ARISE AND TAKE OWNERSHIP

“Arise. . . for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good; . . . Be not slothful to go, and enter to possess the land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth” (Judges 18:9, 10)

This is a call to action that requires something definite for us to do.

First, ARISE. We must stir from our slumber and arise! There must be some purpose for this call to wake up. Who do we see in the holy scriptures that faced such a challenge? Here are three illustrations from the Old Testament: The sons of Joseph, the house of Jacob, and the tribe of Benjamin. We learn from them that nothing is ours unless we take possession of it.

• “The children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim took their inheritance.” (Joshua16:4)
• “The house of Jacob shall possess their possession.” (Obadiah 1:17)
• “The upright shall have good things in possession.” (Obadiah 1:19)

As a dedicated believer in Jesus, you have the privileges of a child of God. This entitles you to the riches of God’s promises. So, second, ACKNOWLEDGE. Recognize your right to possess the inheritance that is yours in Christ Jesus. You learn to appropriate the faith in God’s rich promises, and your life is enriched as you make God’s Word your own personal possession. Any Word God has spoken to you, by His Holy Spirit, becomes yours.

Finally, someone has said, “When faith goes to market, it always takes a basket!” Now, APPLY IT. Make a note of the scriptural promises of God already fulfilled in your life, as a reminder of His great faithfulness. It might also serve as a testimony of praise at tough spots in your life and enable you to take ownership of what God has in store for you. Then you will have power to keep the enemy from cheating you of your divine inheritance.