Staking A Claim

“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Romans 4:21 NLT)

Until 1986, people could stake a claim on land in Alaska as long as they met some criteria. They had to live on the premises for five years, build a home, and develop the land for agriculture.  You would expect there would be a rush of homesteaders moving to Alaska to avail themselves of this offer. However, less than 1% of the land in Alaska has been claimed this way. There are very few roads in the remote parts of Alaska. The lack of access, 

the lack of utilities, and the harsh weather conditions discouraged homesteaders from taking advantage of the opportunity for free land.

Similarly, God’s promises are available to all of us, but we have to claim them for ourselves. We have to live on the promises. We must build and develop our trust. This requires patience, practice, and perseverance. Above all, we must have an unshakeable confidence in God.

Take for instance the following promise:

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14 NLT)

Jesus said to ask for anything in His name and He will do it. This sounds too outlandish to believe. Yet, if I can manage to truly establish my life on God’s Word, if I can build on faith, if I can develop perseverance, if I can wait patiently for God’s timing--only then will I be able to stake a claim on all that God has promised.