I noted that the theme of your upcoming conference is Taking Territories for God. I have been wondering what you had in mind when you chose that theme. I also read through the chapter where you got your theme from so that I could understand the context in which those words were written and get an application for today (hermeneutics and exegesis)

 

Deuteronomy 7:1

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you,

 

Deuteronomy 7:2

and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.

 

 

I Corinthians 10:1-11

¹Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ²all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

 

Title: The Holy Bible, New King James Version

 

Moses identified 7 territories that the Israelites were to dispossess in order to inherit their promised land: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites.

 

The Holy Spirit through Paul in I Corinthians 10 tells us that the records concerning the Israelites in the old Testament were written for our instruction and that their experiences were recorded as examples to us on whom the fullness of time has come. In fact in the day Apostle Paul penned those words to the Corinthians, what we now call the New Testament was not yet part of the Canon of Scripture and the only bible the early church drew instruction from was the Old Testament. So there are still profound lessons for the Church today from the pages of the Old Testament. Just as Israel of Joshua’s day had a territory to conquer, in our day we too have “territories” that must be brought under the Lordship of Christ.

 

Great Commission instructs us to make disciples of all nations, not just converts. When our Lord gave the Great Commission His focus was on nations being discipled into his ways and not just individuals, and yet today most of what we preach across the Body of Christ is an individual salvation and not a message with a view of societal change and transformation.

 

For us these nations correspond to seven domains that shape society. To disciple a nation, we must bring these seven territories under Christ’s domain.

1. Media

2. Government

3. Education

4. Economy

5. Religion

6. Celebration and Arts

7. Family

 

Years ago, as they were on their way to meet each other, these domains or territories were revealed separately but simultaneously to Loren Cunningham (YWAM) and Bill Bright (Campus Crusade & Life Ministry) as keys to transformation of nations.

• Each of these domains presently have specific evil principalities ruling over them, but as we will see later, Christ has already paid the price to redeem them and He is seated in heaven waiting for His enemies to be made his footstool

 

1. THE TERRITORY OF MEDIA

Corresponds to the land of the Hittites (comes from a word meaning terror and fear; representing bad news)

 

Politicians, businessmen and different interest groups have long realized that whoever controls the media has a big sway in what happens in society.

 

Unfortunately, modern media focuses overwhelmingly on negative news and even decides which negative stories get the most airtime and headlines

 

Furthermore the voice of the Kingdom of God is very weak on the media scene.

 

If we are to disciple any territory and bring in the love of God and the principles of His Kingdom, we cannot afford to ignore the media any more. We need to seek God for His ideas on how we can bring His Kingdom into the world of media and we also need to raise believers who will function essentially as true evangelists (bearers of good news), report news accurately; even bringing a redemptive angle in reporting bad news.

• • Media minister who will powerfully prophesy the blessings of God to the world.

• There is need to fill the airwaves with good news

 

 

2. THE TERRITORY OF GOVERNMENT

Corresponds to the land of the Girgashites (“dwelling in clay soil” representing the earthly desires and corrupt ambitions common to this territory)

• Most Christians consider politics to be of the devil; this is because Christians have abandoned it to the devil.

• There is need for the Church to disciple and raise servant leaders who will serve with humility and service, a spirit opposite to the pride and manipulation used by Lucifer.

• The Body of Christ ought to be the source of leaders who understand that leadership is first and foremost service; that as is stated in Romans 13, those in any position of are God’s servants for the good of those that they lead

  • Leaders who will not flaunt the titles, indeed most will avoid using the titles but will function with powerful apostolic grace;

• They will understand that “of the increase of Jesus’ government there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7)

• Their mission will be to fill positions of leadership with humble servant leaders of integrity

 

3. THE TERRITORY OF EDUCATION

Corresponds to the land of the Amorites (represent pride, boasting, haughtiness and the man exalting ideals of humanism, liberalism, rationalism and atheism)

• Calvin who learnt from Martin Luther laid the foundation of modern mass education in Switzerland.

• In Africa, to a large extent, the Church through the missionaries laid the foundations of our educational institutions and did so with a very strong biblical ethic.

• Oxford, Cambridge in the UK; Harvard, Yale, Princeton all began as church institutions have educated numerous world leaders

• Budo, Gayaza, Namangunga, Kisubi, Mwiri, Nabingo, Ntare, Nyakasura etc have all produced leaders for our nation.

• However, many highly influential educational institutions that began as Christian colleges and universities around the world are now saturated with liberal and humanistic ideologies

 

There is need to raise anointed teachers whose basic mission will be to bring in new fear of God based curriculum.

 

Whoever controls the educational institutions of a nation dictates what happens in the next generation. Who is in charge today?

“There is really no secular curriculum; every educational system has a god it must serve”

 

4. THE TERITTORY OF ECONOMY

Corresponds to the land of the Canaanites (representing love of money)

• The reigning principalities are Mammon (greed) and Babylon. They have produced the twin lies of poverty and greed

• These lying spirits convince people everywhere that money is their source of provision.

• Enslaves people in poverty but where God blesses with abundance it twists abundance into greed for more. (Rockefeller and Carnegie)

• The global financial crisis has shown us that the world system will one day collapse and those who operate under the spirit of poverty and greed will be left with nothing to depend on except God.

• Babylon will continually be shaken until it collapses but those who trust in the Lord will suffer no lack.

•  

The Church has a mission to raise businessmen who will go into this territory as stewards of his Kingdom and become resource people for the propagation of His Kingdom.

 

Their basic mission will be to discover and transfer wealth into the Kingdom of God.

 

Without this, we can dream all we want concerning the other territories but there will be no financing for them

 

5. THE TERRITORY OF RELIGION

Corresponds to the land of the Perizzites (stripping people of provision and protection, idolatry)

• Idolatry does just that; places people in submission to gods that can’t and won’t deliver on their empty promises

• The spirit of religion, which is the reigning spirit on this territory, does everything to steal worship that rightfully belongs to God.

• The church has a mission to evangelize and raise believers who are passionately in love with the Lord and refuse to practice a religion based on the expectation and traditions of status quo Christianity.

 

6. THE TERRITORY OF CELEBRATION

Corresponds to the land of the Hivites (they counterfeit true celebration with corrupt substitutes, Compromise)

• The reigning evil principality on this territory seduces many away from the true pleasure and joy offered by God.

  • It prostitutes the good gifts of God and is behind the deceptions of pop culture.

• Many youth live and breathe on this domain.

• This territory includes the arts, music, sports, fashion, entertainment and every other way we celebrate and enjoy life.

• This territory has been so thoroughly captured by Satan’s hordes that many respond like the 10 spies who came back from exploring Canaan; they do not believe the land can be possessed.

• To take this territory there must arise believers with a prophetic mantle and who will produce music, art, literature and every other form of celebration the Lord’s way.

• They will be accustomed to God’s presence and will receive from Him real and lasting alternatives to our society and especially to the youth.

 

7. THE TERRITORY OF FAMILY

Corresponds to the land of the Jebusites (representing rejection)

• The evil principality on this territory is Baal (perversion), the worship of whom involved sexual rituals and child sacrifice

• The activities of this principality are all too prevalent in our society

• Malachi 4:6 promises that Elijah will come and save families: turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and vice versa.

• Families are under attack; we live in an era of unprecedented family breakdown. The result is numerous social and physical ills that spring out of rejection, including depression, fear, sexual perversions, addictions, anger and violence.

• Baal must be removed from this territory by those with a pastoral calling and mantle and be replaced with functioning families

 

Revelation 5:1-12

¹And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ²Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

⁴So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

⁶And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

⁸Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:

 

“You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

 

¹¹Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice:

 

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”¹³And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

 

“Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

¹⁴Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

 

• Scroll has been described as the title deed of the earth

• 7 horns refer to 7 foundations of power that the Lamb because of His act of redemption on the cross (Matthew 28:18 All authority has been given to me…)

• Jesus regained the authority to establish the rule of God on upon the 7 pillars of every culture and nation

• 7 eyes are the 7 spirits of God sent out into all the earth; among other things these eyes are looking for those He can send supernatural help from heaven as they advance the Kingdom of God on the earth (2 Chronicles 16:9 the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.)

• 7 spirits of God represent the heavenly help, anointings and angels assigned to enforce the authority that Jesus has been given over heaven and earth

• Verse 5: 6 made priests and kings and we shall reign on the earth: the dominion which Adam had lost was now regained and heaven was rejoicing

• Verse 12: 7 attributes of majesty He is worthy to receive each coincide with the 7 pillars of every society.

•  

Worthy is the Lamb to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

 

• POWER GOVERNMENT

• RICHES ECONOMY

• WISDOM EDUCATION

• STRENGTH FAMILY

• HONOR RELIGION

• GLORY CELEBRATION AND ARTS

• BLESSING MEDIA

•  

Revelation 17:

• Harlot sitting on a beast with 7 heads, which are explained as the 7 territories on which the harlot sits

• The Lamb, Jesus, has 7 horns to rule on these 7 heads or territories which I will describe as the pillars on which societies are built.

• TO DISCIPLE AND WIN OVER A NATION ONE MUST TOUCH ALL THESE 7 AREAS

 

 

OCCUPY UNTIL I COME:

God would like his people to occupy these territories until he comes

• It is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the land of promise

• For most of Christian history the world has been the pace setter and the church has its forms by “Christianising” secular music, art, government, business etc.

• I believe that we have come to a day when that will change

• From God’s presence will flow superior ways of creating arts, conducting business, governing nations, education etc

• The world will see the blessing of God on his people and many will be brought into the Kingdom of God.

• But like Joshua and Caleb, we must have a different spirit and not see ourselves as grasshoppers against the giants

• We must not be content to live in a Christian subculture that has little influence on society

• We must develop the faith that our master had, “This gospel of the Kingdom of God (not just the message of salvation) shall be preached to the whole world before the end comes and we must develop a faith that can see whole nations discipled into the ways of God.

 

Can you begin to see this or is your vision still too weak?

 

WHICH TERRITORY ARE YOU ASSIGNED TO?

 

FOR FURTHER READING:

 

“THE SEVEN MOUNTAIN PROPHECY” BY JONATHAN ENLOW