Each new Year, I look for a fresh emphasis from the Lord for Victory Church. In 2016, it was the word trailblazer. God started a fresh initiative in Victory Church in our approach to helping each believer become a disciple of Jesus. That involved changing our leadership structure, my stepping up into more of a visionary role as a leader, and allowing others to manage our day to day affairs more than I ever have allowed before. And, we set the stage for every person involved in Victory Church to be used by God in the spiritual and natural abilities that God has given them.
This past Sunday, January 1st, as I was worshipping with the congregation in our first service, I kept hearing the words every place that the sole of your feet treads on will be yours. I knew that God was speaking to me about the people of Victory Church and to the body of Christ at large as toe what the emphasis will be this year.
I quickly opened my Bible to Joshua 1 and read the following:
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: (2) “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. (3) Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. (4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. (5) No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (6) Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. (7) Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
In this passage of scripture, God encouraged Joshua, Moses’ successor, to be strong and courageous. God encouraged Joshua to basically go and possess the land that would belong to Israel that God had already told Moses about. God gave Joshua the dimensions of the land and told him that every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon shall be yours.
God had already given Israel the land. But, they had to go personally possess it. Their feet had to walk upon it. They had to claim as their own what was already given.
And this will be the emphasis this year for believers. God has already provided in Christ for every need of ours to be supplied. But, we must personally pursue and obtain what God has already provided. Salvation, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, healing, financial provision, authority over Satan and his assaults, protection, care, answered prayer, freedom from fear and from every debilitating thing that could come into our lives has already been purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ!
God has basically prepared a table before us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5). We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3). And, that is the issue. These blessings are available spiritually. But, we must allow the sole of our feet to tread upon them. That is, we must by faith grasp and believe we receive everything God has already given us in Christ.
Blessing doesn’t just automatically happen once we’re born again. We must fight the good fight and lay hold on eternal life! (1 Timothy 6:12). We must possess our possessions! A thief is loose, actively looking to steal, kill, and destroy! We must go after God with all our hearts. We must purpose to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Then all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33).
Let’s purpose in our hearts to pursue God with a passion this year. Let’s put ourselves into position to receive everything that God has promised us in Christ. Let’s refuse to compromise with the world, the flesh, and the devil. Let’s be quick to repent when we fail, and let’s be diligent with what God has given us.
Remember what God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah. It so applies to us today:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:11-13). Let’s purpose today to allow the sole of our feet to tread upon everything that Jesus has provided for us. This year will be what we choose it to be. The table is prepared. What will you do with it in 2017?