TOPIC: MUCH MORE LAND TO BE TAKEN
TEXT: ISAIAH 60:1-3; 55:12,13
INTRODUCTION: One of the features of the end times are the signs that will be manifested on earth and in the heavens. For some, the omens are bad and for the children of God they will be good because they point to the coming of the Lord. To perceive theses signs however, one must be fully awake. This means sensitivity in the spirit to discern and know what God is saying and doing in these times. So many scriptures have highlighted the need to be awake because of God’s visitation. It is only those that are awake that will benefit from it. God visits to see how we are faring in the dominion of the earth.
God has given the earth to sons of men. He expects us to dominate all. God promised a land to faithful Abraham, and it continued through his offsprings to Moses and Joshua (Gen.12:1-7;13:14-17;15:18; 17:8; Ex.17:14;.23:30-31; Deut. 11:24; Joshua14:9). In Joshua’s old age, taking over of the land was incomplete and God had to reawaken him. Joshua was led to allocate land to people in the areas conquered (Josh.12:9-24) and unconquered. God did this so that as they would step on the unconquered land, and so that they could have a willing heart to possess it. The sole of feet must therefore tread, must subjugate and conquer these unconquered lands, to possess and obtain as property. There are territories assigned to us as inheritances that are not yet conquered, such as the year 2024 and years to come which the sole of our feet have tread upon spiritually, and that we must conquer (Josh.13:1-2). The year 2024 is yet to be conquered but the soles of our feet have stepped in by prayer and we will possess it for the glory of God.
1.The Ability and power to possess the land: It seemed Joshua and the rest of Israel had slept to the command to drive out all the inhabitants and take over the land. Joshua was reawakened to this fact by divine visitation. As people sleep physically, so do they spiritually. While physical sleep is necessary for rejuvenation, spiritual sleep is not encouraged for people who walk with God because they will miss signs. Those in Christ are awake spiritually but sometimes they sleep. The strange thing about this sleep is that the bible warns that they should arise from the dead. A dead believer cannot discern any signs. What is an awakening? Is.60:1-3: It is to become fully aware of something. When we awake from sleep, we become aware of our feelings and the reality around us. It’s the renewal of a feeling or interest. We become aware of God and who He is, and what He has for us to do. He is the ultimate power from eternity and His visitation brings spirit of prayer, reformation, leads to repentance and a renewed hunger for Christ. This brings renewal and fresh outpourings of the Holy Spirit into us personally and then corporately into the church. The revival causes an increase, and an acceleration of the work of the Spirit in us and in His church. There is a wider awakening, and what God is doing in the church, spills out into the culture, and the world is changed. God’s purpose is that whole land should belong to Israel. The conquest had to be complete, and no footing given to the former nations that occupied it. The major hindrance for Israel, and which marred this ability to take over the land, was sin. Israel joined in marriage with the former owners, worshipped their gods and practiced abominations which God prohibited. Jerusalem remained in the hands of Jebusites even till the time of David (Hosea 4:16-19). The problem with the Church today, personal, and corporate, is that it has followed directly in the footsteps of old Israel and needs reawakening. The church has to repent and get rid of her sins, in order to access the power of God, and to possess her possessions. For serious Christians, this re-awakening and power only comes by meditation, watching, waiting, and seeking God for what He wants to do anew. The bible commands us to meditate on God’s word so that we can observe to do what it says. We want to be guided by God concerning what He would have us do in the new year. What have you set your eyes on in the new year, God says I have already given it. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses (Josh 1:1-5). You have to be strong and steadfast to seize opportunities and be courageous, bold, alert, anticipating moves and taking actions against the enemy because God already swore. This means God will perform His word and so you must be dependent on Him for all things. You have to fight to obtain it by His methods. You already have authority from God and He will enable you to possess it. 2.The urgent need to reawaken to the glory of Christ: The world and many people are in a dark place just as Israel was in the midst of idolatry and consummating marriages with the heathen. They world needs to be sensitized to the light and redemption that only Jesus Christ brings so that we too are not immersed in their idolatry. They need to reawaken to the glory of Christ. But for this reawakening to happen in our world, a reawakening to the glory of Christ must happen in our lives and in the Church. It is only then that we can take the land for God. The gospel and teachings of Jesus have been watered down; it has been made to fit the culture and the Church is now conforming to the world instead of living the radically different kingdom life. The Bible has been selectively reinterpreted, and Jesus has been “domesticated” to fit the personal, political, and cultural views of groups and people. Both Jesus and the Bible have been abused as tools to justify and serve personal, social, cultural, and political agendas. There is also the real danger that we could take Jesus for granted; that He is there to serve us and not us to serve Him. He thus has become our servant, our tool, our way to deal with life. It has become a problem because we have forgotten that He is our Lord. But we belong to Him. We exist to serve Him. We exist for His glory. Reawakening happens as we resume to practice the spiritual disciplines; by practicing the Lord’s presence every moment, by rejoicing in the Lord always, by doing everything in his Name and for his glory. Then his glory and presence will give us strength. 3.The prayer to reawaken to the glory of Christ: Joshua meditated on God’s word, observed to do what it said, and he had good success, because God visited him. Habakkuk’s prayer opens our eyes to as to how God’s power can be reawakened (Hab.3:2). It was a prayer that acknowledged that God could do again what He had done before. The world today thinks God is so far away He does not know what is going on. God is the same yesterday, today and forever omniscient. We therefore need to pray for God to manifest Himself, so that people can realize what He can do, know His glory and splendor; stand in awe of his deeds; realize his salvation; realize the Lord’s fame, his deeds, and glory, and tremble and fall down in awe and worship; realize his power that makes us rejoice even when all seem dark and despairing. When we know all these, the Sovereign Lord becomes our strength (Hab. 3:19). Therefore, all must realize His glory, eternality, deity of Christ, immanence, transcendence, sinlessness, ascension and glorification. Make no mistake, He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15); in Him all things were created (1:16); and in Him all things hold together (1:17). We follow not merely a good teacher from Galilee but the Head of the Church (1:18), the first to be resurrected (1:20), coming again (Acts 1:11). He is seated at the right hand of God, far above all rule and authority” (Eph 1:20-22). He is Lord and Ruler of the universe. Let us reawaken to the coming of Christ in glory (Mt 24:30-35) Let us reawaken to the exaltation of Christ. 4.The benefits of reawakening the glory: When reawakening occurs, God grants deliverance over enemies as He did before. God leads to eternal and permanent victories which makes nature itself to rejoice (Isaiah 55:12,13). Caleb reawakened to the inheritance promised and got the land Moses promised. When we are reawakened, unfruitfulness becomes fruitfulness; briar and thorns, are replaced by fir and myrtle trees, curses are replaced by blessings. Total deliverance comes by obedience and prayer. It is then that rejoicing from God’s deliverance become glorious and acknowledged even by nature. There will be internal joy which only God gives and on the outside security and peace that surpasses understanding. God will make a name for Himself in your life and that would make the world see for themselves His glory and power. This will be your testimony in year 2024 and it will be permanent. Hence 2024 is declared “Year of Divine reawakening and total deliverance”. HAPPY NEW YEAR.