There Is a Difference Between a Promise and a Possession

You are well able to possess what God has promised you.
Beloved,

There is a difference between receiving a promise from God and possessing that promise.

Israel discovered this truth on their journey to the Promised Land.

God had already given them His word. The land was theirs by promise. Yet there was still something they had to do: they had to move forward and possess it.

The same principle applies to us today.

In order to see the fulfilment of God’s promises in our lives, we must act upon them. We must move into a position of faith where we can take possession of what God has spoken.

Jesus Himself declared:

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”
— Matthew 11:12

Faith is not passive.

There comes a moment when you must stop standing at the border of the promise and begin moving toward it.

Do Not Become Complacent

Do not become complacent.

Do not vacillate between faith and fear.

Do not say:

“If it is God’s will, perhaps He will heal me.”

Know the promises and provisions of God concerning healing, and stand in faith upon His Word.

Do not settle for your present circumstances when God has given you a promise.

You can either allow the sickness, difficulty or impossibility before you to determine your future, or you can make up your mind that you will not settle for anything less than the fulfilment of God’s promise in your life.

Do not say:

“I might not be able to fulfil my vision.”

Instead, continually declare that the God-given vision within you will become a reality.

Do not allow today’s circumstances to become tomorrow’s conclusion.

And do not merely say:

“I hope my family will be saved.”

Stand confidently upon God’s heart and His Word:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
— 2 Peter 3:9

God is faithful.

The question is: Will you believe Him enough to move forward?

Joshua and Caleb Saw Something Different

When Israel arrived at the border of the Promised Land, twelve men had seen the same land.

They had seen the same giants.

They had seen the same fortified cities.

They had faced the same circumstances.

Yet Joshua and Caleb saw something the others did not see.

The majority looked at the giants and concluded:

“We cannot.”

Caleb looked at God’s promise and declared:

“Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”
— Numbers 13:30

What made the difference?

Spiritual vision.

Joshua and Caleb had the ability to look beyond the circumstances and focus on what God had promised.

They believed God’s Word, and because they believed it, they were prepared to act upon it.

The majority, however, allowed what they saw with their natural eyes to become greater than what God had spoken.

As a result, they did not enter and possess the land.

Instead, they returned to the wilderness and wandered there for another forty years.

Don’t Wander in the Wilderness

My friend, don’t spend forty years wandering around something God has already told you to possess.

Ask God to give you spiritual vision—the ability to see beyond your present circumstances and beyond what appears impossible.

God told Israel:

“Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it… fear not, neither be discouraged.”
— Deuteronomy 1:21

Notice the language:

The land is before you.

Go.

Possess it.

Fear not.

Do not be discouraged.

The promise was God’s.

But the movement had to be theirs.

You Are at the Edge of Your Promised Land

Perhaps today you are standing at the edge of something God placed in your heart years ago.

Perhaps you have prayed about it.

You have believed for it.

You have waited for it.

And yet the circumstances still appear impossible.

I want to encourage you today:

Activate your faith.

Do not fear.

Do not be discouraged.

Focus your vision.

Do not turn to the right or to the left.

March forward in assurance and claim the promises of God.

Because I believe this concerning you:

You Are Well Able.

The obstacle before you does not cancel the promise behind you.

The size of the giant does not diminish the greatness of your God.

The difficulty of the journey does not invalidate what God has spoken.

If God has spoken, keep believing.

If God has promised, keep moving.

If God has opened the way, move forward.

Do not allow fear to send you back into the wilderness.