Can I have it?  Can I have it?  Aspen thinks she needs a new toy at every store we go into.  But, you know how it is with kids and little toys,  you buy it for them and five minutes later they are done playing with it and want something new again. 

I wonder how many times God questions giving us a gift because He’s not really sure we are going to use it anyway. 

God has given us a virtual plethora of gifts through the power of His word.  For instance, God has already given us the power to overcome, we just need to go ahead and use it.  In 2 Chronicles chapter 20 the Israelites are afraid because a great army is on their way to attack them.  They know they can not win a battle against this army under their own power.  They know God has the power to win the battle so they ask Him to help them.  He tells them they don’t need to fight just  stand still and see the salvation of the Lord on their behalf.  

God had the victory in hand before they asked.  When they asked He gave it to them.  When morning arrived the next day the king put the choir ahead of the army and they marched forward singing praises to God.  When they arrived at the enemy camp every single enemy was dead and they spent three days collecting the spoils.   An awesome example of people accepting and using the gift God had given them.

It was not so much the same experience earlier on for the Israelites wandering in the wilderness with Moses.  After their 40 year mandatory waiting period before entering the promised land, God led Moses and the children to the gates of milk and honey.  God told them this land was theirs, He had already given it to them, all they needed to do was clean house and move in!  But fear kept them from possessing that gift…isn’t it like that a lot of time?  Fear keeps us from so many things God has for us.  And in this instance, the children had to enter another mandatory 40 year waiting period before coming around to the same offer.

I think we find ourselves in that very same place at times throughout our lives.  God has an amazing gift for us, something He has, in fact, already given.  But for one reason or another some kind of fear keeps us from receiving it.  Almost like leaving a Christmas present unwrapped under the tree.  The next time this happens, gather up your fear and lay it on the altar, then sacrifice it (put your fear to death) using the sword of truth; Quote and claim one of God’s many promises. 

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 15:57