In the Bible, “possess” often refers to taking ownership or control over land, resources, or spiritual inheritance, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 1:8 where God commands the Israelites to take possession of the Promised Land. It can also imply a deeper spiritual aspect, such as possessing the Holy Spirit or eternal life through faith (Ephesians 1:14).
Scripture
8 See, I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their offspring after them.
9 “At that time I said to you, ‘I am not able to bear you by myself.”
10 The Lord your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as numerous as the stars of heaven.
11 May the Lord, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!
12 How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife?
13 Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.
14 Then you answered me, ‘The thing that you have spoken is good for us to do.’
15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and set them as heads over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officers, throughout your tribes.
16 And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him.
17 You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
18 And I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do.
19 Then we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrifying wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded us. And we came to Kadesh-barnea.
20 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us.
21 See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Biblical Meaning of “Possess”
The biblical concept of “possess” extends beyond mere ownership of physical land or resources; it encompasses a profound spiritual dimension as well. In Deuteronomy 1:8, where God instructs the Israelites to “go in and possess the land,” the act of possession signifies God’s promise to His people and their covenant relationship with Him. This command reflects a partnership where the Israelites are not only to claim the land but also to live according to God’s laws and values there. It emphasizes the significance of obedience and faithfulness in maintaining what has been granted to them, suggesting that true possession requires stewardship and responsibility.
Moreover, the notion of possession in a spiritual context is vividly depicted in Ephesians 1:14, where the Holy Spirit is described as a “guarantee of our inheritance” for believers. This encapsulates the idea that possession in biblical terms also involves the acquisition of spiritual blessings, such as eternal life, hope, and the transformative presence of God in one’s life. The Greek word for “possess” (kleronomia) evokes themes of inheritance, indicating that believers are not merely passive recipients but active participants in a divine inheritance. Hence, to possess in the biblical sense means to embrace both the gifts of God in the physical realm and the profound spiritual fulfillment found in a relationship with Him, illustrating a holistic understanding of ownership in both earthly and eternal contexts.
In addition to the aforementioned perspectives, the biblical understanding of “possess” often intertwines with themes of spiritual warfare and victory over sin. In the narrative of Joshua, for example, the Israelites are called to conquer the land of Canaan, symbolizing the necessity of overcoming adversities, both external and internal, to fully possess the promise God has provided. Here, possession implies not just a physical claim but an active engagement in the struggle against opposition, signifying faith’s role in claiming what has been divinely promised. This reinforces the idea that loyalty to God and enduring faith are crucial in the journey toward fulfillment, as possession is seen as not only a physical act but a demonstration of trust in divine providence.
Furthermore, the Psalms frequently highlight that to possess something also requires a deep commitment to righteousness and moral integrity. The concept of inheriting blessings or land often reflects an ethical dimension, where the individuals or families that possess God’s favor must also embody His teachings. The intertwining of ethical conduct and divine blessing illustrates that rights to possess what God has promised are closely linked to the lived experience of faithfulness and justice, revealing that in the biblical narrative, possession is not merely a static condition but an active lifestyle rooted in obedience and commitment to God’s will. This comprehensive approach reveals rich layers of meaning surrounding possession as it encompasses physical, spiritual, and ethical dimensions, leading believers into a fuller experience of their relationship with God and His creation.
Spiritual Ownership and Inheritance
In the biblical context, “possess” often refers to the idea of spiritual ownership and inheritance. This encompasses the belief that believers are heirs to the promises of God, which includes eternal life and a relationship with Him. Possessing in this sense signifies a deep, spiritual connection to God’s blessings and the fulfillment of His promises, indicating that believers are not just passive recipients but active participants in God’s divine plan.
Stewardship and Responsibility
Another broader meaning of “possess” in the Bible relates to stewardship and responsibility. To possess something biblically implies that one has a duty to manage and care for what has been entrusted to them. This can apply to both material possessions and spiritual gifts. The concept emphasizes that possession is not merely about ownership but also about how one utilizes and honors what they have been given, reflecting God’s character and intentions in their stewardship.
Land and Community
Possession in the biblical narrative also extends to the idea of land and community. The act of possessing land often symbolizes stability, identity, and belonging within a community. It reflects God’s promise to His people, where land is seen as a gift that fosters a sense of security and continuity. This aspect of possession highlights the communal and relational dimensions of life, where individuals are called to live in harmony with one another and the land they inhabit.
How to Embrace Spiritual Authority for a Fulfilled Faith
Embracing spiritual authority is a transformative journey that can deepen your faith and enrich your relationship with God. It begins with recognizing that spiritual authority is not about power or control, but rather about surrendering to God’s will and guidance in your life. Start by immersing yourself in Scripture, allowing the Word to shape your understanding of authority as a divine gift meant to lead you toward love, service, and humility. Surround yourself with a community of believers who can support and challenge you, helping you to discern how God is calling you to act in your own life. Remember, embracing spiritual authority also means being open to correction and growth, trusting that God uses these moments to refine your character. As you cultivate a heart of obedience and a willingness to serve, you’ll find that your faith becomes not just a set of beliefs, but a vibrant, fulfilling journey that reflects the love and grace of Christ in every aspect of your life.
Bible References to the Meaning of “Possess”:
Deuteronomy 11:8-25: 8 “You shall therefore keep the whole commandment that I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and take possession of the land that you are going over to possess,”
9 and that you may live long in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land flowing with milk and honey.
10 For the land that you are entering to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it, like a garden of vegetables.
11 But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven,
12 a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.
13 “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,”
14 that I will give you the rain of your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil.
15 And I will provide grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full.
16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them;
17 then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.
18 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”
19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.
22 For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him,
23 then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you.
24 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours.
25 No one shall be able to stand against you.
Joshua 1:1-9: 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant,
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.”
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 13:1-7: 1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.
2 This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites
3 from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and those of the Avvim,
4 From the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and those of the Avvim,
5 and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath,
6 all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians.
7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
Judges 2:6-23: 6 And when Joshua had dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land.
7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.
8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years.
9 And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash.
10 And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.
11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals.
12 and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt.
13 They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.
14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them. And he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.
15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them for harm, as the Lord had warned, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were in terrible distress.
16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so.
18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge.
19 But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
20 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice,
21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died,
22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.”
23 So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
1 Kings 21:1-16: 1 Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 And Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.”
3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?”
6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.
9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people.
10 But set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them,
12 They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.
13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him.
14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.”
16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
Psalm 37:1-11: 1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Isaiah 14:1-2: 1 For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.
2 And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the Lord’s land as male and female slaves. They will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.
Jeremiah 32:6-15: 6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me:
7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’
8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
9 So I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.
10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales.
11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy.
12 And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard.
13 And I charged Baruch in their presence, saying,
14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time.’
15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Ezekiel 36:24-28: 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Matthew 5:5-12: 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Luke 21:19-24: 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it,
22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Acts 20:32-35: 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.
34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Romans 8:9-17: 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
1 Corinthians 6:9-20: 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!
16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”
17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Ephesians 1:11-14: 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Colossians 1:9-14: 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1 Peter 2:9-10: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Revelation 21:1-7: 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Rev. François Dupont is a dedicated church minister with a wealth of experience in serving spiritual communities. With a calm and serene demeanor, he has been devoted to sharing the message of love, compassion, and tolerance for over two decades. Through his thoughtful sermons, compassionate counseling, and unwavering support, Rev. Dupont has touched the lives of countless individuals, allowing them to find solace and strength during difficult times. His serene presence and deep understanding of the human condition make him a trusted guide for those seeking spiritual nourishment and guidance.