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God promised that He would give you possession of the land.

"But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people"  (Leviticus 20:24).

"Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them"  (Deuteronomy 1:8).

What is the land for you???

Your finances	Your physical health	Your church
Your marriage	Your job	Your mental health
Your children	Your time management	Your relationship with family
Your emotions	Your self control	Your ministry
Your physical location	Your sin habits	Your relationship with friends
You time of life	Your time in history	Other

"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses"  (Joshua 1:3).

"There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee"  (Joshua 1:5).

God gave Adam dominion over all the creatures including the serpent.  "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth"  (Genesis 1:28).  However, when Adam failed to take dominion, he lost dominion.  Solomon allowed his wives to bring their gods into his house and they led Solomon to worship other gods.  "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites"  (I Kings 11:4-5).

"And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God"  (Genesis 17:8).  We are to remember that God is faithful to His promises.   "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)"  (Hebrews 10:23).  "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Hebrews 6:18).

It didn't matter to David how big Goliath was. "And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span"  (I Samuel 17:4).  The enemy, Goliath, was uncircumcised meaning that he didn't have a covenant relationship with God as David had.   God told Joshua, "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee"  (Joshua 1:5).  When God is on your side, the size of the enemy doesn't matter. Don't let circumstances dictate your decisions.

People are not your enemy, but the devil can very well use them.  When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, the enemies kept sending messages to make Nehemiah and the workers afraid.  The enemies suggested that Nehemiah didn't have the authority to rebuild the wall and that Nehemiah had returned to make himself a king.  They suggested, that even if the wall was rebuilt that a little fox could break through it. They sent four messages to Nehemiah requesting a personal conference with Nehemiah, but he sent messages back that he was doing God's work and that he didn't have time to talk with them.  "And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?  Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner" Nehemiah 6:3-4).  See:  "Recognizing The Accuser"

God instructed Joshua was to destroy all that pagan people in the land of Canaan.  However, two of the kings of the Amorites disguised themselves as being on a very long journey from a foreign country and Joshua and the elders of Israel made a peace treaty with them.  "And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them"  (Joshua 9:15).  The enemy is always looking to take advantage any way that he can.  The more ground you give to the enemy, the more that he will take.  Look at what is happening to the country of Israel today. Israel keeps making more and more peace treaties, but each requires that they give up some of their land.

Although there may be sudden breakthroughs, quite often the breakthroughs generally come over a period of time.  "I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee"  (Exodus 23:29). "And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee"  (Deuteronomy 7:22).  See: "A Walk Of Faith"   Furthermore, without facing some resistance and overcoming it, we become weak.  If a weight lifter stops training, he loses his strength.

"But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves"  (Exodus 34:13).  This is a command of the Lord.  "But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel"  (Joshua 7:1).  Achan took the idols for himself.  It cost the children of Israel thirty-six men when they when up against Ai.  Achan and his family were also stoned to death because of it.  Anything that we cling to other than God can become an idol.  It stand between us and receiving God's grace to live.  Idols can be anything which we place in the place of God.  Idols can be anything to which we attribute supreme worth.

God told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses became angry at the people and struck the rock twice.  "And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also"  (Numbers 20:11).  However, because of this, Moses was prohibited from entering into the promised land.  "And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them"  (Numbers 20:12).  When we allow the enemy (sometimes through other people) to make us angry, then we have lost the battle.

David didn't let age be a factor.  "And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.  And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.  Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God"  (I Samuel 17:33-36).

Caleb didn't didn't let age be a factor.  "And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.  Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said" (Joshua 14:10-12).

"And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.  But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory"  (II Samuel 23:11-12).  He was able to stand in the middle of the patch of lentiles and fight off a whole troop of Philistines believing that God had given the land to Israel.  See: "Standing In The Winner's Circle"

As a general rule, David inquired of the Lord before going into battle.  "Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah"  (I Samuel 23:2).  "Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand"  (I Samuel 23:4).  This means that we ASK God before going into battle.  We are not to fight every battle!  Not all battles are ours to fight.  We also need to know from God how we are to go about fighting the battle if we are to enter into the battle.

"And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword" (Leviticus 26:8).  "How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?"  (Deuteronomy 32:30).  Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.  Why?  They would have a multiplication of spiritual strength.  "And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits"  (Mark 6:7). Jesus also made this promise. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them"  (Matthew 18:20).  Remember that the wolf looks for the lone sheep.

Saul became anxious in waiting on the arrival of Samuel, the priest, and he, himself, offered a sacrifice although he was not a priest.  "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams"  (I Samuel 15:22).  Saul lost his kingdom because he offered a sacrifice rather than obeying God.  "But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee"  (I Samuel 13:14).  We can easily burn ourselves out sacrificing our lives "for" God when He just wants us to be obedient to Him.

When Asa did this, God gave him victory and a spoil.  "And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee"  (II Chronicles 14:11).  Jehoshaphat did this and God gave him a victory and a large spoil.  "And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much"  (II Chronicles 20:25).  This means that if the battle is to be won, God will be the One who does it.

David didn't run and hide, but ran toward Golitah when he knew that God was on his side.  "And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine"  (I Samuel 17:48).  Jonathan and his armourbearer practiced this.  "Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.   If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us"  (I Samuel 14:8-10).

When David sent his army into battle, but stayed behind himself, he fell into this trap.  "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon"  (II Samuel 11:2).  Of course, everything went down hill from there.  Paul warned the young minister Timothy about this.  "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier"  (II Timothy 2:4).

The story of Gideon begins with him harvesting some grain at the bottom of a wine press and hiding from the Midianites . (Judges 6:11). However, it ends with Gideon trusting God to use only three hundred men to defeat the Midianites having an army of about 135,000 men.  When Asa was far outnumber by the Ethiopians, he turned to God.  "And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee"  (II Chronicles 14:11).  God gave him the victory.

God said that Adam was to have dominion over all God's creation.   "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth"  (Genesis 1:26). Look at the words that I have highlighted.  "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth"  (Genesis 1:28).  God said, "Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them"  (Deuteronomy 1:8).  This is not optional! It is a command.  "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven"  (Matthew 16:18-19).

Here are a few examples.  "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night"  (Exodus 13:21).  "And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them"  (Exodus 14:19).  "The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways"  (Deuteronomy 28:7).  "So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled"  (II Chronicles 14:12).  We are not to get to ahead of God or too far behind Him.

The Israelites were only to move when the cloud moved from off the tabernacle of Moses.  "And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed"  (Numbers 9:21).  David waited for God to move. "And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines" (II Samuel 5:23-24).

"Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them"  (Deuteronomy 1:8). You can't walk on water if you stay in the boat. See: "You Can't Go Fishing If The World Makes You Sick."

David used a sling and a stone to kill Goliath.  "So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David"  (I Samuel 17:50).  Gideon used trumpets, clay pots, and lamps to defeat the Midianites.  "And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers"  (Judges 7:16).  Samson used whatever God gave to him to use.  "And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith"  (Judges 15:15).  "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ"  (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you"  (I Peter 4:12).  "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ"  (I Peter 1:7).  "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God"  (Acts 14:22).  "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"  (John 16:33).  "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing"  (James 1:2-4).

Although I have just listed twenty three principles in possessing the land, WE can not put them into effect EXCEPT by relying on the GRACE of God.  We are not to live by our own "will" or "power", but to yield our will to "His will" and live by "His power".  "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure"  (Philippians 2:13).  "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might"  (Ephesians 6:10).  This means that we are not living by our abilities, but by the GRACE of God.  Paul declares that there is a GRACE to be a child of God, but there is also a GRACE to live as a child of God. "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me"  (I Corinthians 15:10).