Are you possessing?

I was at work the other day reading in Genesis. I read Genesis 15:7 as the Spirit quickened in me to stop and meditate on this scripture.

v7 And He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.

With my new handy Bible I looked up the Hebrew which in the context of this verse the word possess means to consume and conquer!
I sort of dropped it there until it came back up in my prayer time today. I began to look up more scriptures that dealt with possessing. Not surprising there were tons in Deuteronomy as the Lord instructs the Israelite people to possess the land promised them.

Deuteronomy 1:8 See I have placed the land before you; go in and POSSESS the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.

This is when the Spirit really began to speak to me about possessing. Notice this part: "go in and possess". See going in to the land wasn't fulfilling the instructions. They were to go in AND possess. We have gotten into a tendency as the Israelites did of thinking that going in IS possessing!!

How many times did God show the Isralites that He prepared a way for them, yet in their stubbornness they questioned God and in fear never took the land that He had for them.

I got interested and began reading over and over the exodus story and also Deuteronomy, where we see the same plot. God has this great land for them to not only live in, but to POSSESS. To rule to reign, without fear, without lack, having every need met by Father God, but they were scared, rebellious, a fearful people lacking trust and faith in the God who had already brought them out of slavery and prepared for them freedom.

The more I read the more frustrated I became. Stupid people, how many times does He have to lay it out for you! He wants you to live in this Promised Land. Stop wandering around slandering, rebelling, living in fear and doubt, and GO POSSESS THE LAND!! In Deuteronomy just the subtitles in my Bible are frustrating: Conquests recounted (God slaughters for them) Israelites urged to obey God (WHAT?) Promises of God, God's gracious dealings, Israel provokes God, Rewards of Obedience!! Yeesh. You don't even have to read the verses to get that God did work on their behalf, they mess up, He shows them grace, They mess up, He urges them to obey, They mess up, He forgives them then rewards them, etc. etc. etc. Then...

I was reminded. This is my story too. I believe in the promises of God given to each and every believer and I believe in the individual promises for each believer's purpose.

I have a calling and a purpose. That purpose is my land that i'm not just supposed to dabble in or live in, but supposed to possess! To conquer! I find in myself the very same "settle" stubborn mentality that brain washed the Israelite people. And what I see rapid in the body of Christ today is the enemy's deceptive tactics trying to convince us that we aren't meant to possess we should just be happy with dwelling in the land.

I have a friend here at Tech that everytime you say something she doesn't want to do or disagree with she just replies with "bump that". It always makes me laugh as we say something like "let's go work out" and the simple reply we all know is coming "bump that". I know you're wondering what this has to do w/ anything i've been talking about, but as I really begin to think upon this deception and lie from the enemy, the words that rise in my heart are "BUMP THAT!". We don't need to listen to no stinking liar telling us what is complete opposite of scripture.

God said go IN the land and POSSESS it. Stop settling with making it to the door of your dreams, to the door of victory, i'm not going to stand at the door. I'm going to go in and when i get there, I'm going to possess. The Word says we're more than conquerors through Jesus! So why aren't we conquering?

Begin to inquire of the Lord, WHERE IS MY LAND? HELP ME POSSESS IT!
Abraham had no problem being frank with the Lord.

v8 And he said, "O Lord God, how may I know that I shall possess it?"

We each have areas of our lives, visions, purpose, that we should be POSSESSING, CONQUERING, but for too long have believed the lies that we should just be glad we've made it this far, i should just sit here because obviously this is as far as God wants me to go. I don't know about you, but to me it just doesn't sound like victory, possession, and conquering.

You all know how much I like examples. The place I need to most apply this to is our youth group (Encounter God). We were called to go into a land of West Lubbock and I believe God handed that over to my pastors, the leaders of EG ministries, He's handing that over to me as a youth minister and to our youth workers. A land that we're not just given to go sit and dwell, with the awesome new building He provided, the Bibles, the new sound system, etc. We're to go in AND POSSESS it. To claim that ground to no longer be the rejected, hard knocks, area anymore, but the area on fire for Jesus, where revival begins and spreads to the city. As the drug dealers, prostitutes, etc. that reign over there where come to their knees in repentance. I don't want to settle with being happy that our students aren't getting shot. If possession is what is open to us, we're going to possess. And as the word says, not because of our righteousness, not because of our doings, not because we can do it, but because of God's mercy, because of His grace, and because He's already prepared the way, we just have to follow.

Find what needs possessing in your life.
Be blessed,
J. Tate

Oh so Blessed!

Lately I have been learning about gratefulness. So many people my age (I don't exclude myself) struggle with being appreciative. We have selfish attitudes that somehow convince us that we are owed what is given to us. This is a tactic from the enemy to rob God's children of many breakthroughs and blessings. There is so much power in praise, appreciation, and open gratitude towards God.

Over the past few weeks I've been in constant state of gratefulness as the Lord is teaching me more and more about appreciation. I'll be driving down the road and burst into tears as a realization of another area in which God has protected me, blessed me, saved me, changed me, freed me, etc. I'm not sure where along the road, but at some point we can become used to the Lord's blessings, favor, and grace and mercy He has shown, will show, and does show day to day.

Yesterday as most of you know was my birthday. Take this next paragraph, as I discuss what I think, however you would like, but I believe that God was giving me birthday presents over the last couple of days. First off, I don't think it's coincidence that 24/7 prayer began in October, my birthday month, and something that I have passionately prayed for and desired for this campus. Then on Wednesday night my youth discussed and asked questions for over 45 minutes about Jesus, salvation, the cross, etc. This was possibly the best birthday present ever that only God could give. When you put so much time and work and love into a group of kids that need to know the love of Jesus so desperately nothing compares to listening to them earnestly desire to know more about Him. Afterwards my friends threw me another surprise part, FOUR YEARS of college and FOUR SURPRISE PARTIES, i am so blessed with Godly friends who care for me and show me love on a daily basis!! I had gotten off all of my shifts at work except for my 6 a.m. shift on thursday. As I arrived at work promptly at 540 a.m. i was told that work double booked the shift and I COULD GO HOME!!! I woke up around 9a.m. with some doughnuts and a kolache awaiting me on the table beside me that my roommate had bought for me. Then on top of that my professor called a little later saying happy birthday have a good fall break, dont' come to class!!! I was able to schedule an earlier flight AT NO EXTRA CHARGE and arrived in houston last night, which means i get a full day w/ my mom today instead of half a day. These are just a few of the many ways I felt blessed over the last few days, but I saw God move on my behalf and make my birthday everything i could have wanted.

I'm home until tuesday and have a splendid weekend planned and I am so so so excited. I haven't been home in two months and it feels so great to drive down the road of little ole' liberty texas. I get to play in an exes game today, probably get a liberty sno-cone, my dad is taking off work and coming to see me, i'll get to spend time w/ my family and the rossow family, see my church family and friends. Such a great relaxing vacation for me.

Beyond just these topical daily things where I see the Lord just loving on me, there is so much around us to be grateful for EVERYDAY. Salvation, freedom, the cross, resurrection, prayer, intimacy with the Lord, protection, mercy, grace, life, breath, health, wealth, etc. the list could go on and on and on. Be thankful, never stop being vocally thankful.

Be blessed,
J. Tate