" Possessing What God Has Given You!"

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE;

BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.   Matthew 19:26

Sometimes it may seem impossible to possess what God has promised you.  But the Word says, “That with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!”  At times, there may be barriers in your life blocking your pathway to success.  So today I want to share some truths from the Word of God that will help you learn how to possess what God says is yours.

In the Book of Joshua chapter 1, we see after the death of Moses, Joshua became the leader of Israel, and for the second time, Israel finds herself surveying their PROMISED LAND.  The generation of Israel who first stood at the borders of the PROMISED LAND REBELLED against the Lord and died in the wilderness just as He said they would.  But the younger generation – now all grown up – were finally ready to possess their PROMISED LAND (verse 1-11).

During the forty years of the Israelite’s wandering in the wilderness, two men, Joshua and Caleb never once quit believing God.  I’m sure their faith was tried and tested many times over as they traveled with those unbelieving and wandering Israelites for forty years.

While Joshua and Caleb talked faith, their friends and fellow workers talked unbelief continually.  When Joshua and Caleb said “Yes We Can,” everyone else said “WE can’t.”  But these two men of God never gave up their faith in God because they knew in their hearts that with God’s help they could possess THE PROMISED LAND.  They believed they could do what God said that they could do.  They believed that they could have what God said that they could have.

The first time the children of Israel went up to take the PROMISED LAND they discovered that there were giants in the land and that the cities were walled.  Ten out of the twelve spies looked at the barriers and said, “We can’t do it.”  I want you to notice this spiritual truth.  What they said came to pass, and they wandered around in the wilderness for forty years (see Numbers chapter 13).

Now, in Joshua chapter 1, a new generation of Israelites stood before the River Jordan ready to possess the land.  God spoke to them through Joshua saying, “Go over and possess the land.”  At the same time, the River Jordan stood there as a barrier between them and their PROMISED LAND.

God told this new generation of Israelites in Joshua chapter 1: 2 to cross the Jordan, but how did He expect them to cross the river? There were no bridges, and they had no boats.  And on top of that, the River Jordan was overflowing its banks.

Notice, that although the Israelites came up against an impossible situation, they never thought about quitting.  You see, because they did not quit, God made what seemed to be an impossible situation possible. 

My dearly beloved, take note of this point, impossible barriers never bother God.  We may let them affect us.  But they never bother God because nothing is impossible with Him.  If you’re a child of God, the power of God lives on the inside of you, so what may seem like an impossible barrier shouldn’t bother you either.     I will continue this lesson next week, until then go ahead and POSSESS YOUR PROMISED LAND.

Your Pastor

Word for Today: Expectant Listener

According to a recent study, the best listeners are the optimistic listeners.  It should come as no surprise. The Bible has a lot to say about “Expectation.”  There is a spiritual principle which causes us to get what we “Expect.”  Optimistic skillful listeners tend to find truth, insight and good information in those who speak to them, and they do so because it is what they expect.  There is much to gain by being an Expectant Listener.