Almost five years ago, I left a ministry position at my church after experiencing five years of success. It was my main source of income and I enjoyed the people and the work. I was 64 years old, but I had an idea to start a publishing company to give people without access to editing and publishing services a chance to share their stories. People in publishing at the time advised me not to do it, for publishing was in flux and unstable. I heard them but I knew what I needed to do; I had to take possession of what the Lord had showed me.
In this next installment of the "Go and . . ." series, let's look at what the Lord told Moses in Deuteronomy 1:8: "See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them" and apply it to our walk of purpose.
GO IN
When the Lord spoke to Moses, the people had a promise that God would give them the Land. The people sent out spies, but unfortunately, those spies brought back a negative report and the people believed the report and not the promise of God. Therefore, God had them wander in the Wilderness until all those who had believed the report were gone and a new generation had taken their place.
I felt I was at a similar place in 2014. I had seen the Promised Land, heard the negative report of those who had seen that Land, and had to make a decision. I opted not to listen and entered in to take possession of Urban Press and the rest is history. To date, I have published or re-published 38 of my own books and produced another 40 book projects for other people. My son is in the business with me, and we have partnered with many first-time authors to help them realize their publishing dream.
When I made the decision to leave my position, I woke up at 2:30 the next morning and said to myself, "What have I done?" I did the math and then went back to bed, refusing to give in to the fear of the unknown. This past summer was the leanest time our company has had, but God has sustained us, and we are about to release or get started on many new projects. It's been great fun.
AND YOU?
Is it time for you to go and take possession of something God has promised you? Maybe it's a business or perhaps it's a ministry, a college degree, a missions trip, a new language, or a book, music, or some other creative project becoming a reality. This is not the time to wait, pray, seek advice, or delay. It's time to go and take possession. That isn't a super-spiritual act, but one that is divinely practical. If it's a degree, you have to enroll and go to class. If it's a book, you have to write it. If it's a business, you have to incorporate. If it's missions, you have to take a trip.
The Lord did not transport the people into the Promised Land. They had to walk in. While on their way, they had to eat, sleep, and do all the other things humans do to stay alive. The journey was hot and the days long. That is what it means to go and take possession of what God has promised. That is what you will have to do.
Have you been waiting on the Lord to do what only you can do? Then it's time to get up and get going. When we produce a book, we do it one page at a time until it is all done and then we do another one. There is nothing glamorous about the process, but it is exhilarating to see the finished product(s). The same will be true for you and your promised land. Face your fears, go find the information and resources you need, and then take possession of your land of milk and honey. As you do, I know you will have a lot of great weeks in your future as you step into what is in your heart to do.
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