Possession

In the Old Testament, it says the Lord gave the people rest by giving them land.  But what I notice is that the land wasn’t just given to them…they had to go in and possess it…in order to receive the rest. In other words, God trained them to be armed for battle, there were enemies in the land, but they were well-equipped to defeat them…and then experience rest.

So how are we trained to possess the “land” God has given us?  Right before the story above, the people are told to be strong and courageous, careful to obey God’s word, careful to do everything in it.  They are also told to not be afraid, not to be discouraged…because the Lord was with them wherever they would go.

I woke up this morning and I felt like an army was lining up against me – those little army men called fear, anxiety, dread, etc.  I know that’s NOT part of the “land” where I’m supposed to dwell today.   I can choose to watch the little men line up and I can cower down in despair the rest of today…or I can choose to be strong and courageous. 

The cool part about taking the land, defeating the enemy, and resting in victory is that the strength He commands us to exhibit comes directly from walking with HIM!  He knows we are weak, so He makes us strong. He knows we cannot defeat the enemy, so He goes before us and fights. 

Faith is our friend when we’re headed into territory full of enemies, faith that God is with us, enabling us to step out and possess the land He’s promised – and then to rest.

Rest is not the absence of enemies; it’s the presence of the victor.