Possess Your Possession

Daily Reading: Joshua 18

Scripture Focus: How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? (Joshua 18.3)

Devotional Thought: I love restaurant gift cards! Lana and I have received many of them from our generous and thoughtful friends. We are thankful for having a meal out together. But, did you know that over $1 billion in gift cards are left unused each year? That's a lot of cheese coneys!

Joshua confronted the people with the question of an unredeemed gift: "How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord ... has given you?" Joshua reminded them that the Promised Land was a possession. They had to possess it!

The sanctified life is like that. It is a possession. And, we need to possess it, just as the Israelites needed to possess their promise from God. Joshua tells us how:

• Go in. A true and vital relationship with God cannot be had from a distance. We need to come into complete harmony with the Lord and consecrate our lives fully to him. Half-hearted religion will not cut it. Joseph of Arimethea discovered that being a secret disciple of Jesus was not satisfying. Confronted with the Lord's sacrifice on the cross, he surrendered himself completely to Christ.

• Take. God will give us the fullness of the Spirit as our possession, but will we take it? If we don't believe it, will we ever claim it?

• Possess. Don't let circumstances rule you. Claim the life God has for you. By faith receive the blessing.

• Do not put off. Why wait another day? Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Prayer: Jesus, you have promised me the Holy Spirit. By faith I receive the Spirit in fullness and power. This is a gift I will redeem today! Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 41.1-9

Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him; 2 the Lord protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” 5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?” 6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad. 7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.” 9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.