Did you know that something can legally belong to you even before you physically possess it? Think about an inheritance. It may already be yours, but you still have to take the necessary steps to receive it.

The same principle applies to our covenant with God. Through His grace, God has already provided promises for His children. But we have a part to play in taking possession of what He has given us.

Romans 4 teaches us that the promises of God come by grace through faith. We don't have to convince God to provide what He has already promised. We need to learn what belongs to us, believe His Word, and act on it.

In Genesis 15, God told Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. Abram believed God, but shortly afterward he asked, “Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?”

There is a difference between believing something and truly knowing it. We can read a promise in Scripture and believe that it is true, but God wants His Word to become so established in our hearts that we have a settled confidence in what He has said.

That kind of knowing develops as we study the Word, meditate on it, and allow the Holy Ghost to reveal its truth to us.

Later, in Genesis 17, God changed Abram's name to Abraham, meaning father of many nations. Abraham didn't yet see the physical fulfillment of that promise, but God had already declared it.

Every time Abraham spoke his name, he was agreeing with what God had said about him. His words were declaring the promise before he could see the manifestation.

We see this same principle in Joshua 6. God told Joshua, “See, I have given into thine hand Jericho.” Notice that God said He had already given Jericho to Israel, even though the walls were still standing.

Joshua had to take possession of what God had already provided. He received God's instructions, obeyed them, and gave voice to the victory God had promised. When the people shouted according to those instructions, the walls came down.

But the important lesson isn't that we always need to shout. It's that we need to listen to the Holy Ghost and obey His instructions. Sometimes the instruction may be to shout, and sometimes it may be to speak quietly. What matters is saying what God tells us to say, the way He tells us to say it.

This applies to the promises of our covenant today. First Peter 2:24 tells us, “By whose stripes ye were healed.” Notice the past tense. According to God's Word, healing has already been provided through Jesus.

Hebrews 3:1 calls Jesus the High Priest of our profession. Our profession is our agreement with what God has said. As we speak words that agree with His covenant, we are giving voice to the promises He has provided.

Covenant living isn't something we practice only when a major challenge comes. It's a daily lifestyle of knowing God's Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, and responding in faith.

Whatever you're facing today, find the promise that covers your situation. Spend time in the Word until that promise becomes settled in your heart. Then follow the Holy Ghost's instructions and speak in agreement with what God has already said.

Don't spend your time trying to get God to give you something He has already provided. Learn what belongs to you and take possession of your covenant property.