all people, had seen the works done in Moses' lifetime and of course in his own. He saw the plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. He saw the manna fall every day from Heaven and the water come from a rock. He saw the pillar of fire that led Israel through the wilderness at night and the pillar of a cloud by day. He saw the parting of the Jordan River and the falling of the walls of Jericho. He saw the LORD keep the sun from going down as they conquered the Promised Land.
Yet, when he came to the end of his life, he didn't discourage the next generation by telling them how much better the "good ole days" were, but he encouraged them by telling them there was more land to conquer. He could have easily told them that they were lazy and had no character; instead, he challenged them to go and conquer the land as the previous generations conquered theirs.
There is no doubt that God has worked in the previous generations, but that does not mean that God cannot work through today's generation. The older you get, the easier it will be to use comparisons of how you see the past generation compared to the present, but you must be careful that you don't discourage the present generation from even trying.
Friend, there is still much land to be possessed. Certainly, God built some great churches in years gone by, but He is still building great churches today and continually desires to build more great churches. It doesn't matter what size of church you may attend, let me remind you that there is much land to be possessed. Don't fall for the Devil's trick that great works can no longer be built. God can build great works today if we will realize there is much land to be possessed.
Moreover, there is much land to be possessed in your personal life. You may hear about God using those from yesteryear in a mighty way, but why not take that as a personal challenge to see God work through you in a mighty way? The same God Who worked through people in yesteryear can still work through you today. There is much land to be possessed in your prayer life. Conquer it! There is much land to be possessed in personal holiness. Conquer it! There is much land to be possessed in your knowledge of the Scriptures. Conquer it! There is much land to be possessed in your personal soul winning. Conquer it!
Don't let the land that God has left for you to possess go unconquered. Every generation has land that needs to be possessed. What are you going to do with yours? If God has left land for you to possess, then that means that He is waiting to empower you and help you to possess that land. Decide right now that you will spend the rest of your life conquering the land that has yet to be possessed.