Genesis 22:17b Your descendants will take possession of the cities of your enemies.
God had told Abraham to look around. From the top of the mountain, he saw the land the Lord would give to his descendants. The promised land was all around him but not yet his. But now, because Abraham was willing to give up his most cherished possession, God declared that his offspring would certainly take possession of the land.
I know what I want to say here, I struggled over the title for five minutes or so. Wrote and rewrote it and plan to go back and change yesterday's - okay, I just did. But why? Because, obedience, no matter how much I like the word is not where it's at. It is only when we surrender our ways to his way that counts. Doing "it" because God said so is good for society and the church but that doesn't bring about the life God is looking for in us. It is much bigger than that.
We have struggles in our life. Some are related to our physical life, but there are spiritual struggles that affect all of our life and certainly our eternal life. There are areas in our life (plots of ground) that we just can't seem to take hold of, those we can't control. Maybe it's jealousy or anger, pride or conceit? Maybe we tear others down to puff ourselves up? Maybe we have hatred or envy, slander or tell lies? Possibly, there are impure sexual thoughts or we may even carry them out? Can these "plots of ground", these "cities" be conquered? Yes, they can! And we better (Galations 5:21)!!
God has given us this "land". It has been promised to us. But to take possession of it is our choice. Yes, the Israelites returned to conquer the land as the Lord had told Abraham, but a whole generation of people never got to enter his land because they refused to surrender to the will of God. They refused to believe and obey, they had little faith in God. (Numbers 14:23). How sad. But how wonderful for those that fully surrender to him. They shall take possession of it and rid their lives of all that works to strangle them (Hebrews 12:1) and keeps them from taking control of it!
A and K, take control of the those areas of your life that you know are not pleasing to God. Oh, they will not be conquered on your own no matter how hard you try, but as you fully surrender to God, like Abraham did, being willing to give up everything, anything, you will find that the promises of God will be fulfilled in your life. Reclaim the ground that God has promised. It is yours forever if you surrender all to him.
~Dad
We have struggles in our life. Some are related to our physical life, but there are spiritual struggles that affect all of our life and certainly our eternal life. There are areas in our life (plots of ground) that we just can't seem to take hold of, those we can't control. Maybe it's jealousy or anger, pride or conceit? Maybe we tear others down to puff ourselves up? Maybe we have hatred or envy, slander or tell lies? Possibly, there are impure sexual thoughts or we may even carry them out? Can these "plots of ground", these "cities" be conquered? Yes, they can! And we better (Galations 5:21)!!
God has given us this "land". It has been promised to us. But to take possession of it is our choice. Yes, the Israelites returned to conquer the land as the Lord had told Abraham, but a whole generation of people never got to enter his land because they refused to surrender to the will of God. They refused to believe and obey, they had little faith in God. (Numbers 14:23). How sad. But how wonderful for those that fully surrender to him. They shall take possession of it and rid their lives of all that works to strangle them (Hebrews 12:1) and keeps them from taking control of it!
A and K, take control of the those areas of your life that you know are not pleasing to God. Oh, they will not be conquered on your own no matter how hard you try, but as you fully surrender to God, like Abraham did, being willing to give up everything, anything, you will find that the promises of God will be fulfilled in your life. Reclaim the ground that God has promised. It is yours forever if you surrender all to him.
~Dad
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