The third area of conquest is that of the people of the Lord battling their way into Canaan, into their inheritance, into the land of milk and honey. The land of promise, the fulfillment in the Kingdom of God of the Hebrew land of milk and honey, is the realization of God's promises of life, love, joy, power, glory, peace, and victory in Christ.

The Christian's land of promise includes the following:

His perfect rest in the plan of God for his life.

The Lord's approval and blessing on him when the present life is over.

Untroubled abiding in the Person of Christ.

The total destruction of the guilt, tendencies, and effects of sin in and around him.

Perfect conformity to the image of Christ.

The indwelling of the Godhead in him.

The fullness of fruitfulness and rulership over all the works of God's hands.

All of these positions, transformations, and rewards are in Christ, of Christ, and through Christ. Christ Himself is our "Mark," our Rest, our Inheritance. Our goal is to come to know Him. When we possess Christ we possess all aspects of the Divine inheritance.

One of the most important areas of the promised land of the Christian is the earth itself.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. (Psalms 115:16)

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)

It is the will of God, as the Scriptures point out in several places (Daniel 7:18; Isaiah 60:12; Revelation 20:6; for example) that Christ and the saints rule in the earth. The earth itself and the nations of it are a substantial part of the fulfillment in the Kingdom of God of the Old Testament land of promise.

There are two main dimensions of the Christian's land of promise. The first part is our complete reconciliation to God through Christ such that we actually live in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. The second part has to do with the rewards to the overcomer—the glorified body, our participation in the first resurrection, the crown of life, rulership with Christ over the nations, being created a pillar in God's eternal Temple, and our eternal position on the throne of Christ.

Our reward is great in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not a place, it is a realm of authority. In the Kingdom of God we have Divine acceptance, fellowship with the Son of God, spiritual authority, access to the Father, power to overcome evil and harm, resurrection life, love, peace, and glory.

All of these blessings are in the power of the Father alone to give. They are our rewards, our treasures in Heaven. These gifts are part of our land of promise. Our Kingdom rewards are in Heaven in the present hour because this is where the Lord Jesus is.

Included in our inheritance is absolute dominion over the earth—the rule of the rod of iron.

Our citizenship is in Heaven but our place of conquest is in the earth.

The Lord God gave dominion over the earth and over all the works of His hands to mankind. In order for Christ to receive dominion over the earth He had to become part of mankind, even though in the beginning He had created both the earth and mankind.

To be continued.