Possessing Your Future...

Two years ago, my wife and I visited Israel. There were so many souvenir options, but I was looking for that special one. I decided on this olive wood carving of Joshua and Caleb bringing fruit back in when they were spies and went to spy out the Promise Land. Joshua is one of those leaders in the Bible who we all can draw inspiration from when it comes to stepping into and possessing our future.

Joshua and the children of Israel were on the verge of crossing into the Promise Land. The previous 40 years were filled with wandering in the wilderness, but it was time for Joshua to possess his future. In chapter one in the Book of Joshua, God said, “Joshua, you got a tremendous future ahead. God is going to do great things in your life. But there are going to be challenges, battles, but I [God] will be with you. Be encouraged, be strong, be bold.” These were God’s promises to Joshua that His future would be secure because God promised it. Yet it was up to him to step into it and possess it.

What does 2010 and beyond hold for you? The answer is a mixture of blessings and battles. God says to you, “I have great things I want to do in your life. I have thoughts you haven’t even thought of. How I want to bless your life!” God says the best days of life are ahead of you. There are going to be challenges, and there are going to be battles, but God promises to be on your side when it comes to your future.

In order to take hold of and possess your future, let’s do what Joshua did. Joshua’s strategy came directly from God. God knows each of us will encounter battles when stepping into and possessing our God-promised future. So He wants to empower us and encourage us. Like Joshua, God says to you and I if you do this it will make an impact on your life and bring you “success.” The strategy from God is simple yet profound.

Here it is:

* SET UP A PLAN
* STAY IN HIS WORD
* STEP OUT IN FAITH

You can find out more about this God strategy in the Bible in the book of Joshua. Take a moment to read it.

As your pastor, I pray you and your family have a God-blessed 2010.