WEBVTT 00:00:00.221 --> 00:00:00.701 Let's pray. 00:00:00.701 --> 00:00:08.686 Heavenly Father, I thank you for your holy written word and I thank you for your Holy Spirit that dwells on the inside of us. 00:00:08.686 --> 00:00:12.744 Holy Spirit, we ask you to illuminate this word tonight. 00:00:12.744 --> 00:00:14.992 Give us revelation knowledge. 00:00:14.992 --> 00:00:27.751 Our eyes are open to see, our ears are open to hear and our heart is receptive to receive what you want us to hear tonight, and I thank you for this revelation knowledge that will help move us along and put us over the top. 00:00:27.751 --> 00:00:30.126 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:00:30.126 --> 00:00:34.857 Well, I guess it was about three weeks ago. 00:00:34.957 --> 00:00:58.090 I preached a message entitled Course of Action and we went over, started off by going over the prophecy that was delivered through pastor on Rosh Hashanah, september 29th 2019, last year, and so this is not exactly a continuation of that message, but it fits with that message in context. 00:00:58.090 --> 00:01:39.525 If you didn't hear Course of Action, it's available through our website and on, I guess, through our website, but I'm going to go back over the prophecy and read these words on September 29th, god said that we have a common inheritance and that each one of us also have individual inheritances, and that God is watching over those inheritances and that he longingly looks and observes your land and marks all that is in it and he orders it and he brings it to pass, and he does this as we speak and believe what he says. 00:01:39.525 --> 00:01:50.522 He said he is releasing revelation knowledge in the first part of the year so that by the end of the year, we can look back and say this is the greatest year of my life. 00:01:50.522 --> 00:01:54.212 And then he said don't say, how can this be? 00:01:54.212 --> 00:01:57.203 Things have gone on the same way they always have. 00:01:57.203 --> 00:01:59.132 You just don't understand my situation. 00:01:59.132 --> 00:02:00.418 You don't know what I'm going through. 00:02:00.418 --> 00:02:01.200 Oh, but he does. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:04.010 He knows exactly what we're going through. 00:02:04.010 --> 00:02:09.625 And in the face of what you face, he said this is the beginning of the greatest year of your life. 00:02:09.625 --> 00:02:12.992 So rejoice and be glad, except no other report. 00:02:12.992 --> 00:02:16.085 Only believe the Word and you shall eat the good of the land. 00:02:17.848 --> 00:02:28.625 And then he continued on about how some would leave their place of employment and take on a new position and it would be like they'd gone up three levels. 00:02:28.625 --> 00:02:36.425 And he talked about there being this is a time to add and this is a time to grow and increase, and we needed to make room for that. 00:02:36.425 --> 00:02:44.794 And so we can hope that some part of this comes true, and it would be good if any one part of it came true. 00:02:44.794 --> 00:02:45.578 And we ought to hope. 00:02:45.578 --> 00:02:46.421 We ought to have hope. 00:02:46.421 --> 00:02:49.913 But there's a difference between standing in hope and walking in faith. 00:02:49.913 --> 00:02:54.227 And standing in hope doesn't bring anything into your life. 00:02:54.227 --> 00:02:56.252 It doesn't bring about the plan of God in your life. 00:02:56.252 --> 00:02:58.727 But faith and action will bring that plan. 00:02:58.727 --> 00:03:05.288 And so faith is a course of action to possess and inherit what God has already given us. 00:03:05.288 --> 00:03:09.600 You know, this morning Pastor talked about defrosting your faith. 00:03:09.600 --> 00:03:12.230 We teach on faith a lot. 00:03:12.230 --> 00:03:13.776 I'm going to teach on faith again tonight. 00:03:13.796 --> 00:03:16.264 The context of what I'm talking about tonight is faith. 00:03:16.264 --> 00:03:18.712 Why do we talk about faith so much? 00:03:18.712 --> 00:03:21.640 Because the just shall live by faith. 00:03:21.640 --> 00:03:23.847 This is how we live, this is how we thrive. 00:03:23.847 --> 00:03:30.387 This is not how we just barely make it and get by, but this is how we succeed and win by faith. 00:03:30.387 --> 00:03:33.211 We walk by faith, not by sight. 00:03:34.312 --> 00:03:41.573 And so in that course of action message I talked about following the inward witness and how to hear from God. 00:03:41.573 --> 00:03:47.662 And when you're making a big decision, how to break it down into smaller steps, one little step at a time. 00:03:47.662 --> 00:03:49.429 You don't have to take one giant leap. 00:03:49.429 --> 00:03:50.975 You can if you're unsure. 00:03:50.975 --> 00:04:04.825 That is that really the direction, the precise direction God wants me to go and I take a little step in that direction and I check my peace and if everything's still good I might take another step in that direction, and if I lose my peace I can go the other way. 00:04:04.825 --> 00:04:11.090 And how God gives you favor in a direction, if you follow peace and favor, you will not miss God. 00:04:11.090 --> 00:04:12.687 You will not miss his plan. 00:04:12.687 --> 00:04:14.140 You'll walk in his plan. 00:04:15.122 --> 00:04:17.166 So tonight I'm talking about. 00:04:17.166 --> 00:04:25.170 You know, the context of this prophecy was about possessing our promises, possessing the land. 00:04:25.170 --> 00:04:28.360 So tonight the title of the message is Staking your Claim. 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:34.029 And I'm going to read we'll get around to staking our claim. 00:04:34.029 --> 00:04:46.442 But in Exodus, chapter 3, this is so. 00:04:48.807 --> 00:04:49.569 This is Moses. 00:04:49.569 --> 00:04:51.134 He's been tending a flock, remember. 00:04:51.134 --> 00:04:56.367 He fled Egypt and he went to the backside of the wilderness and he's been tending sheep. 00:04:56.367 --> 00:05:04.851 And it says in verse 2, that the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flame of fire from the midst of the bush. 00:05:04.851 --> 00:05:07.666 And so he looked and behold, the bush was burning with fire. 00:05:07.666 --> 00:05:09.471 But the bush was not consumed. 00:05:09.471 --> 00:05:15.353 Then Moses said I'll turn aside and see this great sight, why this bush does not burn. 00:05:15.353 --> 00:05:20.394 So when he went up to the bush, god spoke to him in that moment. 00:05:20.394 --> 00:05:22.422 God warned him take off your shoes. 00:05:22.422 --> 00:05:24.853 The ground you stand on is holy Wherever God speaks. 00:05:24.853 --> 00:05:28.685 In the Old Testament he was warning people take off your shoes. 00:05:28.685 --> 00:05:30.348 This is holy ground. 00:05:30.348 --> 00:05:31.050 Why is it holy? 00:05:31.050 --> 00:05:32.252 Because this is where I'm speaking. 00:05:32.252 --> 00:05:35.687 It's not because that patch of ground had anything special about it. 00:05:35.687 --> 00:05:37.312 It became special when God spoke. 00:05:37.312 --> 00:05:43.420 But I want to point out there the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flame of fire. 00:05:46.185 --> 00:06:03.293 And then, in verse 7, it says and the Lord said I have surely seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 00:06:03.293 --> 00:06:20.834 So I have come down to deliver them out of the land, out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good land, a large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Parasites, the Hivites and the Jebusites. 00:06:20.834 --> 00:06:28.471 And so God heard their cries and he says I have come down to deliver you out of and into. 00:06:28.471 --> 00:06:39.228 That came from the angel of the Lord there in Exodus 23, verse 20. 00:06:39.228 --> 00:06:47.576 So Moses has already. 00:06:47.576 --> 00:06:50.779 The plagues have hit. 00:06:50.779 --> 00:07:02.060 We've gone through that, the Ten Commandments have been delivered, all the stuff in Exodus. 00:07:02.060 --> 00:07:03.581 We're kind of far along here. 00:07:04.403 --> 00:07:17.314 In chapter 23, verse 20, it says Behold, I send an angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 00:07:17.314 --> 00:07:25.901 Beware of him and obey his voice and do not provoke him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. 00:07:25.901 --> 00:07:57.012 But if, indeed, if, you indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries, for my angel will go before you and bring you into the Amorites and the Hittites and the Parasites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I will cut them off and you shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works, but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. 00:07:57.012 --> 00:08:01.314 So you shall serve the Lord, your God, and he will bless your bread and water. 00:08:01.314 --> 00:08:04.184 And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. 00:08:04.184 --> 00:08:08.399 No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:10.846 I will fulfill the number of your days. 00:08:10.846 --> 00:08:13.394 I will send my fear before you. 00:08:13.394 --> 00:08:20.357 I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 00:08:20.357 --> 00:08:26.112 And I will send hornets before you which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canite, the Hittite from before you. 00:08:26.112 --> 00:08:35.230 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 00:08:35.230 --> 00:08:44.881 Little by little, I will drive them out from before you until you have increased and you inherit the land, and I will set your bounds from the Red Sea. 00:08:44.881 --> 00:08:56.442 And he goes on to describe what that is, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand and you shall drive them out from before you, and you shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 00:08:56.442 --> 00:09:04.701 They shall not dwell in your land lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you". 00:09:04.701 --> 00:09:10.384 I know we're reading a lot here, but I'm going to tie this together. 00:09:10.615 --> 00:09:18.246 In Joshua, chapter 1, verse 2, this is where God says to Joshua. 00:09:18.246 --> 00:09:19.969 He says Moses, my servant, is dead. 00:09:19.969 --> 00:09:33.456 Now, therefore, I rise and go over this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them, the children of Israel, every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 00:09:33.456 --> 00:09:46.845 And so in these two lines right here of Scripture, to the land which I am giving to them and every place that the soul of your foot shall tread I have given you. 00:09:46.845 --> 00:09:49.202 So it's two different tenses right there. 00:09:49.202 --> 00:09:56.059 That word giving right there is not to wrap something up and hand it over to somebody and place it in their lap. 00:09:56.059 --> 00:09:57.500 That's not that sense of giving. 00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:01.825 This is an authorization, or bestowing, or granting. 00:10:01.825 --> 00:10:09.321 And so when you read it with that understanding, you recognize that God says I am granting you this land. 00:10:09.321 --> 00:10:20.658 Not I have wrapped it up and handed it over to you, but I'm granting it to you, I'm bestowing it to you, it's yours, if you want it, the land which I am giving to them. 00:10:22.842 --> 00:10:35.504 Talking about the children of Israel, this next generation, so the first generation did not get to go in and possess because they were fearful and they doubted God and they believed the report of the ten spies. 00:10:35.504 --> 00:10:38.724 Instead, god is granting this land. 00:10:38.724 --> 00:10:42.384 He had given it to them but they didn't possess it. 00:10:42.384 --> 00:10:47.164 And so he says I'm granting it to this generation, this next generation and Joshua. 00:10:47.164 --> 00:10:49.759 I have given it to them. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:56.384 As I said to Moses, every place that the soul of your foot will tread, I have granted you. 00:10:56.384 --> 00:11:04.918 And so the two spies, caleb and Joshua, were the ones from that generation that got to survive that. 00:11:04.918 --> 00:11:12.005 And then the generation of the ones that failed their children, got to march in and possess. 00:11:12.005 --> 00:11:17.283 So he's granted them authorization to go in and possess. 00:11:17.283 --> 00:11:20.178 So I want to give you an example. 00:11:20.178 --> 00:11:23.706 So the first generation did not go in and possess. 00:11:23.706 --> 00:11:24.938 God granted it to them. 00:11:24.938 --> 00:11:32.357 He said he talked all the way through Exodus, great land, I'm giving it to you, I've granted it to you, it's yours. 00:11:32.357 --> 00:11:33.842 And they did not go in and possess it. 00:11:33.842 --> 00:11:35.498 They were afraid. 00:11:35.498 --> 00:11:45.038 And so this is a real life example of how not possessing something can cause you to lose the ownership. 00:11:45.038 --> 00:11:50.125 And this is a good example for the church, this church, glorious Way Church. 00:11:50.125 --> 00:11:51.839 So, glorious Way Church. 00:11:51.899 --> 00:12:08.966 We owned a bunch of acreage right out here around us, to the north and to the west of us, and in order for us to be able to build this building, there was a road right of way shown on a drawing that cut right through this property. 00:12:08.966 --> 00:12:21.144 And in order for us to build this building here, we had to typically the contractor would have to, or the owner would have to construct part of that road. 00:12:21.144 --> 00:12:23.240 That's how the county gets their roads done. 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:30.264 Okay, we're going to issue a building permit, but there's a right of way associated with your building, and so we're going to require that you build half of that boulevard. 00:12:30.264 --> 00:12:32.561 That's how they do things. 00:12:32.561 --> 00:12:35.482 It's not necessarily right, but it's how it happens in this county. 00:12:35.482 --> 00:12:40.804 And so we would have had to construct part of that boulevard running through our property. 00:12:40.804 --> 00:12:59.861 But in exchange for not constructing that boulevard, pastor went to the commissioner and the commissioner's office in the county and offered to give the land to the county in exchange for not having to construct that right of way, and so the county took us up on that deal. 00:12:59.934 --> 00:13:03.163 Now there's a couple of different ways to do the real estate transaction. 00:13:03.163 --> 00:13:16.860 We could go through a title office and do a title deed and a sale of a piece of property, but we transmitted ownership of that piece of land, that right of way, that skinny little right of way that cut through the property. 00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:19.182 We transmitted ownership by plot. 00:13:19.182 --> 00:13:28.664 In other words, we just stated on the plot this belongs to the county and then, when we filed that, the ownership became the county's at that point. 00:13:28.664 --> 00:13:34.195 And so it was a good deal for the church that we didn't have to build that road right of way. 00:13:34.195 --> 00:13:53.163 But they never built the right of way, and when it came time for us to sell this property, that was a problem because any other contractor that wanted to use that raw land for something had this road right of way cutting right through the middle of where they wanted to construct something, and so it was hard for us to sell it. 00:13:53.335 --> 00:14:08.557 It became a problem for us to sell this land, and so we tried to reroute the right of way and do something that made sense, and we went through that effort and eventually, long story short, the commissioner's office worked with us and the county attorney worked with us. 00:14:08.557 --> 00:14:25.421 The county attorney said you know, the county has never actually taken possession of that land and so because we haven't actually possessed the land, you can simply revoke the offer to dedicate the land to the county. 00:14:25.421 --> 00:14:40.488 And so he sent me the text in an email and I put it on a letter and we signed it and filed it at the county clerk's office and it was called a letter or it was a notice of revocation of the offer of dedication. 00:14:40.488 --> 00:14:46.418 So we had offered to dedicate the land to the county and while the county said yes, they never possessed it. 00:14:46.418 --> 00:14:55.739 And so, all these years later, all we had to do was write a notice revoking the offer of dedication Because you did not possess the land. 00:14:55.739 --> 00:15:03.405 We now revoke the offer and you can't have it A simple letter we filed with the county and the land was then ours again. 00:15:03.405 --> 00:15:05.379 So that was good for the church. 00:15:05.379 --> 00:15:06.807 But for the children of Israel? 00:15:06.807 --> 00:15:11.823 God gave them a notice of the revocation of the offer of dedication to them. 00:15:11.823 --> 00:15:20.705 You didn't possess it, you did not trust me, you did not believe me, you operated in fear, and so you can't go into the promised land. 00:15:20.705 --> 00:15:24.566 We revoked the offer when they wouldn't go in and possess it. 00:15:24.566 --> 00:15:27.322 If we don't possess our land, you can't have it. 00:15:27.322 --> 00:15:32.105 You can only have it in your hand if you possess it. 00:15:32.105 --> 00:15:37.557 God has granted it to us, but we have got to possess this, else we will lose it. 00:15:39.955 --> 00:15:44.043 Also in Joshua, chapter 5, verse 13. 00:15:44.043 --> 00:15:50.177 And it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up. 00:15:50.177 --> 00:15:54.736 So this is where Joshua and the Israelites have already crossed over the River Jordan. 00:15:54.736 --> 00:15:58.294 We're going to kind of jump around a little bit here, but I want to make a connection now. 00:15:58.294 --> 00:16:07.758 When the Israelites had already crossed over the River Jordan, they had put up a memorial of stones right there, and now they were on the Promised Land side. 00:16:07.758 --> 00:16:18.033 And it says and it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, a man stood opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand. 00:16:18.664 --> 00:16:23.275 Now, god had been taking time with Joshua to tell him what kind of a man he was. 00:16:23.275 --> 00:16:28.897 And as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, and no one's going to be able to stand before you all your days. 00:16:28.897 --> 00:16:34.298 And he was a mighty man of God, and so he's feeling big and mighty. 00:16:34.298 --> 00:16:38.216 And here he sees a man opposite him with his sword drawn. 00:16:38.216 --> 00:16:42.072 And then Joshua went to him and said Are you for us or for our adversaries? 00:16:42.072 --> 00:16:50.455 And this other man said no, but as the commander of the army of the Lord, I have now come. 00:16:50.455 --> 00:16:54.131 And so who's the commander of the army of the Lord? 00:16:54.131 --> 00:16:55.727 It's Jesus. 00:16:55.727 --> 00:17:05.724 So he's looking at the spirit of Jesus pre-incarnate standing in front of him, who did not answer his question Are you for us or for our adversaries? 00:17:05.724 --> 00:17:10.276 No, I'm the commander of the Lord of the armies of heaven, and I have now come. 00:17:10.276 --> 00:17:14.094 So does that ring a bell with some of these scriptures that we've seen before? 00:17:14.724 --> 00:17:24.910 In Exodus 23, we read where God was going to send an angel before you to keep you in the way and bring you into the place that I have prepared, called them an angel of the Lord. 00:17:24.910 --> 00:17:34.568 In Exodus, chapter 3, we just read where the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flame of fire, amidst the burning bush. 00:17:34.568 --> 00:17:39.354 The angel of the Lord is Jesus, and he's appeared multiple times. 00:17:39.354 --> 00:17:44.934 And so the angel of the Lord, jesus, called Moses and got his attention. 00:17:44.934 --> 00:17:55.593 And then he said God said, I will send Jesus before you to keep you in the way and bring you into the place which I have prepared for you. 00:17:55.593 --> 00:18:03.849 And so, finally, jesus has appeared to bring them into the place that was prepared for them. 00:18:03.849 --> 00:18:07.193 The commander of the army of the Lord has now come. 00:18:07.193 --> 00:18:10.755 God said to the Israelites I have now come down. 00:18:10.755 --> 00:18:16.368 Well, here he is, I have now come down and you're ready to possess it and I'm going to lead you in there. 00:18:16.368 --> 00:18:22.935 And so God did not take possession of the land and give it to them. 00:18:22.935 --> 00:18:26.371 He granted them the right to go in and to possess it. 00:18:26.371 --> 00:18:37.573 And God also promised we read he promised to send fear and confusion and cause the enemy to act with a poor strategy to turn their backs on them. 00:18:37.573 --> 00:18:40.592 And God promised to send hornets to drive them away. 00:18:40.592 --> 00:18:45.214 But he said it's not going to happen all in one year's time. 00:18:45.214 --> 00:18:46.891 It's not going to happen really fast. 00:18:46.891 --> 00:18:50.212 It's going to happen, but not super fast. 00:18:50.744 --> 00:18:55.696 The Israelites needed to take time to possess the land, a little bit at a time. 00:18:55.696 --> 00:19:05.730 You got to remember they were only so big as a group of people, but the land that they were going to go in and occupy was much bigger than their group needed at that time. 00:19:05.730 --> 00:19:15.469 They needed to go in and grow and increase in number and increase in strength, increase in prominence. 00:19:15.469 --> 00:19:18.992 They needed to go in and enlarge the place of their tent. 00:19:18.992 --> 00:19:23.595 Does that sound familiar with the prophecy that's been delivered to this church? 00:19:23.595 --> 00:19:27.095 This church needs to go in and begin to possess. 00:19:27.095 --> 00:19:43.711 We individually need to go in and begin to possess, and what you're going to possess is a whole lot bigger than you and you would rattle around in this giant space like a bean and a can if you don't also enlarge and increase. 00:19:43.711 --> 00:19:51.032 And so we need to enlarge and increase as we go into possess so that we can possess this land and make good use of it. 00:19:51.032 --> 00:19:58.818 God warned them lest their numbers be too small to maintain the land. 00:19:58.818 --> 00:20:02.796 We can't be too small to maintain the promise. 00:20:02.796 --> 00:20:05.731 We've got to grow into this promise. 00:20:05.731 --> 00:20:07.757 But it starts with us going in. 00:20:09.909 --> 00:20:17.924 So when they walked into the promised land, you know, god let them through the wilderness in easy stages. 00:20:17.924 --> 00:20:19.250 He didn't drive them hard. 00:20:19.250 --> 00:20:22.394 He went at an easy pace that they could handle. 00:20:22.394 --> 00:20:30.444 And when they went into the promised land, god, they didn't have to start fighting people off as soon as they went through the river. 00:20:30.444 --> 00:20:37.384 No, as soon as they took a step into the river, the waters backed up and they crossed over on dry ground. 00:20:37.384 --> 00:20:43.851 When they made it to the opposite bank, there were not people with swords and spears meeting them on the other side. 00:20:43.851 --> 00:20:47.174 No, they went into an open space. 00:20:47.174 --> 00:20:48.888 They did not have trouble. 00:20:48.929 --> 00:20:56.075 When they first walked in, god provided a way for them to go into the promised land and have it easy. 00:20:56.075 --> 00:20:58.809 It was not hard. 00:20:58.809 --> 00:21:00.891 They didn't have to fight their way in. 00:21:00.891 --> 00:21:03.471 You don't have to fight your way into the promise of God. 00:21:03.471 --> 00:21:08.736 God has provided for you to just walk in as you take a step. 00:21:08.736 --> 00:21:17.095 That thing, that river that's keeping, that's between you and your promise, that river will stop flowing as you take a step. 00:21:17.095 --> 00:21:23.444 You're not going to get bogged down in the mud of that river bottom, but you walk across on dry ground. 00:21:23.444 --> 00:21:29.424 You don't meet your adversary on the other side fighting you off of the promises that God said we could have. 00:21:29.424 --> 00:21:33.593 No, you've got an easy place to set up your camp. 00:21:37.186 --> 00:21:44.132 He said, little by little, I will drive them out from before you until you increase and you inherit the land. 00:21:44.132 --> 00:21:48.256 So God's going to, he's already doing some things. 00:21:48.256 --> 00:21:57.118 As we go into possess, god is driving the enemy off until we can grow into this space and occupy it. 00:21:57.118 --> 00:22:00.497 And then we can possess by inheritance. 00:22:00.497 --> 00:22:02.424 It says until you inherit the land. 00:22:02.424 --> 00:22:04.067 So the inheriting part. 00:22:04.067 --> 00:22:08.837 Now we have to inherit or possess by dispossession. 00:22:08.837 --> 00:22:32.772 So God initially does it, he makes room for us and then, once we've grown into this new role, once we grow into who he says we are and that we recognize what we have and what we can do in Christ, then we can start to possess by dispossessing, then we can start applying force against the enemy and they're going to flee because of it. 00:22:34.826 --> 00:22:37.335 God promised to set or establish our boundaries. 00:22:37.335 --> 00:22:40.444 He establishes the boundaries of our habitation. 00:22:40.444 --> 00:22:45.257 Where you live, where you work, where you go to church matters. 00:22:45.257 --> 00:22:49.324 We don't get to pick where we I mean we can pick where we. 00:22:49.324 --> 00:22:52.894 We have the freedom to pick where we want to live and work and go to church. 00:22:52.894 --> 00:22:55.092 But God has a plan. 00:22:55.092 --> 00:23:00.257 He has not authorized us to pick any place to live, to work and to go to church. 00:23:00.257 --> 00:23:07.444 He's authorized us to go to a particular place, and so it's important to find out where God wants you to live. 00:23:07.444 --> 00:23:11.435 Don't just pick up and move unless God has authorized you to do that. 00:23:11.435 --> 00:23:15.374 Don't go move someplace unless God has given you authorization. 00:23:18.650 --> 00:23:22.444 In Deuteronomy 1.21,. 00:23:22.444 --> 00:23:26.316 Look, the Lord, your God, has set the land before you. 00:23:26.316 --> 00:23:28.424 Go up and possess it. 00:23:28.424 --> 00:23:34.974 As the Lord, your God, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you, do not fear and do not be discouraged. 00:23:34.974 --> 00:23:45.444 He has set the land in front of us for us to go possess it, and so if there's fear involved that keeps you out of it, don't be afraid. 00:23:45.444 --> 00:23:48.103 God has not given you the spirit of fear. 00:23:48.103 --> 00:23:51.315 Right there, anytime you feel fear, it is the key. 00:23:51.315 --> 00:23:54.243 It's obvious where that comes from. 00:23:54.243 --> 00:23:59.335 God didn't give you the spirit of fear If the God didn't give it to you. 00:23:59.335 --> 00:24:02.199 God gives the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. 00:24:02.621 --> 00:24:03.424 Where does fear come from? 00:24:03.424 --> 00:24:04.914 It comes from the devil. 00:24:04.914 --> 00:24:12.865 Fear is anti-faith, fear is unfaith, opposite of God, of believing what God said. 00:24:12.865 --> 00:24:16.295 Fear is believing that what the devil said is true. 00:24:16.295 --> 00:24:19.765 And the devil is a liar and God tells us the truth. 00:24:19.765 --> 00:24:25.122 And so if we believe the truth and we trust our God, then we can walk in without fear. 00:24:25.122 --> 00:24:34.482 So, all through the wilderness, god led the Israelites, with a cloud by day and fire by night. 00:24:34.482 --> 00:24:48.497 It said he carried them as a man carries his son, and he fed them and he watered them and he protected them and he made sure that when they needed to stop for the night, that he led them into a wide, open place where they could set up camp right there. 00:24:48.497 --> 00:24:51.420 He didn't lead them into rocky places, he led them into good places. 00:24:53.715 --> 00:24:54.722 Psalm 32.8,. 00:24:54.722 --> 00:24:59.183 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go and I will guide you with my eye. 00:24:59.183 --> 00:25:02.269 He says and the Holy Spirit is our guide. 00:25:02.269 --> 00:25:03.919 He's our teacher, he's our advocate. 00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:06.001 He will guide us into all truth. 00:25:06.001 --> 00:25:08.863 However, he will not force us to do anything. 00:25:08.863 --> 00:25:12.634 He'll not make you to walk in and enjoy the green pastures. 00:25:12.634 --> 00:25:16.619 He won't cram your face down in the cool still waters and make you take a drink. 00:25:16.619 --> 00:25:21.923 He will not waterboard you, but he will lead you into it if you'll follow. 00:25:21.923 --> 00:25:29.183 And so your success starts with taking some steps and finding the course of action and walking in it. 00:25:29.183 --> 00:25:43.945 And again, as the Israelites took a step, the waters receded, for my angel will go before you and bring you into the land. 00:25:44.194 --> 00:26:03.555 The scripture says you know everywhere that they went, they marked it, they stacked stones and put up memorials and they named places so that they could carry that testimony from one generation to the next, and you know the younger generations. 00:26:03.555 --> 00:26:04.874 What does that stack of stones means? 00:26:04.874 --> 00:26:05.778 How come that's there? 00:26:05.778 --> 00:26:07.622 Well, let me tell you what God did. 00:26:07.622 --> 00:26:09.402 Look what the Lord has done for us. 00:26:09.402 --> 00:26:10.799 Let's not forget these things. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:13.522 Let's not forget the testimonies that we have. 00:26:16.474 --> 00:26:20.157 So sometimes they had to make war, it wasn't without. 00:26:20.157 --> 00:26:25.220 So they walked into this open space and then they had to prepare to go and take the city Jericho. 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:28.319 You know the giant walled cities. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:30.082 Remember the walled cities and the giants? 00:26:30.082 --> 00:26:31.622 And everyone was afraid before. 00:26:31.622 --> 00:26:33.742 Now this is the generation going in and possess. 00:26:33.742 --> 00:26:35.401 Well, they're getting ready to take this city. 00:26:35.401 --> 00:26:41.141 God said you're authorized, I grant this place to you, it's yours and I go possess it. 00:26:41.141 --> 00:26:44.438 So God made room for them and now they're beginning to grow into it. 00:26:44.438 --> 00:26:49.644 And now they're beginning to take possession and they're beginning to dispossess by possessing it. 00:26:49.644 --> 00:26:54.923 They're beginning to push out the squatters out of that place and to occupy the place that God has given them. 00:26:55.535 --> 00:27:00.923 So it's not that we don't have conflict and we don't have war and we don't have to go and do things. 00:27:00.923 --> 00:27:07.480 It's just that the enemies that are in front of you, they've already been defeated. 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:15.906 Before they walked into Jericho, jericho was already disheartened and defeated and deflated. 00:27:15.906 --> 00:27:19.055 There was no fight in them. 00:27:19.055 --> 00:27:31.142 They already lost the battle before Israel got there, they already heard what wonders, what mighty deeds God had done for them and they were disheartened completely. 00:27:31.142 --> 00:27:33.079 Their hearts were melted. 00:27:33.079 --> 00:27:35.160 There was no fight in them. 00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:40.481 Even before we have to go in and fight, your enemy has already been defeated. 00:27:40.481 --> 00:27:40.883 Why? 00:27:40.883 --> 00:27:47.119 Because the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, who is Jesus in the New Testament, has already defeated. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:49.781 The devil has already defeated our enemies. 00:27:49.781 --> 00:28:00.564 He's already gone in before and defeated the enemy, is disheartened, his heart has melted within him and all we have to do is go in a little further. 00:28:00.564 --> 00:28:02.921 God's brought us into an open place. 00:28:02.921 --> 00:28:05.582 Yeah, there might be some fight in front of us. 00:28:05.582 --> 00:28:07.961 There's really not that much fight left in him. 00:28:07.961 --> 00:28:10.121 He's already been disarmed. 00:28:10.121 --> 00:28:16.003 But so don't be afraid to go in and possess by dispossessing. 00:28:16.003 --> 00:28:26.617 It's easy to walk in where it's easy, but it's also easy to walk in where the enemy is possessing it, because all you have to do is take possession of it and he leaves. 00:28:27.634 --> 00:28:28.980 And so how do we stake our claim? 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:30.098 How do we make our claim? 00:28:30.098 --> 00:28:44.222 Back in the old days here, miners, they would legally declare and defend their right to mine a particular territory, and they would do that by driving stakes in the ground. 00:28:44.222 --> 00:28:56.364 They would mark the corners of their claim, they would name their claim, they would put a metal tag or a plate or some kind of marker on those stakes that said that this belongs to James Buntrock. 00:28:56.364 --> 00:29:05.019 And so anyone walking up on that would see those stakes and recognize ooh, I can't go there, that's already been possessed. 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:07.102 Somebody's already claimed that spot. 00:29:07.102 --> 00:29:08.339 I need to find another claim. 00:29:09.755 --> 00:29:13.395 And so that's how miners would do it as a kid. 00:29:13.395 --> 00:29:17.045 How many would compete as a kid? 00:29:17.045 --> 00:29:19.882 Did y'all have siblings and you're gonna get in the car to go somewhere? 00:29:19.882 --> 00:29:22.340 How many would compete for a particular seat in the car? 00:29:22.340 --> 00:29:35.163 Okay, you know you didn't just say I want the window seat because there's several window seats in the car. 00:29:35.163 --> 00:29:36.861 You had to be very specific. 00:29:36.861 --> 00:29:41.881 In my family I had older sisters at the time that I was so competitive. 00:29:41.881 --> 00:29:48.761 I was the youngest at that time when I was competing for the window seat, so I had to be very specific in which seat I was talking about. 00:29:48.761 --> 00:29:52.479 I want the front seat by the window, and so I staked my claim. 00:29:52.479 --> 00:29:54.660 We'd run out the house and I'd be front seat by the window. 00:29:54.660 --> 00:29:58.843 I called it, and so whoever called it usually got it. 00:30:04.694 --> 00:30:18.425 Sometimes when I didn't want the fight, I would say back seat, middle on the hump, because nobody wanted that seat, and so I should have fought harder for the thing that I won. 00:30:18.425 --> 00:30:21.084 I'm not encouraging you to fight for the second best. 00:30:21.084 --> 00:30:21.978 Don't do that. 00:30:21.978 --> 00:30:25.621 If you want to fight for second best, you'll win pretty much every time. 00:30:25.621 --> 00:30:28.380 So the back seat, middle on the hump is second best. 00:30:28.380 --> 00:30:30.164 Take the window seat. 00:30:30.164 --> 00:30:30.926 I recommend it. 00:30:32.894 --> 00:30:42.366 I found it more effective to stake my claim than to try to kick my sister out of it. 00:30:42.366 --> 00:30:44.141 It was harder to kick her out. 00:30:44.141 --> 00:30:54.442 It was easier to stake the claim up front, and I also don't recommend saying to your sister you get out of my spot, you filthy demon. 00:30:54.442 --> 00:30:58.199 That doesn't go over well either. 00:30:58.199 --> 00:31:16.971 And so my point is If you claim what's yours, you don't have to kick the devil out and my sister's not the devil but you don't have toif you let somebody in there because you didn't claim, you didn't stake your claim, then you're going to have to get them out and you're going to have to defend your right to be there, and so stake your claim early. 00:31:16.971 --> 00:31:22.434 Don't let somebody in get in there ahead of you and stake their claim in your place. 00:31:22.434 --> 00:31:26.505 Claim what's yours, and then you've got to occupy that claim. 00:31:26.505 --> 00:31:27.489 You've got to move in. 00:31:27.489 --> 00:31:34.753 If you claimed the window seat, the front seat by the window, then you had better go sit in the front seat by the window. 00:31:34.753 --> 00:31:37.005 It's still a race just because you called it. 00:31:37.005 --> 00:31:39.484 I called front seat by the window, but I didn't stop running. 00:31:39.484 --> 00:31:43.644 I was running all the way to the car and elbow in my way in there. 00:31:43.644 --> 00:31:44.971 I had to occupy it. 00:31:44.971 --> 00:31:49.056 I claimed it and I occupied it, and that's how you win. 00:31:49.056 --> 00:32:08.836 And so miners, when they staked out their territory, they didn't just stake it out and then get to work mining one corner of it, they had to walk their claim and they had to make sure that nobody had moved their stakes and nobody had taken the tags off the stakes and nobody had moved in on their claim and was digging holes in the back corner. 00:32:08.904 --> 00:32:17.423 If you don't occupy and maintain what you've got, squatters will sneak in and steal from you, and so we've got to maintain what we've got. 00:32:17.423 --> 00:32:27.164 So that scripture read I will not drive them out from before you in a year, lest the land become desolate and the beast of the field become too numerous for you. 00:32:27.164 --> 00:32:34.356 Little by little I'll drive them out from before you until you have increased and you inherit or possess the land. 00:32:34.356 --> 00:32:50.655 We've got to grow into what God said we can have and we've got to maintain what we've got and keep the devil off of our promise, if he can talk you out of it, if he can say well, no, that stake wasn't really there, it's over here and he moved it on you. 00:32:50.655 --> 00:32:58.171 No, if you know where you put your stake, you can kick him off the land. 00:32:58.171 --> 00:33:05.773 And so how long will it take to obtain all the promises as quick as you can claim and possess? 00:33:05.773 --> 00:33:08.365 God didn't really give a time limit. 00:33:08.365 --> 00:33:10.814 He just said it won't be within a year's time. 00:33:10.814 --> 00:33:20.979 But it'll be at your pace, and each one of us are going to have a little different pace, but it can happen as quick as you claim and take possession. 00:33:23.354 --> 00:33:24.365 So what are we taking possession of? 00:33:24.365 --> 00:33:26.125 We have the promise of Shalom. 00:33:26.125 --> 00:33:33.954 We have the promise of peace and prosperity and health, and it all comes through the blood of Jesus. 00:33:33.954 --> 00:33:38.365 God has given us room to walk into an open space now. 00:33:38.365 --> 00:33:40.567 He said so in September, and so here we are. 00:33:40.567 --> 00:33:48.856 We're about 23 weeks into this, a little more than halfway through that year, and I want you to check where you're at, consider where you're at. 00:33:48.856 --> 00:33:50.861 Have I begun to walk in? 00:33:50.861 --> 00:33:52.695 Have I begun to lay claim on this? 00:33:52.695 --> 00:33:56.679 Am I possessing what God says I can have? 00:33:56.679 --> 00:34:07.085 We might encounter some wild cities as we continue to stake our claim, but they're already defeated, they're already disheartened. 00:34:07.085 --> 00:34:07.758 It's no big thing. 00:34:07.758 --> 00:34:10.105 The heart of the enemy has already melted. 00:34:10.105 --> 00:34:11.443 There's no courage left in them. 00:34:11.443 --> 00:34:14.164 So all we got to do now is stake our claim. 00:34:15.065 --> 00:34:21.722 And so you can do that by number one, declaring by your word what belongs to you. 00:34:21.722 --> 00:34:24.222 We've got to declare it. 00:34:24.222 --> 00:34:28.483 I called front seat by the window. 00:34:28.483 --> 00:34:28.724 It's mine. 00:34:28.724 --> 00:34:36.605 Jesus said in John 15, verses seven and eight if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask. 00:34:36.605 --> 00:34:38.605 But really that ask means to demand. 00:34:38.605 --> 00:34:39.682 It's a covenant demand. 00:34:39.682 --> 00:34:45.164 You'll put a demand on the covenant, what you desire and it will be done for you. 00:34:45.164 --> 00:34:50.724 So you'll demand what you desire and you'll have it. 00:34:50.724 --> 00:34:53.724 When you declare what belongs to you, you can have it. 00:34:53.724 --> 00:34:57.974 By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so you'll be known as my disciples. 00:34:57.974 --> 00:35:05.423 My disciples will be known as the kind of people that declare something and have it, and that brings the father glory. 00:35:05.423 --> 00:35:09.449 And that brings the father glory In Mark 11, 23,. 00:35:09.449 --> 00:35:19.710 For surely I say to you, whoever says to this mountain be removed and cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart but believes those things which he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 00:35:19.710 --> 00:35:25.291 Therefore, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe you receive them and you'll have them. 00:35:25.291 --> 00:35:28.572 But it starts with saying and declaring. 00:35:28.572 --> 00:35:29.568 And so declare. 00:35:29.568 --> 00:35:33.132 Stake your claim by declaring what belongs to you. 00:35:34.829 --> 00:35:36.255 I have peace in my home. 00:35:36.255 --> 00:35:38.831 I am prosperous. 00:35:38.831 --> 00:35:41.048 I have good health. 00:35:41.048 --> 00:35:41.672 Declare it. 00:35:41.672 --> 00:35:44.233 I am blessed and cannot be cursed. 00:35:44.233 --> 00:35:46.152 I walk in divine health. 00:35:46.152 --> 00:35:48.893 Sickness has no place in my body. 00:35:48.893 --> 00:35:50.932 Sickness cannot live in my body. 00:35:50.932 --> 00:35:54.775 No plague will come near my dwelling. 00:35:54.775 --> 00:35:56.630 Go ahead and declare it. 00:35:56.630 --> 00:35:58.425 I have peace in my home. 00:35:58.425 --> 00:35:59.724 I have peace in my marriage. 00:35:59.724 --> 00:36:01.130 I have peace in my family. 00:36:01.130 --> 00:36:03.934 I set the atmosphere of peace in my home. 00:36:03.934 --> 00:36:08.036 I determine and I declare that I have peace. 00:36:08.036 --> 00:36:12.213 I have an abundant supply, more than enough for every good work. 00:36:12.213 --> 00:36:14.891 I'm a tither and a sower of seed. 00:36:14.891 --> 00:36:16.496 I'm increasing. 00:36:16.496 --> 00:36:18.885 My seed is increasing. 00:36:18.885 --> 00:36:20.731 My seed is growing. 00:36:20.731 --> 00:36:22.264 I'm watering my seed. 00:36:22.264 --> 00:36:24.833 I have a harvest on everything I've planted. 00:36:24.833 --> 00:36:29.371 My every need is met according to his abundant riches and glory, by Christ Jesus. 00:36:29.371 --> 00:36:32.114 Go ahead and declare what belongs to you. 00:36:33.264 --> 00:36:38.570 And the second way to stake your part of stake in your claim is to present your proof. 00:36:38.570 --> 00:36:44.925 You don't just drive random wooden stakes in the ground, but those stakes have to have the proof of ownership. 00:36:44.925 --> 00:36:51.864