Cut Through It

Joshua 17:18

The Mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites though they have iron chariots.

It’s been said that sometimes you can’t see the forest for trees but I say to you sometimes you can’t see the land because of the Forrest. There is something that God has given to us that we can’t see because of all the obstacles that stand in the way. We are in danger of walking away from our blessing because the Promised Land has too many trees.

When the tribes of Israel were given their allotment of land, the two tribes of Joseph expected more. They told Joshua, we are a “great people.” After all, their father was the one responsible for saving Israel and his brothers when there was a famine in Bethel and moved them to Egypt. Joseph told his brothers after they sold him into slavery 13 years prior, “what you meant for my evil God has worked out for my good. It was not you who sent me here, but God for the saving of many lives.” Joseph moved his family to Egypt during the famine and they became a great people and a threat to Egypt so that after 400 years of slavery God brought them out to their promised land.

Joshua told Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a great people and the mountains shall be yours." I like this because at first glance it seems that they got the short end of the stick, but in actuality, they got the best part they just had to work it. They inherited the mountains, but they had trees and they had enemies with iron chariots. God would not have given it to them if he didn’t think they could handle it.

When God gives you mountains with trees and enemies with chariots here’s what you have to do:

1. Claim it. If he already told you it was yours stop complaining and claim it. Ephraim and Manasseh were complaining because they were great and wanted more. Joshua said, "You are great, now take it!” Did you ever stop to think that the reason God gave it to you is because he knew that if anybody could take this land it was you? Like Muhammad Ali every morning, you got to wake up and tell yourself I am the greatest! Whatever it is that God has given me to claim, I am the greatest.

2. Climb it! Mountains are secure places once you get to the top, but you can’t get to the top just looking at it, you've got to climb it. What is it that God has given you that you are going to have to use some effort to get to the top of it? The way you climb a mountain is one step at a time.

3. Cut it down. You got more land than you think you do you just can’t see it because of the trees. Joshua told them that the farthest extent shall be theirs. Some of us have not claimed all our land because you got too many trees still standing. Bills still standing, debt still standing, addictions still standing, bad relationships still standing, once you knock these things down you will see you got more space to work with. Chop them down one at a time and use what you knock down to build what you need.

4. Conquer it. Once you get to the top, there will be some adversaries trying to stop you. They have the latest technology and appear that they have more resources than you. There is a powerful difference. You have God on your side. No weapon formed against you is going to prosper, no not one. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

Dear God, I thank you for my mountains and my inheritance. Give me the strength to claim my inheritance to cut down every tree so I can see just how expansive my property is. I’m excited about what’s ahead and ain’t no mountain high enough to keep me from you. Give me my mountain!

In Jesus Name!

Amen