RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Several years ago, I was in the Persian Gulf region of the Middle East, which is the strongest fortress of Islam. A young Rwandan pastor made all of the arrangements for the evangelistic meetings. Quite frankly, I struggled with faith. I kept saying to Joseph, “Are you sure they will allow us to preach the gospel here?” Joseph remained steadfast in his response: “God will work, Sammy. People will come to Christ.”
Sure enough, every day we were in this Persian Gulf country, people came to Christ. In fact, there was a greater opportunity to preach the gospel than I had ever imagined. I kept pinching myself, saying, “Is this really happening?” After concluding the meetings, I realized, This opportunity has been here for a long time. I just didn’t know about it. The reason I didn’t know about it was because I had never placed my feet on the soil of that country. I had no clue what God was doing in that nation.
Thousands of years ago, God told Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses” (Joshua 1:3). God had promised to give Abraham and his descendants a land where they would be greatly blessed. The time had come to enter that land. God wanted to bless the children of Israel mightily, but there was one condition: They had to put their feet in the land. It couldn’t be captured from a distance. It could be taken only by ground troops.
Many people have spiritualized the meaning of the Promised Land.” Some refer to crossing the Jordan River as crossing into heaven. Others think of the Promised Land as the place of victory. I believe those are legitimate analogies. But in its most direct meaning, I believe the Promised Land is simply the land promised to God’s people. It’s a place to be taken for the glory of God.
Often as I travel into countries, I spend time walking, praying, and claiming the land for the glory of God. Over the years, I’ve become convinced  there’s no place too difficult for God. There are several principles of Scripture that indicate how we can take the most difficult lands for God’s glory.
First and foremost, the children of Israel could take the land because God had promised to be with them (Joshua 1:5). If God has clearly made a promise, He will clearly make His provision to fulfill that promise. If God is “for us, who then can be against us?”
God also gave them clear instructions on the principles of spiritual warfare needed to defeat their enemies in the land. All they needed to do was read, meditate, and implement those principles (Joshua 1:8). The holy Scriptures were their guide to victory and success. Their enemies were formidable, but they couldn’t outmaneuver God. His strategies would bring success to His people.
God also clearly defined their responsibilities. God would give them the victory, but they had to be prepared (Joshua 1:10). Some people seem to think that because God gives the victory, the believer needn’t do anything. That’s not true. The victory was 100 percent God’s. But the children of Israel needed to prepare themselves for battle. They also needed to take a step of faith and cross the Jordan River. God would give them every place their feet would go. But go there they must. Finally, they would have to follow God’s instructions carefully. Every time the children of Israel did what God said, they found success. But when they disobeyed God, they fell flat on their faces. The victory was the Lord’s, but they had to fight under His command. It was imperative to obey His instructions.
Today there are nations, cities, and communities that can be taken for God. He is simply looking for humble, holy men and women who are willing to take a risk. He wants men and women of faith. He’s seeking a people who will trust Him and follow His leadership. He’ll do the rest. There’s nothing too difficult for God.