Topic: The Land Is Occupied
Text: Joshua 3:9-17
Key Verse: And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail to drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Joshua 3:10
Every child born into this world comes into a family. The scriptures show us that a good father leaves an inheritance for his children. Our heavenly Father is more gracious than our earthly parents and has laid up an abundant inheritance for us.
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. Proverbs 13:22
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord. Proverbs 19:24
Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Psalm 2:8
- How do we possess a land that is occupied? Ask of the Lord.
2. What do we ask for? His presence
Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence Exodus 33:15
3. Why do we need his presence? God’s presence will drive the occupiers away from your Land!
And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. Joshua 24:11-13
And I sent the hornet before you, which have them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
In the New Testament, before Jesus sent out the apostles, he released his presence upon them to empower them to possess the Land. He commanded them to tarry, and wait for his promise, the Holy Spirit.
And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Acts 1:4-5
In Acts 2, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter received a harvest of three thousand souls in one day.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Prayer
- Father, I thank you that l do not have to take the Land by myself; you are going ahead of me
- Father, open my ears to hear your voice and follow your leading.
- Father, release the power of the Holy Spirit to me this morning in Jesus’ name
- Drive away the occupiers in the Land you have given me
Father, a good man leaves an inheritance for his children and grandchildren; I will not go empty-handed in Jesus’ name.
The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage. Psalm 16:5-6
Confession
I have a good heritage in Christ; the Lord has gone ahead of me!
Photo by Evelyn Paris on Unsplash
