I’m very possessive by nature. Perhaps it’s because, though I have siblings, I was basically raised as an only child by my grandparents. Whatever the reason, I know what’s mine. I own it. I fight for it. I protect it and I’m not going to give it up easily.
Have you ever had something that you felt that much ownership for? You knew it was yours and nothing was going to take it away from you. As leaders, God has given each of us something that belongs only to us. He has given us a territory, an area of influence. The catch is, we have to take ownership of it.
Genesis 13 tells of how God made a promise to Abraham that everything he could see, in every direction, was his territory. He then tells Abraham to, “Go and walk through the land in every direction…” (13:17a) In other words, Abraham had to actively take ownership of his territory. He needed to see and step foot on his area of influence.
Take ownership of the territory God has given you. I promise you that if you don’t, the enemy will and you will be held responsible for the lives God gave you and you did not touch. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the first thing I hear in heaven to be, “Why did you not take ownership of the promise I gave you?”
