Question: Have you ever felt like you have been waiting on what seems like forever on the Lord? Is there a dream and hope that you've been holding close to your heart? Have your prayers sounded something like, "How are You going to make this happen God and what do you want me to do?" I can honestly admit this has been my request and constant plea before the Lord.
For a long season I have had certain desires in my heart that I have prayed for, fasted over, and cried about in an effort to move the hand of God. But, the only thing I accomplished were calloused knees, a smaller dress size and smeared mascara. Can I just get honest here?!
So, I finally asked the Lord, "How do you wait?" I mean, how does one really 'wait on the Lord'? The Lord answered this prayer. He said, "Occupy." Hmm, what does it mean to occupy? Although I've heard that term a lot recently like 'Occupy Wall Street' or 'Occupy the 99%', I decided to look up the term and found these definitions:
So, I finally asked the Lord, "How do you wait?" I mean, how does one really 'wait on the Lord'? The Lord answered this prayer. He said, "Occupy." Hmm, what does it mean to occupy? Although I've heard that term a lot recently like 'Occupy Wall Street' or 'Occupy the 99%', I decided to look up the term and found these definitions:
*To engage the attention or energies of or to take up (a place or extent in space). For example, 'This chair is occupied.' Also, to take or hold possession or control of. For instance, 'Enemy troops occupied the ridge.' Or to fill or perform the functions of like to reside in as an owner or be a tenant of. Finally, to garrison, annex, subjugate to colonize, overrun, and to hold.
Whoa, this is groundbreaking to me. There is a parallel here in what the Lord is revealing about receiving His blessings. Even more importantly, how this affects our faith and recognizing who we are in Christ. Thus, I believe this command to "occupy" is more than natural but it's supernatural. We're not only to occupy and subdue the earth but to occupy and subdue the supernatural realm. We are to literally inhabitant the promises of God!
So, I will decree, I will declare and I will say His Word. I will fill, be in, have and hold down a place once held as a stronghold in my mind and emotions by occupying my thoughts with memory verses related to peace and the promises of God. In doing so the region of my heart heart once occupied by fear and doubt is now claimed, captured and colonized by the power of God in me. I enlist with Christ to take possession of, hold, garrison, and inhabitant the vision and the promises which testify about the future He has planned for me! Can I get an "Amen!"(Jeremiah 29:11)
What 'territory' or promise has God spoken in your heart? What area of ministry do you sense a gifting in and an authority to steward? You may have a vision to start a school or business; to write a book or to travel and spread the Gospel. Perhaps the Lord has cast a vision in your heart to have a healing ministry or to start a family, naturally or through adoption - whatever it is, have faith and occupy it!
I declare today, that you who are reading this, will be fruitful in that which the Lord has spoken to you. You will be made to multiply in it, fill the earth with it and have dominion in and subdue it. That very vision and hope that God has given to you is yours, in Jesus' name, Amen.
“...be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion...” (Genesis 1:28).
Delight thyself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
For we live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!" And God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:10)
