Joshua 1: 2-9.
God gave Israel both a leader to bring them into their promised possession and also taught them definite principles to ensure the desired success. Part of the principles is that we are to live, or walk, in the power and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We must note that God does not bid sinners, who are dead in sins, to walk in His ways; but, He bids those of us He has given life in Christ though we were once dead in sins; to walk as Christ walked. God does not require the sinner in his spiritual paralysis to do one single work of righteousness; but having given us strength through Christ, He exhorts thus, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2: 12, 13.) God enables His people to do, and He gives the desire to perform.
The land referred to above belonged to Israel by divine promise. On that ground God commanded them to "Arise and possess it." The beauties of the plain of Jericho, noted for its countless flowers, the wealth of Canaan's corn-fields, olives, vineyards, and mountains out of which they should "dig brass," spread themselves before the eyes of Israel. The brooks of water, and depths that spring out of valleys and hills, were before them. Only one thing was requisite to the enjoyment of their portion they must "Arise" and possess. Arise, believer, and enter into the blessings wherewith God has blessed us in Christ.
Israel saw their place of blessing, but river Jordan temporarily barred them out. They obeyed the word of the Lord by going forward and allowing God to deal with the difficulty. Each of us has his own difficulties in the path to claiming our possession— I pray that help will come from above.
"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you," is a deeply practical word, but mere beholding the corn-fields did not translate to eating their fruits nor gazing on the mountains to digging out their wealth. The only condition giving by the Lord for actual possession was that they should enter, and have foot-hold on the land which He had given them. The eye directs the foot, and the further the foot goes the more the eye sees.
All is ours in Christ; but real possession becomes the portion of those who by individual contest, step by step, have won ground. God is for us. Be strong, and of a good courage. Win in the strength God gives. Get direct from Him; shun that second-hand knowledge which never avails in the day of difficulty, nor gives strength in the hour of conflict. A wise path is a prosperous one, and the prosperous path is acting wisely on the straight line of obedience to the distinct instructions of the divine word. No deviation is lawful — "Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left."
Welcome to our Month of Divine Possession. My prayer is that we shall be in the Place of His will for us, receive the Power He gives to us, that we will possess our promised possession in Jesus mighty name, Amen.
Jesus is Lord!!!
‘Sogo Adelaja
