-
Crossing Jordan
Contributed by Pastor/Author: Terry Sisney on Sep 8, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: Every body has a Jordan to cross, it is something that stands between you and the inheritance God has promised you. The Children of Israel made it across and so can we.
- 1
- 2
- Next
Moses had died and Joshua is in charge, They are at a critical point, they have been here before. (This is where you either breakdown or you breakthrough)
This is where you decide if the dream is worth it.
It’s one thing to dream it’s another thing to take possession of that dream.
Every dreamer will come to this place, it is here that dreamers either go over or go under
It is called Jordan
Jordan = the descender, Jordan = death Jordan the end
An entire generation had died at this very same place ( no they didn’t really die, but they quit dreaming).
Every dreamer will come to this place ( here there are only two choices (1) cross over into the promise or (2) settle down on this side of Jordan and give up your dream
Jordan is a place that is God ordained, It is a place of impossibility, it is a place of weakness, helplessness, It is the place where all self effort dies, it is where we come face to face with our carnal selves.
You may face your Jordan during a time of sickness, or a time of great financial difficulty, or a time of family turmoil.
God is not the author of sickness, and disease, and poverty, and hardship, but as we face these things we come to an end of ourselves.
So Jordan is a dividing line, it’s the place where we are forced to decide are we going to trust in the living God? or are we going to trust in the arm of the flesh and self efforts?
Jacob wrestled all night with the angel of the Lord, during that wrestling Jacob came face to face with his carnal self, he was forced to face himself, he saw himself as he was ( a deceiver, a sup planter, a manipulator, a usurper, )
Jacob cried out to be delivered from the power of the self life ( I won’t let you go till you bless me).
Don’t leave me like this, I can’t live like this anymore, I’m sick of my carnal self,
And the angel smote him in the thigh and the sinew or muscle of his self life dried up.
( That was a Jordan for Jacob)
What does it take to get across Jordan?
#1 Sanctification:
sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you
Anything that would offend the spirit of God in our lives can keep us from crossing Jordan,
So many have started across Jordan but because of some in ordinate affection, some hidden sin, some secret self love, they have come up short and were swallowed up by waves of despair, guilt, condemnation.
Circumcise the children of Israel again:
The application for us is that we must circumcise ourselves as often as need be, we must never reach the place of believing that we have once for all conquered the self life, but ever be watchful and quick to take the sharp edge of the word of God and cut away that which is of the flesh.
Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you:
How much of Gods power do we forfeit when we allow our lives to become cluttered with things of the flesh.
It is clear that the shortage and the failure is not on Gods part, he is ready, he is willing, he is able.
But we must clear the way, open up the channel, (Sanctify ourselves)
#2 We must have a vision of something greater:
No one will let go of what they have unless they have caught a vision of something greater.
Moses had a vision of something greater, Joshua had a vision of something greater
Joseph had a vision of something greater Jesus had a vision of something greater
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
#3 Total Dependence upon God:
This where we are holding onto the ark, the ark = the presence the power, the glory of God, we know that we can’t cross in our own power.
(Not by might nor by power but by my spirit sayeth the lord of hosts)
#4 Bare feet:
Bare feet means, no personal agenda ( every dream must have at it’s core the glory of God, the promotion of the kingdom) if it is selfish in nature it is not from God and it will drown in the Jordan.
Before God commissioned Moses to bring his people out of bondage, he first ordered him to take off his shoes,
When Joshua came into the presence of the captain of the lords host, he took off his shoes,