Possessing What is Yours

By Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam

 

The church is facing challengers and our needs are growing. We need to seek God and hear His voice, obey and step out in faith.

 

There is a distinction between having a promise possessing what is promised. Having a promise is like having an IOU chit. Possessing what is promised is having it in your hand.

 

God made a tremendous promise to the children of Israel. The children of Israel were in Egypt then. It was through Moses that the promise was given. (Numbers 13:2 – “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”) But it was through Joshua that the possession began to take place. Moses brought Israel out. Joshua brought them in. Under the leadership of Moses, they were travelers, but under the leadership of Joshua, they were soldiers. They were to fight for what was promise to them.

 

God has given us very great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:34). They are to be possessed. In possessing them, we participate in Devine Nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. Whatever God gives us, He gives us in promise form. There are the promise of salvation, the promise of the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, and victory over Satan, the flesh and sin. There are many more promises; we can possess them and experience them daily in our lives.

 

Who is a Christian? He who is ceaselessly stretching, reaching out and taking what God says is his. But the trouble with many of us is we become too easily satisfied and passive. This is also true with the church. A Christian doesn’t stop stretching. This is growing in Christ. Growth is more than economic, intellectual or physical. It is also stretching your life of faith, your development in love and so become more and more like Jesus. When you are stretching, you stop growing. You must not only live a natural life, but be spiritual and grow up from a baby into an adult or spiritual man. Stretch your mind, think faith, think big and think possibility in God. The promises which the Holy Spirit quickens to your heart can come to pass. Believe that He will change you from glory to glory and take you from faith to faith.

                            

Going Into Battle

The book of Joshua is a book of battles. Possessing is getting into battle. If we are going to accept the promises of God, we need to understand that we are called to be a soldier. God revealed Himself to Joshua as Captain of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:14, 15).

 

Joshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus. In Greek translation, it is Jesus. We are under the leadership of Jesus. Under the leadership of Jesus, we are soldiers.

 

Paul confirms this in 2 Timothy 2:1-3 – “You therefore my son, be strong in grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these instruct to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a soldier of Christ Jesus.”

 

Promises need to be possessed. Like Israel, we have been delivered (brought out), and now as soldiers we are to go in and possess the promises that are ours, that God says He has given to us.

 

Possessing what is yours is a fight. The fight is not against flesh and blood, it is a spiritual warfare and our weapons are not carnal. When God sends you into battle, He does not send you unarmed but HE equips you (Eph. 6:10-20). Put on the armour every day and you are going to see the promises of God come to pass.

 

How To Possess?

Let’s discover the book of Joshua some steps of possessing. What did God promises? God said to Joshua that every place he set his foot on was his (Joshua 1:2). It began with a promise. If you would seek God, you will hear from Him. He has spoken through His son Jesus. There is a promise in the written Word of God for every need. Letting God’s speak to that need is the first step.

 

What was Israel’s response? They obeyed, believing (Joshua 1:16). Faith is the victory. It takes faith to be saved or delivered from sin. It takes faith to live for Him. It will also take faith to die for Jesus. The Bible says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” This is the second step.

 

What did they believe? “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5).

 

Many fail right there even before they face the battle, because they do not believe who they are in Christ Jesus. You must know who you are in Jesus. You’ve got to know you’re redeemed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. This is the third step. In you dwells the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). He is there to empower you when you stand up against those who keep you from possessing. You are strong because greater is HE that is in you that he that is in the world. You’ve got a promise. You have to believe that no man can stand up against you.

 

God Is For You

Our faith must have a foundation. There is nothing more reliable than God’s Word. “Be strong and courageous,” God said to Joshua three times (Joshua 1: 6, 7, 9). Why three times? God understands the human nature. To be "strong and courageous" means to “get a firm hold”. Don’t be soft. Each time God said so, He emphasized a truth that we need to know.

 

The first time He said, “Be strong and courageous”, He was saying, “I have sworn to keep what I have promised” (Joshua 1:6). “I do not lie.”

 

Secondly, “Know my law and meditate on it day and night and be careful to obey it.” Obedience is the key to possession. Many miracles will begin to take place when you learn to walk in obedience to God’s written Word.

 

Thirdly, “I am with you.” It is one thing for someone to say, “Go.” But it is quite another to say, “Go, and I’m right alongside you.”

 

You may be facing opposition and the time has come to stretch and grow in the faith and develop your spiritual man.

 

The church is facing challenges and our needs are growing. We need to seek God and hear His voice, obey and step out in faith. Let us be faithful and I know we will see His Glory.

 

CALVARY NEWS

Issue No. 9, October – December 1987