Your foot
Psalm 121:3”He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.”
This promise of God is much more than just holding you from slipping and falling, I was just exploring this and preached in live-stream this Sunday in our Shiloh Revival Church, let me share my thoughts with you today.
Before I go ahead with the subject, let me share an incident, an educated young man from a village staying close to my house several years ago actually wanted to prove to his relatives his expertise in English knowledge, therefore was trying to write an examination, but each time he left for the examination center, he met with an accident, not once but several times. God prevented him because he was acting pompously and moreover his motive behind the examination was not good.
Amy Carmichael - (16 December 1867 – 18 January 1951) was a Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years. Amy For the last twenty years of her life was bedridden with debilitating pain, the consequence of an accidental fall into an uncovered pit in 1931 that left her bedridden until her death at the age of 83. During the long years of suffering following her injury, she continued to serve as a spiritual mother for the community , she founded the Dohnavur Fellowship, a haven for the most vulnerable members of society, in particular for children rescued from temple prostitution. Amy wrote over 35 books from the field, many being written after the accident, the one I liked was “Candles in dark”. Friend, the fall was bad, but still she was fruitful! Read:
Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.”
A) God would firmly establish your feet:
Joshua 3:1”….they lodged there before they crossed. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp.”
The children of God and their elders and leader Joshua were all waiting on the banks of the river for the Word of the Lord. Jordan river stood like a big giant before them! Imagine! Insurmountable! The word satan whispered to them was ‘impossible’! This was the intimidating and threatening sight that the thousands of people saw that pitched their tents alongside the river. They were looking at the water in front of them for 3 days, praying and waiting! May be there is someone out there waiting for God to give them the strategy to cross the Jordan river in front of them. I write this sermon during the Lockdown period due to COVID 19 crisis, with my own ‘Jordan’ staring daggers at me. Never make an attempt to insert your own plans or ideas; however tough the situation may seem to be, just wait for Him. After 3 days God spoke to Joshua and gave him clear strategy:
• When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, follow them ( in other words, follow God)
• But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark
• Don't go near it, so that you can see the way to go
• "Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow.".
• Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people."
• The most important command comes to the priests: When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
The priests were commanded to stand still IN the Jordan! Joshua explains to the people: verse 13 – “when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap." Hallelujah! Miracle would happen when the soles of the priests touch Jordan! Today also, God expects His leaders to stand in the gap for the people and pray. God’s plans are always not easy but they are to be obeyed.
Joshua 3: 8'…..When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"
What ? In the water? When I read chapters 3 and 4.of Joshua, I find none of the leaders refute the orders of God or ask Him for explanations though the strategy sounded daunting and daring. That is obedience to the core. The priests did not say a word but obeyed their leader Joshua just like the way they obeyed Moses. This part kind of amazed me and the oneness that we see in accomplishing this task of crossing the Jordan was from God. To stand on waters that were turbulent does need not only grit and determination but also obedience to the Word of God and loads of trust in Him. This HERE should touch someone out there! Hello! Whatever you may be facing, believe that God can get you through, say Amen.
Listen, listen, listen….friend, miracle follows obedience, are you there? When we were not able to pay the rent for the building that we were running the ministry and the owner said, ‘if you are not able to pay the rent, then leave’, this was like whip on our back, very humiliating; however, you cannot close shop, you got to move on. If you cant take the pressure then don’t expect God for an overflow, God gauges your capacity before HE can open the reservoir of blessings. The Bible says, ‘when the feet of the priests touched the water, the water of Jordan stood like a heap’ and it saluted the priests.
Joshua 3:17 “The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” Friend, it is no easy feat to stand in the middle of Jordan; however, God strengthened the feet of the priests to accomplish and fulfill their priestly job. Most important, the priests stood until ALL the people of God crossed Jordan, the strength to stand was given by God. A word for those who feel that they are not cut for a particular job or assignment, let me tell you, God will stand with you throughout the journey and help you finish. Hallelujah! Be a finisher!
Friend, we should never forget the place where God made you stand, so God made them take 12 stones from the place where the priests' feet stood firm, and a Memorial was built (Joshua 4:3)
B) Feet of the deer:
Habakkuk 3:19 said, “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
The hinds feet is given us an example in the Bible, because they bound swiftly across a dense forest , often jumping 8 feet into the air. The strong muscles of a deer's hind legs provide most of the power for running and jumping. If today you feel your life is dragging you back with difficulties, then this message would certainly encourage you! An arrow can be shot only by pulling it backwards!
I know some of you have been having a choking time of running for jobs, running to doctors, advocates and financiers, God would strengthen your feet and take you to high places! God would take you from the valleys to the mountains where the view is lovely and the air is fresh and sweet! God would take you to the ‘high places’ of joy, peace and happiness! I’m blessing someone right now! Rejoice!
Testimony: I had zero knowledge in the academy field and also in children ministry because until then, around ten years I was working as an evangelist travelling many places; suddenly God changed my direction and took me to start an educational institution, I was jittery and shaky but God made my legs like that of the deer and helped us to start a English medium school for the poor called Abide School, which received Government recognition in 2015. God will not only help you stand but also withstand pressure!
C) God keeps you from the wicked path
Friend, you don’t get to write an epic Psalm like 121, without actually going through a perilous journey. Read 2 Samuel 15:30 “But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.” This pain cannot be explained in words where David the father was fleeing from his own son Absalom, the most excruciating period in the life of David, he had to go barefoot; nevertheless, during those painful journey, the Lord strengthened the legs of David and also when Saul chased him ceaselessly, the Lord was a tower, fortress and refuge for David, that’s why David wrote: Psalm 18: 36”You enlarge my steps under me, And my feet have not slipped.” Amen.
D) FAITH TO WALK ON WATER:
Mathew 14: 28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Friend, Peter had guts and faith to jump out from the boat (unlike the other disciples, which is commendable by itself) and walk on water; however, his legs became jittery when he started looking around. Is anybody listening to me? It happens for all of us, we can talk and preach a lot but putting faith in action requires whole hearted surrender to God and also your faith has to be maintained. What does that mean? You have to be regular student of reading the Bible, setting aside personal time with God in prayer and also fasting. This helps you maintain your faith. When the doctors told me to abort my 5 months old baby, I walked contrary to the medical report, I refused to abort, I decided to keep my baby and my journey started there with God in the emergency room. During this period, the doctor said that I should not climb staircase, if I do climb then my life would be in danger. I just had nowhere to go, I had to climb two floors, we had no lift during those days, I would climb slowly whispering a prayer as I take each step. I can sing today, “He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.” I did not waver in my faith but stood firm in my decision and delivered a baby boy Joshua in the year 2000, March 1, he is now a pastor pursuing his higher studies in Masters of Divinity. I had to walk on water, just trusting God for a miracle, God was faithful.
Psalm 121:8"...the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
