TAKE POSSESSION
The heart of God has always been to bless His people. When the brought deliverance to Israel His purpose was not only to bring them "OUT OF" Egyptian bondage but to also bring them "IN TO" the "Promised Land". The first generation of liberated Jews bulked in unbelief and refused to go and "Take Possession" of that which the Lord had given them. In the love compassion and faithfulness of the Lord He raised up a second generation that where prepared of God to believe Him, to go in and to "Take Hold" of the Promises of God. The Word of the Lord came to this new generation of believers: "See, I have given you you this land. Go in and TAKE POSSESSION of the land that the LORD swore He would give to your fathers- to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- and their descendants after them." ( Deut. 1:8) He also told them to "Break camp and advance." (Deut. 1:6)
The Lord has given us numerous New Covenant Promises through which He purposes to change our lives, (2 P.1:4). Their are also some very personal promises that we've received from the Lord. How are we going "Take Possession" of these? We can learn some very important things from the way that second generation of Israelites did it. What worked for them will work for us and the reason they will is because was leading them not only showing them the way into the promises but also through them show us the way.
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NOT WAVERING
James mentions the concern he had about "double mindedness", when in prayer. Jms. 1:6-8 "But when he asks, he MUST BELIEVE AND NOT DOUBT, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all he does.
Note: The wavering being talked about here is between faith and unbelief. This double mindedness is a common tendency among Believers and the challenge we all face is that of remaining "IN FAITH" as it pertains to the promises of God.
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PROMISES OF GOD
God is not like us, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thought than your thoughts," (Isa. 55:9). Because the ways of the Lord are different than what is common to human thinking we should not be too surprised when we find ourselves challenged to change and adjust to His ways.
Abraham, in many ways, was like you and I --called of God to live in communion and fellowship with the true and living God. During the years of this relational experience with God, Abraham was CHALLENGED to believe God--he had been given some promises that were "WAY OUT". He was to be the father of many nations. No doubt, a lot of things were going to have to change if this was to be experienced. Abraham believed in the One who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were", (Rom. 4:17). In other words, God calls things done before there's any sign of their possibility. Now that's different all right, but it is the way of God, and unlike us, He's the One who knows the end from the beginning and has ALL the power and authority to do all that is in His heart to do.
Like Abraham we've been given some promises. "He has given us His very great and precious promises, SO THAT through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 P. 1:4). Can this really be!? Is it possible for us to escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires? No more possible than it was for Sarah's dead womb to bear Abraham's child. Is it possible for us to participate in the divine nature (Christ-likeness) now!? Again, no more possible than it was for Abraham to be the father of many nations!
The humanly impossible happened for Abraham because God had said it would and Abraham chose to believe Him. Abraham, "did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, BUT was strengthened in his faith and GAVE GLORY TO GOD, (Rom.4:20). There's a way we glorify the Lord when it comes to promises. "For no matter how many promises God has made, thy are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God (2 Cor.1:20).
The word, "Amen" means "so be it as it is". This is a bold statement of faith that is in full agreement with the promise of God's Word. There's just something about saying, "Yes" to the promises of God that glorifies the Lord!
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STRENGTHENED & ENCOURAGED
The major challenge we face concerning the promises of God is that of remaining focused on the promises. Circumstances and situations rise to directly oppose the promises. Like Abraham we too will see the promises of God fulfilled if we WALK IN THE SAME FOOTSTEPS OF THE FAITH that our father Abraham had, (Rom. 4;12). How did Abraham walk? How did he handle the challenges of unbelief, doubt and fear? Focus! Abraham was an incredibly focused individual. He simply refused to "look at" hopelessness of the situation but rather fixed his hope in the God who made the promises to him. "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed," (Rom. 4:18).
We're told that "Abraham" was strengthened in his faith," (Rom. 4:20). How did this happen? "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17). Hearing the message. Hearing the Word of God! Hearing that promise He gave to you! What did God tell you? What promise has He made to you! Hear it! Listen to it! Focus on the promise of God. Abraham did.
As we continue in our relational experience with the Lord there are times, like seasons, when everything seems to scream out, "it will never happen," "what God has promised you will never be realized. Sometimes it seems that the only source of encouragement is in the Lord Himself.
David experienced a time in his life when he was so "rung out" he had no more strength to weep, (1 Sam. 30:4). His wives had been captured, the people taken and the city of Ziklag burned. David was in great distress because the men were talking of stoning him" (1 Sam. 30:6). What to do!? Where to go!? Everything around was screaming out doubt, fear and unbelief. How to handle these time? Like David, we too, must be encouraged and strengthened in the Lord our God (1 Sam. 30:6 Amp.) Lord I know what the circumstance and situations are saying. I know what the devil is saying but Lord I want to hear all over again what you are saying. Lord I want to hear your promise.
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WALKING BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT
It's when we start to walk by sight that we waver. Unlike the world, unlike humanism, the people of God are chosen by God to live by faith and not by sight, (2 Cor. 5:7).
The promise of God supersedes everything!
It's vital to know you've been given the promise from God. It's not just a feeling (feelings are nice, but they are subject to change.) It's not just a word of presumption that came to you through some well meaning, yet misled individual with a so-called prophetic gift. We need to be absolutely sure about this. This is too important a thing to be lead around by good intentions. We need the Word of God! We need to be absolutely sure, "This is God's Word to me." And once we are sure of it, we will allow nothing to distract us from it. We will, if necessary, be found encouraging ourselves in the Lord.
I feel I want to say something at this point, and I don't want to be misunderstood in what I'm saying, however, there can come times when we need to avoid people of unbelief. They may be well meaning but they just haven't heard from God. They don't understand the uniqueness of your situation and like Job's so-called friends, can approach things through the much less than perfect -- human wisdom. Humanistic reasoning often boldly and aggressively speaks unbelief. For a while you may have to choose carefully who you will allow to speak into your life.
We need to be reminded that "its me God has spoken this to. It's me that's been given this promise." I speak for myself--too often I expect others to understand and they don't. Too often I've looked to people to encourage me in the vision God has given to me, only to find unbelief and uncertainty. This then generates an atmosphere for greater wavering as double mindedness seeks to invade and rob faith of its expectancy, leaving emptiness and confusion.
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GOD'S WORD RULES
Once we're assured "I've received a promise from God" then we need to allow that word to rule.
Israel received an incredible promise of God. They were to be delivered from Egyptian slavery, brought into and released to inherit Canaan Land. How would such a thing happen?
Having come to the Jordan they could see the Promised Land just over the river. They were so close! Well, we know the story. The spies went in. Twelve of them! Two of them looked at things through the eyes of the prophetic. They spoke out of the promises of God and encouraged everyone to. "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." (Num. 13:30). If Joshua and Caleb were speaking today it would sound like this, "I can do everything through Him (Christ) who gives me strength," Ph. 4:13. They would shout from the rooftops. "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, (Rom. 8:37). "No weapon forged against us will prevail," (Isa. 54:17). "Thanks be to God, who ALWAYS LEADS US IN TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION IN CHRIST, (2 Cor. 2:14).
History confirms that Israel should have listened to the voice of faith. Instead they chose to listen to the voice of unbelief. Humanism is as old as the human race. We don't want to minimize human intelligence. If you don't a word from God, it's the next best thing. However, God has exalted His Word above everything. Rationalism must submit to the Word of God. Once God as spoken His Word, it must be permitted to rule.
Ten of the spies came back and through their "bad report" discouraged the others. These ten looked at things through the human understanding.
Don't miss it! Everything they said was true. There were giants and great walled cities. Yes, it was humanly impossible. They had about as much chance of taking possession of the land as their forefather, Abraham had of becoming the father of many nations. These spies failed "not because they told the truth" but because they refused to bring God into the picture. The result! "So we see that they were not able to enter because of their unbelief.
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FACING THE FACTS
"Blind faith." What's that? It's certainly not Bible faith. As faith grows in us, and it does, it becomes strong like Abraham's. While our faith is being strengthened, sometimes we need to avoid looking too directly at the facts. That's not to say we pretend they don't exist but we choose, for the time being, to avoid being distracted by them.
Abraham, we are told, "Faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead". He did not avoid the facts. He didn't say they weren't real. He faced them head on and was "fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised." Abraham knew that the facts were subject to the promises of God and in accordance with the Word and will of God the facts would change and history would record "God is a faithful God."
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GOD IS FAITHFUL
After having experienced deliverance from Egypt, 40 years of desert wandering and then to have entered and conquered the enemies in Canaan land, Joshua, at the end of his life, said to Israel, "You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled: not one has failed (Josh. 23:14).
Rom. 14:4 says, "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, SO THAT through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." It's through historic events of people like Abraham and the nation of Israel we can see God's faithfulness. He'll do it for us in our generation.
Has God promised revival for you! Has He promised you health and healing, deliverance or maybe financial provision? His Word always supersedes the present facts and like Jesus said to Mary and Martha in Jn. 11:40--"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" They believed and Jesus gave life to the dead. The facts of the present situation gave in to the Word of God and it will happen the same way for you and me.
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