Psalm 37 has an often quoted verse that has graced many calendars, refrigerator magnets, inspirational posters, etc. Spend any time in church and you will have heard verse four, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Just because we hear it a lot does not mean it has less value. There are some nuggets here waiting to be mined. I think God used David to give some deeper insight in to seeing our dreams become reality.
David starts the chapter by encouraging us not to be worried about evil people succeeding. As followers of Christ sometimes it is easy to look at those in the world that are only interested in their own gain and wonder why they are having such a great time. Forget about that fool’s game. It is a waste of energy to compare our life to anyone else’s. First you cannot see the whole picture of other people’s lives. Second, you have a unique call. The race you have to run is all your own.
Immediately after this thought David turns the focus on God … trust in Him, delight in Him, commit to Him, and be still before Him. The key to receiving our heart desires always begins and ends with our Heavenly Father. As we make our relationship with God central to our life, the pieces we need for our plan to materialize will become available to us.
Our heart’s desire is also our inheritance from the Lord. We have land to claim! There is territory to be taken back. Whether that is actual land, buildings, homes or influence, spiritual gifts and blessings God has given us the authority to claim ownership. David gives us five keys to inherit the land. While this not an exhaustive list, understanding these traits will help you lay claim to your inheritance.
The Expectant
“… those that wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.” – Psalm 37:9
This is not a “waiting in the doctor’s office” wait. The word used in the orginal text is קָוָה (qavah, kä·vä’) meaning to look for, hope, expect, to wait or look eagerly for, to collect, bind together. It is not a passive action as though you are lounging in your recliner waiting for heavenly riches to drop in your lap. It is an expectant heart eagerly looking for what God is doing.
Not only that you are collecting and binding together the truths that God is releasing to you. He has a specific plan for you to take your inheritance. You must have a listening heart to receive. Your ability to hear begins with looking for what is being shown to you and expecting God to move on your behalf.
The Meek
“… the meek shall inherit the land …” – Psalm 37:11
The word for meek used here is עָנָו (`anav, ä·näv) which means poor, weak and afflicted. So if your life is a dumpster fire, good news! Things are about to get better. While there is truth to that statement, I am joking … sort of. The context of this verse lends to the humble and lowly definition. It also has a connotation of bearing an injury rather than returning one. The meek turn the other cheek!
As much as this dream is yours, it is not really about you. The quicker we realize our dreams and inheritance is about blessing others, the quicker we begin taking our territory. You may be afflicted. That affliction is actually a stepping stone to greater blessing not only for you but for those you have been called to minister to. The meek see humbling experiences as growth opportunities.
The Blessed
“… those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land …” – Psalm 37:22
Blessing is not just found when you arrive at your land of inheritance. God will prosper you as move in to the lane that was created for you to run in. You provide the most value to others when you are functioning in the area that your heart desires most. Naturally, you will feel more at ease doing your life dream than anything else. Not only that, but you will earn more. People will pay you because of what you uniquely carry. Who’s ready to sign up?!
The blessing on your life compounds as you move closer to your inheritance. The more you move in your calling the more blessing you operate in. Your dream gains momentum the closer you get to your claiming your territory.
The Righteous
“The righteous shall inherit the land …” – Psalm 37:29
A straight forward definition of righteousness that I am partial to is “God’s way of doing things.” There is a right way to do things and a wrong way. God’s ways are right. You have a gift. God gave it to you and He is not taking it back. We get to choose if we use it the way He intended. The greatest inheritance is found when we use what God gave us for His purpose.
A psychic is an example of a distorted purpose. Those that read palms and speak to dead relatives have a gift from God. They may not fully realize where the gift originated, but they are using it for the enemy’s purpose. Even though they were created to share God’s message, He will not remove their gift. They choose to receive from the wrong signal.
The Holy Spirit is the right signal. He is here to guide and direct us so that we do things the way God would do them. Every day we have a choice. We can do our life as we see fit. We can team up with the devil’s scheme. Or we can step in to the perfect plan that God has designed for us.
The Exalted
“… He will exalt you to inherit the land …” – Psalm 37:34
The first part of this scripture actually reinforces two of the previous points. “Wait for the Lord and keep His way.” Expectancy and righteousness … we will never grow out of the need for those and for that matter we will always need meekness and God’s blessing. As we implement these traits into our lives a time of exaltation will come. Speaker and business coach Lance Wallnau often uses the term convergence. He defines convergence as “unlocking what you already have inside you and putting it to its intended use.” He further describes convergence as:
- A phase of life where “it all starts coming together.”
- The work you do is the work you were created and called to do. You enter a role that frees you to utilize 100% of your gifts, talents, and acquired skills.
- You access levels of fulfillment to which nothing else compares.
- It is like a vortex that sucks into itself uncanny coincidences and “divine appointments.”
God is setting you up to rule and reign in your area of passion and expertise. Every success and every failure you have experienced is a part of your training for reigning. Yes, I used a cheesy phrase, but it fits. You are meant to provide answers that no one else can give. Each day is master level course completed taking you closer to your inheritance. You are God’s representative of greatness and excellence on Earth. It is time to recognize the dream inside of you as a God inspired solution expertly crafted for you to carry out.