This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]

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                    Possess My Promises To You

Dear child of Mine, do not be surprised at the intensity of the battle
to obtain the promises that I have made to you. Did you think that I 
would not involve you in the process of obtaining and entering them? 
Did you assume that you would just sit back and wait until I dumped 
them into your lap? Did you expect the fulfillment of all My promises 
to be handed to you on a silver platter?

Child, I don't work that way. I am always active in the lives of My 
own, and I invite them to participate with Me in accomplishing My 
plans and purposes.

Just look at what I have done with My children Israel, when I gave 
them their promised land. They were in bondage in Egypt, crying out 
to Me for deliverance. I heard their cry, and I sent Moses as a 
deliverer to them; but My deliverance was not instant, and it was not 
without hardship. In fact, the burden of their captivity increased 
before their freedom came. In addition, I required My people to grow 
in faith as I worked on their behalf. That is why My people had to 
endure the first few plagues that I put on Egypt: because they had 
not learned to trust in Me. As their faith in Me grew, then I put a 
difference between them and the Egyptians--and the latter plagues did 
not enter into Goshen where My people dwelt.

Dear child, I am also at work to bring My deliverance into every area
of your life. There will be times when you will suffer what the world
suffers simply because you have not yet learned to trust in Me. But
do not despair, for I am not going to leave you in that place. I will
work in your heart to cause your faith to grow. And as it grows, I will
begin to put a difference between you and the world. You will no longer
be affected by many of the difficulties that must come to the world. 
You will not have to suffer the fear and uncertainty and sickness and
financial hardship and lack that is coming upon those who do not know 
Me.  I will deliver you, just as I delivered My people Israel.

Learn a bit more from how I worked in the lives of My people Israel.
I did not instantly transport them from Egypt to the Jordan; I made
them walk their on their own volition. I had the power and ability to
transport them, just as I transported Phillip after he ministered to
the Ethiopian man.* But I did not choose to work that way in their
lives. I wanted to strengthen them in the journey, to build their
physical endurance. Likewise, there will be times when you want Me 
to do something instantly, but I don't. I am not turning a deaf ear 
to you as I allow you to walk in assorted difficulties; I am 
strengthening you and building your endurance, so that when the day 
of battle is at hand, you will be mighty and able to stand before 
your enemies and defeat them.

Even though I gave Israel the promised land, I required them to fight
to possess it. I could have sent an angel to slay the inhabitants of
the land, that the children of Israel merely walk in and possess it.
But I wanted to involve them in the process of taking their land so
that they would value the inheritance I gave to them. I wanted them
to understand the cost of their victory and not take it for granted.
People tend to treat things contemptuously when they take them for
granted; that is why I involved them in the process of winning their
victory.

Dear child of Mine, I am the same today as I was back then. I do not
change and I remain faithful. I will cause you to possess your promised
land, just as I did with My people Israel. But I will also make you
fight for it, just as I did with them. You will possess the fullness
of all the promises that I made to you, but it will not come cheaply,
for I will involve you in the process of obtaining them.

Yes, I will require you to fight to possess your promises. But do not
be disheartened and do not despair, for I will fight with you and I
will give you the victory.

I have destined you to be an overcomer, and I have put My Spirit within
you to help you and to strengthen you. I will not turn My back on you,
and My ears are not deaf to your cries for deliverance. I will give you
the victory and I will cause you to walk in the fullness of the promises
that I have made to you. But I want you to understand that this type
of victory comes only through battle, and there will be times when you
have to fight for the promises that I have made to you.


* Acts 8:39-40.