The Position For Victory (4 Of 9) Series

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INTRODUCTION

For forty years the Israelites lived in despair and defeat in the wilderness. They were faithless, fruitless, and failed to realize God’s plan for their lives. Nevertheless, in one day’s time they were transformed from wandering in the wilderness to walking through the water and winning wars for God. He took them from being wilderness wanderers to being Canaan conquerors. Significant and mighty things happened to the nation of Israel. Likewise, some of us have been living on a desert diet and have been deprived. We have not come to that place of full victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the people of Israel changed and were able to cross the Jordan, conquer Jericho, and live victoriously in the land of Canaan, it can happen in our lives as well.

In Joshua 3, we see the river of miracles and experience the waves of God’s truths. Now is the time to exchange wilderness wanderings for walking in spiritual victory. The first wave of truth we should comprehend is the requirements for miracles.

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MIRACLES

1. There must be a positioning of Christ.

3“And they commanded the people saying, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.’”

For forty years the nation of Israel had possession of the Ark of the Covenant. In Joshua 3, the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned ten times. What is different now? The nation of Israel had gone from simply possessing the Ark to positioning the Ark. For forty years everywhere they went, the Ark of the Covenant followed the nation of Israel. Now they are going to follow the Ark. Before they had possession of it, but now they have positioned it.

If we want the miraculous power of God to be manifested in our lives, we must make Him the Master of every area of our lives. Many times we treat the Lord like a hitchhiker. We pick Him up and put Him in the passenger’s seat, but Jesus wants to be the driver. Whenever we make Him the Master of our lives and let Him drive, we will want to go wherever He goes. The Ark of the Covenant is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. It contained:

a. Manna—which represented the provision of Christ for He is the bread of life.

b. Aaron’s rod that budded—which represented the resurrection power of Christ.

c. The Decalogue—which represented the perfection of Christ because Jesus never once sinned.

d. The mercy seat—which represented the pardon of Christ.

Through Joshua, God taught the nation of Israel the significance of going with God—not going before Him but with Him. It is imperative we go where God goes and learn to follow, listen, and fulfill His plan and His will. Wherever Jesus goes, we are to follow.

God had a design, a direction, and a day for the children to move across the Jordan and into the land of Canaan. God also has a direction, a design, and a day for His people to move into the land of victory, abundance, and revival.

We need to get into Canaan and experience the miraculous power of God in our lives. We need to go wherever God goes. We need to come to the place in life where we follow Jesus and quit trying to make Jesus follow us. We must always love God more than our gold and the Savior more than our silver. We must love Jesus more than our jobs and Christ more than our cash. We must love the Lord more than our lands.

2. There must also be a purifying of Christians.

5“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves.’”

A time existed when Christians seemed more conscious of fleeing the things of the world. It now appears we want to please man and appease God. We do not want to be too fanatical, too excited, or too different. Yet Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves.”

We too need to consecrate or sanctify ourselves—our hearts, our minds, our homes, and every area of our lives in the sight of God Almighty. Too many times we treat Jesus like a spare tire, calling on Him only in times of problems and difficulties. Later, we put Him back in the trunk and think we will call when we need Him again. We should not presume upon the goodness, grace, and greatness of God. We are to live daily a life that is pleasing to Christ. Daily we are to sanctify our hearts and lives before God.