How to Conquer Enemy Territory

“I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to fill the land.” Exodus 23:30

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I often set myself up for failure by not allowing space for practice, especially when I am first learning a new skill. For example: I am impatient. Not just a little; I would probably get the gold if it were an Olympic sport. I am so impatient that, when I try to eradicate my impatience, I fail because I’m too impatient to wait for patience. Then I get upset with myself [because now I have to admit that I am not perfect] and decide to give up for the day so that I can start fresh tomorrow. This usually happens by 10:00 a.m.Then I read James.

“Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:4)

Yes! I want that. I want to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. How do I build a lifestyle that allows perseverance to finish it’s work?

When the Israelites were given the Ten Commandments from God, it was part of a covenant between them. His people were given clear guidance on how to honor and obey God, and as their God, he promised them protection from their enemies and a land flowing with milk and honey to prosper in. He promised the Israelites

“I will send my terror upon all the people whose lands you invade, and they will panic before you. I will send hornets ahead of you to drive out the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites. But I will not do this all in one year because the land would become a wilderness, and the wild animals would become too many to control. I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to fill land.” (Exodus 23:27-30)

God will send his terror. God will send hornets ahead of me to drive out the bad. God will drive them out a little at a time. It is God’s work within me that will drive out my impatience, my fears, my poor parenting moments, my people-pleasing, my cravings for significance and everything else I let possess my “Promised Land” of maturity and completion, not lacking anything.

The Challenge: If my Promised Land is an existence in which I am “mature and complete, not lacking anything,” then I need to surrender my imperfect plan for God’s. He will teach me how to trade my imperfect ways for his perfect way. He will conquer the territory within me that sin owns. As I learn how to offer my life up to God, making every moment an opportunity for his will, not mine, he will increase his population within me. Finally, then, will I be strong in character, ready for anything.

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Dear Lord, please increase your presence within me. I want to live each moment as a conduit for your ways and your wisdom, not mine. Strengthen me and teach me resiliency. Give me your power to overcome the gaps in my understanding and trade my imperfections for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for wanting me and training me to live a life of no regrets. Amen.

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