Look, I’ve given you this land. Now go in and take it.
Deuteronomy 1:6–8 (MSG)
Just because God promised you something doesn’t mean you’re going to experience it. Sometimes you need to fight for what you want in life.
When God promised the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey, they had to fight the inhabitants of that land before they could take possession of it. In the same way, we have to learn how to fight to receive the promises we find in the Bible.
Now I’m not saying you fight to earn God’s promises, and you certainly don’t fight other people to get in on God’s blessings. However, you do need to get a fighting spirit and learn to claim what is yours in faith. When trouble hits, you need to ignore doubt and fear and stand on God’s promises so you can take possession of what is yours.
Let’s take Isaiah 44:3–4 as an example. You can pray this over your kids, and if you don’t have kids yet, you can pray it over your future descendants. When it comes to prayers, time is irrelevant.
In these verses, God promises to pour his Spirit on your children and grandchildren and to let his blessing flow to your descendants. He promises that they will “grow vibrant and tall like the willow trees lining a riverbank” (v. 4, VOICE).
To claim this verse, say something like this: “Father, thank you for pouring out your Spirit on my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and every descendant of mine for generations to come. Thank you that your blessings are flowing into their lives. They will all grow healthy and strong in you!”
As you claim this promise today, you are impacting your family for generations to come.