Become a "Sole Proprietor"

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (Joshua 1:3 KJV)

Mike Batterson, in his book, The Circle Maker, tells of the legend of Honi from the Jewish Talmund, who in the first century B.C, when approached by the elders of Jeruslem about the lingering drought threatening the city's existence, drew a circle on the ground, stood inside of it and told God he would not leave the circle until God sent rain. He prayed within the circle for hours, refusing to quit, even at tiny drops, until there was a downpour of rain. Batterson tells of how, inspired by this story and our text today, as a young church planter, he traced a 4.7 miles prayer circle all around the D.C Capitol Hill area. As he walked, he prayed over people and properties within the perimeter, trusting God in faith to transfer the promise he made to Joshua to him like he transferred it from Moses to Joshua. Now, years later, the church he pioneered has grown into seven locations and thousands of people with prime properties within the prayer perimeter he traced.

In our text, God transferred a promise he had made to Moses to Joshua of possessing lands. To activate the promise, Joshua would need to step out in faith and put the sole of his foot on the land. It did not matter who dwelt on the land, how long they've been on it or how defended and highly walled the land may have been been, the one who owned the earth and all its fulness had promised Joshua possession if he would only dare to set foot on the land in faith. It wasn't just Moses and Joshua that God gave the promise of "sole possessing" as I love to call it. Centuries earlier, he had made the same promise to their forefather, Abraham. God told Abraham to walk through the land in every direction because he was giving it to him.

" After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17 NLT)

So what is it about the sole of the foot and walking on a land? The answer lies in the fact that walking on something is both a symbol of authority and possession and a demonstration of faith. The feet represents authority. Remember the following passage of God raised Christ, " Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:21, 22 KJV).

Another translation makes it clearer:

"Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. (Ephesians 1:21, 22 NLT).

Also, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)

So "under the feet" equates to " under his authority" and faith is called a walk. So in our text, God was telling the patriarchs to exercise their authority over the land and to demonstrate faith in the promise by walking on the land.

How does this translate to you? There are still promises, things and places that God has promised to deliver to his people if they will boldly exercise their faith and authority in Christ. There are promises waiting for you, your family, business or church to lay claim on. God loves bold faith-filled prayers. He is seeking for people that will "walk the land" and lay claim on long overdue promises for the expansion of his kingdom. He is waiting for you to get off the ground, from under the feet of circumstances, to step out in faith and start walking through his word, laying hold on the promises he has put there for you.

Will you find out what the word says belongs to you in Christ and trace circles around them? Will you start to walk through the land today? Will you dare to believe God for the promised impossible? Go ahead and prove him. Put your foot forward and down and start possess! Become a "sole proprietor."

Decision of the Day

I understand that God loves bold prayers. I am going to start honoring his promises by receiving them. I will possess my possessions in Christ by putting my foot on them. God is pleased by my faith