Mensa Otabil - Taking New Territories (10/02/2025)
Genesis chapter 12, verse 8: He removed from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There, he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. Abraham’s journey of faith is a very fascinating one. As you read it, there are so many details and significant places he visits that are important for the future history of Israel and God’s purposes for them.
God continued to lead him, so after the Lord had told him when he got to Canaan that this was the land, Abraham kept moving. He moved beyond the promised land, and God showed him different places to go. In Canaan, he built an altar to the Lord, but then he continued moving; he didn’t settle there. He journeyed toward Bethel, and at Bethel, though the Lord did not directly indicate that the land was his, he built an altar to the Lord. In Canaan, God tells him, «This is your land,» and he builds an altar to the Lord.
In Bethel, God doesn’t say it’s his land, yet he still builds an altar to the Lord. This shows us some very interesting things. There are things that God gives to you directly, promising and blessing you with them, as He did for Abraham in Canaan, but there are also things we take by faith. We possess new territories by faith, even when God has not spoken to us about them. We can sense that we have the ability, the strength, and what it takes to possess the land, which is what Abraham is doing. There are places that God gives to him, but there are also places where he exercises faith to possess—this is what he does in Bethel. He comes to Bethel and plants an altar.
Every altar that Abraham built reminded him of the places where God had taken him because he is on a journey, and the altars are markers or signposts to indicate his movement from one point to another. Many times we go through life without remembering where we have come from and where we are going. If you don’t remember where you are coming from, you won’t appreciate your progress; you won’t even see that God is blessing you. There are people who have been so blessed but don’t even recognize the blessing. Just think about where you were five years ago or what your life was like ten years ago, and consider if you could have signposts marking your progress.
Although you haven’t arrived yet, you are still not where you used to be. Abraham built altars to remind him of where God was taking him and the progress he was making. He also built altars to commemorate the new territories he was taking. Every altar signifies a new territory for the Lord, and may the Lord lead you to take new territories for His kingdom because there are things God wants to do with you, some of which you know and some you are yet to know. Every step you take must be a territory you are possessing for God. The altars reminded Abraham, «This is my territory; this is my land.»
Later on, if you read your Bible well, you will see that these are the lands that God gave to Israel, and they had to fight for them—these were the lands because Abraham built altars there. Every altar Abraham built was also a place of worship, a location set apart to honor God. He is reminding himself of his journey, taking new territories and establishing places of worship. This tells us that anytime God is leading us, we must mark the progress we are making, take new territories for God, and dedicate whatever God gives us for His purposes and glory. The things that God blesses us with must ultimately be used in the service of the Lord and for His glory.
Let us pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, thank you for what you have given me. I take hold of new territories for your glory. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» Go and possess territories for God, and use them for His kingdom. I am Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.