“I am going to give you a car.” This is a wonderful promise, but does not give any details whatsoever. All I know is that I am promised a car. Will it be a new car or an old car? Will it be blue or green? Will it be an automatic or a stick shift? Will it have electric window and door locks or will I have to use my own strength to roll down a window or unlock the door? Will it be a model that I like or will it be something designed for my grand parents? Will it get good gas mileage or bad?
Each general promise like this that we receive leaves so many unanswered questions. And as we have all been informed by the byline of one magazine, “Inquiring minds want to know.” Yet so many times when God speaks to us it is in such a general way that we are often left scratching our heads and wondering what that means.
Abraham was in that type of situation that Abram (Abraham) was in when God spoke to Him in Genesis 12:1-2. God told Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And will make you a great nation…” Wait! Where is the land? How big is it? Is it good land or bad? All he had was God’s command to arise and leave everything behind and the promise of a land he would be shown. Abraham gives us a perfect example of one of the secrets to possess the Promised Land.
Immediately obey
God’s command
and He will give you
the next step.
The author of Hebrews gives us this incredible insight into Abraham and his thought process. He says that, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go our to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not know where he was going” (Hebrew 11:8). Could you do it? Could you leave everything behind because God spoke to you, told you to pick up roots and leave everything behind? Could you trust God and obey without having a complete picture of God’s plans for you and every detail and every step you need to take? You will have to if you want to possess your promised land.
I would like to suggest some thoughts that can help us as we walk with the Lord and move toward possessing the land He has promised us.
- God has a purpose and a plan for our lives. Be assured that God knows the plans that He has for us (see Jeremiah 29:11). His promises are based on His plan. He has created each of us uniquely for His specific purpose.
- God’s plans for us are good. The Bible describes God’s plans or will as being for our welfare and giving us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11); it is good, acceptable, and pure (Romans 12:2); His ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). God has way bigger plans than we have for ourselves.
- God is faithful and we can trust Him. The reason Abraham could leave everything behind was because He trusted God. He believed God and moved out at His command without having the entire scenario laid out for Him. God promises to be with us wherever we go. He will not leave us or forsake us.
- God will lead us and guide each step of the way. Here is something to consider. Why should we expect God to give us step two when we have not completed step one? Craving to know future steps stands in the way of taking the next step. If we will do what He has already shown us, He will give the next step.
- Faith is required to possess the land. We are going to have to trust the Lord every step of the way. He is very willing to show us how to do the things we need to do to possess the land. When he shows us it will ALWAYS require a step of faith. We will have to obey His directions over and over again until we see the fullness of His promise.
- Obedience guarantees out possession of the land. There is only one way to fully possess the land. Only one. It is through fully and completely obeying God. God promises over and over that if we will obey His words our ways would be prosperous and we will have good success (e.g. see Joshua 1:8).
- Even when we mess up, God remains faithful. Wow! Even if we have messed up and failed to obey the Lord, He gives us another chance to say yes to Him. That is an amazing thing about God. His thoughts and plans for us are unchanging. Even when we fail He remains faithful. If you are off the path, repent and get back on it. He will take you from where you are to where you need to be.
Does it seem like you are not entering your promised land? Are you stuck in place and not seeing any movement of the promises of God? Is God strangely silent? Step back and ask yourself, “Is there anything the Lord has shown me to do that I have not done?” If so, identify it and do it. Then you can be assured that the Lord will give you the next step. Thank You, Lord, that You direct the steps of the righteous.
What is your next step?
