WALK IN YOUR DESTINY!

Our study today comes from Genesis, Chapters 12-21. I hope this speaks to some of you today!

In Genesis 12, verses one and two, God tells Abram to go to a foreign land where He will make Abram a great nation. God said he will bless anyone who blesses Abram, but He will curse anyone who cursed him. I think this was God's way of saying, "Don't worry about the people you encounter in the place where I am sending you, because I will protect you."

When Abram arrived in Canaan, God said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." But because the Canaanite was already living in this new land, Abram decided to keep traveling. I guess he forgot about God telling him not to worry about "people". Besides, these Canaanites were probably not too excited about Abram moving into town. They certainly did not want him to posses "their land".

Did you notice God said He would give that land to Abram's seed? That sounds like God was telling Abram he would have children! Abram was around 75 years old at this time (vs. 12:4). Pretty far-fetched, huh?

When Abram "moved" from where God said stay, he ran into trouble… FAMINE. So in an attempt to provide for the needs of his family, he gives his wife (Sarai) to the Pharaoh of Egypt; claiming she is his "sister" so that they can have peace and wealth for a season. It makes no sense, but to Abram it was the only way. Yuk!

Abram was not being obedient to the Lord. He was not living in the "destiny" God had spoken into his heart back in Genesis 12:1. Even so, in compassion God delivered Abram and his wife from the Egyptians. He even gave them cattle, silver and gold as spoils from the Egyptian people. God had a plan for Abram and even Abram's immaturity of how to stand on His Word couldn't stop God's plan from coming to pass.

Chapter 13: When back in Canaan, once again God told Abram to look around because everything he saw was to be the inheritance of both him and his seed. In Chapter 15, verses two and three, Abram questions God for prolonging his ability to have children (seed). God reassures Abram that his seed will surely be as numerous as the stars of the heavens. God reminds Abram that He brought him out of his homeland to bless him in the promised land.

You know the story… Sarai, his wife, becomes impatient and tries to help God. She gave her handmaid, Hagar, to her husband, Abram, so that God's seed promise would come to pass. Even though Sarai and Abram were disobedient in trying to force the Will of God to come to pass "in their time", God still had a plan. Abram and Sarai's immaturity did not stop His plan.

Yet again in Chapter 17, when Abram is ninety-nine years old, God tells him, "I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan…" God even changed Sarai and Abram's names to be called Sarah and Abraham, further reminding them of their position in His eyes. Here again, Abram didn't quite get it. In verses 17 and 18, Abram actually laughed at God saying surely you must be talking about Ishmael. Is he the seed that will inherit the land of Canaan? (Ishmael was the son born out of disobedience.)

Finally, in Chapter 18, God appears as three men (FATHER, SON and HOLY GHOST) before Abraham to tell him that this time next year, they will have a son (Isaac). Now Sarah was very old "she" laughed within herself at God! Still, her doubt didn't stop God from pursuing them. He wanted them to take their rightful position in His plan to bless them.

For some reason Abraham "moved" again. This time he came to a place where he felt he had to lie (again) saying Sarah was his sister. (Well, it wasn't a complete lie. After-all, he and Sarah did have the same father.) Although God had told Abraham time and time and time again that his seed would inherit the land of Canaan, Abraham continued wandering aimlessly; not realizing his position as Sarah's husband and a man chosen to have favor by God. Still, in spite of Abraham's immaturity, God delivered Sarah and Abraham out of the hand of Abimelech. God even gave them favor to receive silver from this experience.

In Chapter 20, verse sixteen, Abimelech goes on to rebuke Sarah and Abraham by saying, "He is a covering to your eyes". In other words, Abraham was a "husband", not a brother! He was the man who God appointed to be an heir to God's promises. Sarah and Abraham needed to stand tall and to "be" who God had called them to be. It seems (up until this point) while they knew God had spoken to them and promised them land and children, they did not fully receive their positional standing of who God called them to be. He had called them to be man and wife in a land where He would send them. Yet, they kept holding onto their past, saying they were brother and sister.

Is there something God has called you to be? You know you have heard the voice of the Lord many times speaking to your heart about the inheritance He has for you; yet, you are immature (afraid, fearful, insecure, or timid) over accepting the position He has appointed just for you. Will you be reproved right now by the Word of the Lord and begin to confidently proclaim the thing He has spoken to your heart?

Yes, even in old age (or at least old to you) God will perform that thing He has promised! So PROCLAIM your position. Stand strong. Believe. And, walk in your destiny!

In Christ,
Deboah Ross
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/