DETERMINE TO POSSESS YOUR POSSESSION
In these series I have discussed on: Go and possess your possession, steps on how to possess your possession and in this third series we will look at determine to possess your possession.
Determination is the quality of mind which reaches definite conclusions; decision of character; resoluteness.
The state of decision; a judicial decision, or ending of controversy.
To determine then is to resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.
There comes a time when you can no longer be vacillating or be of double mind. You have to make up your mind and step out.
Jas 1:7-8 KJV 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Mat 9:20-22 KJV 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
In the text above, we read the story of the woman with the issue of blood for twelve years. Twelve years she sought for a solution all to no avail but when she encountered Jesus, she received her miracle.
As I studied her story, I found out that it was not easy to come to see Jesus because of the law. The law in Lev 15 says that such women should not touch anyone or they would be unclean.
Lev 15:25-27 KJV 25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
How will she go through the crowd and she will not touch people? How will her touch not defile the Holy Man of God?
But the Bible says the woman was not bothered about the law, the consequence of breaking the law and possible harassment from people. She stepped out and received her miracle. May you receive yours today in Jesus name.
For she said within herself,…. That is, she thought within herself, she reasoned the matter in her mind, she concluded upon it, and firmly believed it. She resolved within herself and came to the firm conclusion that she must touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.
In Luke the Bible talks about a man called Zacchaeus.
Luk 19:2-3 KJV 2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
He was a publican or tax collector for the Romans and was very rich. But you see in every man there is a vacuum that your work, business, marriage, man or woman can not fill. It is only God that can fill that vacuum. So Zachaeous was longing to see Jesus but he had two major challenges. Number one was that he was a very short man in stature. He was what they call a height challenge to be politically correct.
You see in life there are many factors that limit people, naturally, it was not Zacchaeus fault but that was how he was born. Now his natural born disadvantage is limiting him from achieving his goal. He could not see Jesus.
Secondly, there were many people that were around Jesus so even if he stretched his neck he would still be unable to see Jesus. Life is full of competition. Many people are desiring and seeking few things. May grace takes you higher than them in Jesus name. You see many people at the place of interview, in the marketplace, at road junctions. May God single you out in Jesus name.
So here is Zachaeous, rich and had everything but he wanted to see Jesus. Until you see Jesus and have a personal relationship with him, your life is shallow.
What did he do?
Luke 19: 4-5 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
The Bible says that Zachaeous ran ahead and climbed the Sycamore tree knowing fully well That Jesus will pass through that route. And true to fact Jesus went through that place and saw Zachaeous. He was at the right place at the right time.
Zachaeus had two major challenges, natural and social issues but he did not let them hinder him from achieving his goal. What are you going to do to reach your goal? If we were Zachaeous, many of us would have turned back and said we will try some other time but not Zacchaeus he did not allow pride or his status and stature hinder him.
In the book of Mathew they brought a man sick of palsy unto Jesus.
Mar 2:3-5 KJV 3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mark the word ‘could not’. He was brought to be healed but his friends met a mammoth crowd at the door. There was no place for them and nobody wanted to give them a chance or space to bring the sick man in before Jesus. You see, even in the Lord Jesus crusade people are not merciful or pitiable because they all come to hear and be healed and everybody is self centered. What will these men do? Maybe they should go back home and come back later. but the Bible says they climbed the roof, untitled it and lowered the man down. When Jesus saw their faith he healed the sick man.Faith is tangible. It can be seen. It was the act they performed. They were determined at all cost to get their friend to Jesus.
What is the barrier between you and your miracle? The faith of those men was if only they could get their friends before Jesus he would be healed so they did all it was possible even if it meant breaking somebody else’s house they did it.
Two blind men determined to receive their sight
Mat 9:27-30 KJV 27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. 28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. 29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
Two blind men were crying after Jesus but the Bible didn’t say why the Lord did not stop and attend to them or stop.
They had followed him, but thus far he had not seemed to heed their cries, and he entered the house as if he did not intend to regard them – probably for the trial of their faith.
Sometimes when heaven is silent, it is a test of faith. Are you resolute and determined? Has the need got to a point where you can give up anything for it? You can do anything that faith asks for? Many will say haba, it has not gotten to that level, i can’t do all these thing Pastor is talking about. Many Christian are self-conscious. But when a man is resolute, he doesn’t care who is looking or mocking.
The blind men came to him – That is, they followed him into the house. They showed a determination to persevere until they obtained what they asked.
Believe ye that I am able to do this? – To work such a miracle. Though they had followed him and cried after him, yet he required of them an open profession of their faith in regard to his power.
The bible says those men followed Jesus into the house. Why didn’t they go back? They should have said why are we following him? If he wanted to heal us he should have attended to us but they kept following him. It takes determination and persistence to break through obstacles in life.
What of the blind Bartimaeus.
Mar 10:46-52 KJV 46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
He kept shouting Jesus of Nazareth, have mercy on me. Jesus was still going, the crowd asked him to keep quiet and shut up but the Bible recorded that he shouted the more, he cried out the more until Jesus stopped and sent for him. That was determination not to let go.
It was the same people that were discouraging him that asked him to be cheerful now that Jesus called him. The Bible says he dropped his garment. That garment was for identification in the east. People with that kind of sickness are given such clothes for easy identification but when he heard that Jesus was calling him he threw it away. Every evil garment of identification that the devil has put on anyone shall be consumed by fire in Jesus name.
May you be clothed with a garment of honour and celebration in Jesus name.
Mat 15:22-28 KJV 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
In Luke the Canaanite woman was pleading with Jesus because of her daughter that was vexed with the devil but Jesus was not answering her and the disciples did not help matters they told Jesus to send her away. Jesus told her that it was not proper to give children bread to the dogs but the woman did not mind the seemingly insulting words but answered Jesus back in affirmative that the dogs do eat from crumbs that fall from the children ‘s table.
You see, many Christians today would be angry and leave. They will say how can he insult me? Who does he think he is? Is it the only church in the world? I won’t come to that church again. But the woman was persistent and Jesus told her that because of her faith and her saying that her daughter was healed. She would not take ‘no’ for an answer.
Example of the Lord Jesus
Luk 9:51 KJV And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
He steadfastly set his face – a Hebraism, implying determinate fixed purpose: Isa 50:7. He was determined to go to Jerusalem, or he set out resolutely. To go where he must he scourged, and spit upon, and crucified:. When a man goes toward an object, he may be said to set his face toward it. The expression here means only that he “resolved” to go, and it implies that he was not appalled by the dangers – that he was determined to brave all, and go up into the midst of his enemies – to die.
That is, after proper and mature deliberation, he chose now to go up to Jerusalem, and firmly determined to accomplish his design. Literally, “he hardened his face”: that is, he resolved with himself to die, and therefore ventured upon his journey and cast away all fear of death, and went on.
If He had not, we would still be in our sin without hope of salvation. Thank God that the Lord determined and resolved to go there despite the danger.
There are barriers in life, between you and your goal in life, there will be obstacles. it could be inherent barriers or natural barriers, social, government law or protocol, economical even age can be a barrier in life. What should we do when we come before obstacles in our path to our goal?
- Don’t give up. Quitters never win and winners never quit. Paul says this one thing I do, I forget the things behind and I press on to the high goal of prixe of Jesus. Keep going and don’t stop. Phi 3:13-14 KJV 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
- Be resolute like Jacob Gen 32:26 KJV And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. and determined like Racael Gen 30:1 KJV And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. We under the new covenant are not supposed to act like that but we should imbibe that attitude. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer
- Don’t be discouraged by the delay in getting an answer.
- Be like Elisha don’t be distracted 2Ki 2:10 KJV And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so..
- be a man of patience with the Lord. Heb 10:36 KJV For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.you endure insults and attacks and d you dont mind them today many people easily give up they can’t endure for long. Heb 6:12 KJV That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
- Learn to endure Heb 6:15 KJV And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.He gave us an example of Abraham. The word ‘endure’ means long spirited.
- Be cheerful, the outcome is already determined. It came so that it can come to pass. 1Jn 4:4 KJV Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
- 1Cor 13: 10 there is a way out of every temptation. Don’t say your own too much otherwise it will exclude you from the solution already provided. Seek the face of God to ask what shall this man do not why me God? 1Co 10:13 KJV There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
- Declare your faith and believe you receive and you shall have them Mk 11: 23
- Seek for counsel and do it again. Failure is not failure until you give up.