Mensa Otabil - Take New Territory
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This is day number 23 of our 40 days of power. Throughout this week, we’ve been discussing breaking barriers and have examined different aspects of it. It has formed the basis of our prayer, and so we are concluding breaking barriers today. Next week, we will begin discussing claiming God’s promises. Today’s passage serves as a link between breaking barriers and claiming God’s promises.
In Deuteronomy chapter 1, verse 8, the text states: «See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to your fathers-to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-to give to them and their descendants after them.» When God called Abraham, one of the things He told him was that He would give him land, children, and that his descendants would be numerous. He even specified the land that was his, but Abraham never inherited it. The land then became a promise, and so Abraham communicated this promise to his children. Isaac told Jacob, and Israel always knew there was a land meant for them.
Then they went into Egypt for 430 years. God set them free to go to that land that was promised to them hundreds of years earlier. The promises of God do not diminish with time and space; no matter where you are and what time it is, what God says will come to pass. In order to take new territories for God, there are a few things we need to consider. First is the promise-what God says. If God says it, it is settled. However, what God says must also be believed. We must have faith in God’s word. So, God made a promise to Abraham, and Abraham believed it.
After God has spoken and we have believed, the land will not be ours, and the promise will not be ours unless we go through the necessary process for the promise to become our inheritance. This process involves many activities. For Israel, it meant walking through the land. God said every place the sole of your foot would tread is yours. Even when they arrived at the promised land, they had to walk around the walls of Jericho. Walking in the land means taking steps, moving through the promise, and making an effort to reach the promised land.
But that’s not all; they had to fight for the promise. The fact that God has given you a promise doesn’t mean it will just fall into your lap. People will not simply applaud you and say, «Hey, God promised you; take it.» No, people will fight you for what is rightfully yours. People will resist you, and they will attempt to take it from you. Israel had to learn to fight for the promised land. It was theirs by God’s promise, but they had to occupy it; they had to fight for it.
So, we have the promise of God, the process, and third is the possession. Possession means you have to take hold of the land. For Israel, they took hold of the land bit by bit, piece by piece. After they had taken the land, they also had to learn to hold on to it. They maintained it for a while but eventually lost it because they went back into captivity in Babylon. After many years, they returned to the promised land, which their descendants occupy now. You must take it, but you also must hold it.
When God promises you something, you have to go through the process and then possess it. However, possessing it does not guarantee that it will stay with you forever; you must learn to hold on to it. Therefore, every step of inheriting a promise from God requires effort, work, and tenacity. We must embody all of that as we discuss taking new territories and claiming God’s promises, which we will begin tomorrow. So, are you ready to claim all the promises that God has for you? I believe that God will bless you with great things in the coming week.
Let’s share a word of prayer together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, You have set a great inheritance before me. Help me to possess all Your promises to me in Jesus' name. Amen and amen.»
Well, I trust that you will have a great week ahead, and we will continue to wait on the Lord, seek His face, and pray. Please be part of all the prayer efforts; join in, follow the prayer bulletin, and let us push through until we achieve the victory that God has promised us. Well, I’ll catch you again tomorrow morning. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.