Gettin' The Dough To Show!

A Lesson on Receiving What is Rightfully Yours

"But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it..." - Joshua 19:47

As I read part of my devotional this morning a question cropped up in my mind. It was something like, "Lord, it seems that my inheritance is either slimming down from overuse or I don't have a clue what it is and it hasn't showed up yet. Which is it Lord?"

I'm sure you guessed it.

The Lord brought back to remembrance a verse, "Eye has not seen , nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." - I Corinthians 2:9

Thank You Jesus...I have NOT received it...not all of it...not yet!

However, we can also glean this, our physical and godly inheritance and our forever eternal inheritance, in the mind of God are on a continuum. But we have to see with our spiritual eyes in order to embrace it and understand it.

Moreover, a bigger question might be this, what is the spiritual inheritance God has reserved for you? And is this gift received the way you do a Christmas present? What ever possessed us to think that?

Check this out. When God told the Israelites they were going to receive the Promised Land, it was not given to them on a silver platter. In fact, they would encounter 39 battles in taking the land God promised to them. It took a joint effort between God and the Israelites to engage and battle the enemy that maintained control of the land.

Here is what I came away with today as I read this first, God has given you and me an inheritance that has physical components and spiritual pieces. We need to understand how they connect.

Second, this bequest on God's part is given to family members. Israel was to receive it because they were God's kids. Are you one of His? Have you made certain of your relationship to God? Do you know Him as Lord of your life? It is those who are who get the goods!

Third, God's family is in a battle. In order to obtain the prize we must participate in the family trade and business which is confronting the enemy of God wherever he, it, they rear their ugly heads. The battles we fight are first fought in our hearts (Satan wants to control that so the rest of the territory you've been given is his without a fight). This is a spiritual battle to determine if God's Kingdom extends into your heart. Remember, the Kingdom of God is anywhere and everywhere that God is ruler. So is Jesus your Saviour and is He your King?

Fourth, a dear friend and mentor once counseled me after watching my life over a period and said, "John, part of your inheritance in the faith is relationships. Because it lies in relationships, that is the place the enemy has attacked you most." He then further taught me, "The enemy always attacks us at the gate through which we are to receive our inheritance. You must walk in faithfulness and obedience to His righteousness in how you deal with relationships." These were words of wisdom. I just recently found the piece of paper on which they were written. I have been up and down in this battle. But I tell you these words will now, again, as they were supposed to, guide my path. I can tell you he Lord has proven these words to be true in the past. My success in life and in Christ are somehow attached to these words.

Fifth and finally I realized that our inheritance in Christ Jesus is different from one another. Part of that is our physical state. It includes our work, family and our ability to create wealth and distribute as well as many other things that happen here and now. It extends into eternity if I read the prophecies right. So the question becomes what is the spiritual inheritance He has reserved for you? And more importantly since we want to receive all that God has for us, what areas of your inheritance must you take possession of in an act of faith and physical action?

The enemy of your soul does not want you to take possession of what is yours. Part of this participation means you put on the whole armor of God and realize the battle is primarily spiritual. Put on your armor (Ephesians 6:11-18) and begin walking in obedience into the areas God has called you to possess. With me today let us take hold of what is our and possess our possessions! I remain...

InHISgrip,

~J~