A Word for You: It’s Been Long Enough...It’s Time to Possess the Land
A bi-weekly inspirational column by LaKeisha Rainey-Collins
During my personal Bible study about a week ago, the Lord led me to Deuteronomy 1:6-8. It says this:
“The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.”
As I meditated on this passage of scripture and the Lord began to speak to me concerning it, I knew I had to share this message with my EEW sisters who have found themselves stuck in some area of their lives. There are four words I believe the Lord wants me to tell you:
It’s been long enough.
I know what it’s like to feel bound by your issues and to continue circling the same mountain month after month, and year after year. But now that I have begun to walk into my promised land, my desire is to help you walk into yours. As we embark upon the close of a new year, my prayer is that, if necessary, you will realize that you have dwelt long enough in your barren place, and it’s time to get up, go in, and possess the land that the Lord has promised to you. I don’t know what your mountain is. It could be depression, sickness, fear, poverty, or addictions, but the Lord is saying that it’s time to take hold of what is rightfully yours: healing, deliverance, peace, abundance, freedom, purpose.
It’s so easy to become comfortable with being uncomfortable when discomfort seems to be your norm. But that’s a trick of the enemy. That’s just one of the ways he tries to keep us bound and hinder us from being, and possessing all that God has destined for us. But as I often like to say, the devil is a liar. He kept me going in circles for a long time, but once I grabbed hold to the word of God and clothed myself in His armor, I got a little fight in me and chose to take back all that the devil had stolen from me, or hindered me from.
It had been long enough.
Taken from the above scripture passage, there are four actions I’d like to expound on: Turn, take your journey, go in, and possess the land.
1. Turn – If you’ve followed this column for any length of time, then you know I believe that change must first take place in the mind. In order to turn or shift from where you are to where you desire to be, you must first be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). As your mind transforms, it will help you not to focus so much on the problem (mountain), but rather the solution (promised land).
2. Take your journey – I believe that the problem with a lot of us is that we are afraid of the journey. We are scared of what we will have to face as we transition from one place to the next. Transition is never easy. It often causes us to have to deal with deep pain or ugly truths, and to separate ourselves from things or people that aid in us being stuck where we are. It’s definitely hard, but the key to being free from the things that have us bound is facing the truth, and knowing when to let go and/or walk away. It’s important that we embrace the journey, because along the way it builds our strength, and strength is a vital factor when it comes to possessing what God has in store for us. It won’t be a cakewalk, but embrace the journey. It brings you that much closer to walking into your promised land.
3. Go In – Now, before you go in and possess your land, I think it’s important that you take some time and go in your prayer closet and dig into the Word of God. Prayer strengthens us, and the Word of God shields us (Ephesians 6:11-18). There is no way we can go against the enemy without God. Our words and our own strength will keep us defeated, but when we clothe ourselves in the Word of God, and strengthen ourselves through prayer, we have the perfect ammunition to fight against the enemy. We’ve got to have our war clothes on.
4. Possess the Land – “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12) It’s as simple as that – you’ve got to take it by force. First you’ve got to want it, and when you want it bad enough, you’ll get mad enough to snatch everything God has for you right out of the enemy’s hand. Sure, he’s going to fight you, but that’s okay because you have power over the enemy. (Luke 10:19) Take what belongs to you!
Declare today that it’s been long enough, and make up in your mind that you will no longer dwell at your mountain and allow it to keep you from what God has for you. Resolve in your heart that this is the year, the month, the day, the hour that the cycle of circling ends. There is such abundant life in the reaches for you. You don’t have to continue to sit back and watch everyone else walk into their promised land while you’re stuck in the same place.
As Jesus said to the man at the pool of Bethesda, Will thou be made whole? Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
It’s been long enough; possess your land.
LaKeisha Rainey-Collins is a wife, mother of two beautiful boys and inspirational blogger. She believes that God has purposed her to use her gift of writing to share her experiences as a Christian woman, wife, and mother, in order to touch the hearts of other women just like her.
Email LaKeisha:
kcollins@eewmagazine.com
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18 Comments
Reader Comments (18)
This one made me cry. I have been having some real dark moments lately that have created struggles in my mind. It feels like this season will never come to an end so I felt like you were speaking to me. This is going to pass. I know it and I believe it. THANK YOU.
When you circle a mountain for so long you start thinking you'll be stuck in the cycle forever. Thanks for the reminder that the season does change and trouble doesn't last always. amen.
Felt like I was reading a good sermon this morning! I'm ready to get my praise on now!!
When it comes to staying down in the valley and going through changes I feel like I could write a book on it! But I refuse to believe this is all God has for me. My husband and me were laid off from our jobs and have been struggling to keep afloat. Our house is about to go into foreclosure and things look mighty bad. I like what you said "Resolve in your heart that this is the year, the month, the day, the hour that the cycle of circling ends." Yes, it ends today!
Powerful!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!! I was just talking to a friend about the cycle my life has been going in and since that conversation I have been thinking about how to break it. Thank you thank you.
While reading this article Donald Lawrence's Seasons started playing in my head. It is so crystal clear now. Thank for allowing God to use you!
Mell
Hallelujah!!! I thank God for you and this article! It feels like someone just snatched me up out of my despair this morning. What a word for me! Praise God!
Hi ladies! I love, love, love hearing from you, and I am so happy to know that this word from the Lord has resonated with you in some way.
I love you all, and am praying for each of you. :)
Hugs,
Keisha
Long enough! Yes Lord! Long enough! I will not be circling this mountain again in 2012. I'm coming out. Thank you for this word!
Just what was needed right now!
Janet, you betta come on out girl!! :)
Halle, Glad to be a blessing!
Thanks for reading and sharing!
My trials hang like a shadow over me. My past is like a dark cloud. I have made terrible mistakes and I have been the cause of many of my valleys. But I believe by the power of God I am loosed! Thank you.
Shadow, I agree with you that by the power of God, you are indeed loosed. Praying for you.
I believe you squeezed every ounce out of these verses, LaKeisha! Thank you for giving us practical ways to apply these scriptures. I love it!
This has been a very dry, hard, long, trying, distressing season! Phew! This blog was like fresh water in the desert. Thank you Lord for your word!
OMG Keisha, you just had to be hearing from God, being obedient, and write this post! Why you gotta be all up in my bizness' like that! LOL! I know this is like the last straw from God to me, because these very same words in your post he has been speaking to me. I've been fearful and disobedient, but also excited and overjoyed at all he has been resounding in my ear like a broke down record of possessing the land. I know now, that he is just saying it loud and making it clear through this post. I gotta do what he is telling me to do to possess the land, because knowing what to do but not doing it don't get you anywhere. I gotta change my mindset, because that has been the main problem. I'm one day believing in my mind I'm coming out, until the devil attacks it with negativity, circumstances, and situations and then I'm back negative in my mind. I gotta renew my mind with his Word, consistently and daily because lately I've been slipping on that and that is why my mind has been so easily attacked and me becoming defeated. No more! No longer! No way! I gotta Turn, Take My Journey, Go In, and Possess the Land! #imcomingout
Thanks Keisha for letting the Lord use you!
I love you are your articles! Been reading your column forever and you always know just the right words to say. When I read yoru words I think about how much you have been through and i see if God can bring you out he can do it for me too. I know your life is not perfecgt but you are living with purpose and that is a blessing.
Rhonda, thanks for reading!
MiMi, Praise God that this word was refreshing for you!
Jassmine, Possess your land, honey!!! :-)
Ms. Ebonee, I love you right back!! Thank you for being a faithful reader, and sharing your sentiments with me. Your words have really blessed me.
Keisha