GET YOUR FEET WET? NOW FAITH!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I have a large 6 cut out… I lay it between two people back to back. One sees a 6, the other sees a 9? Same? Outlook?
LET US DISCUSS IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS?
A phrase that has figurative meaning, not literal. Raining cats and dogs; pull a rabbit out of the hat; beat around the bush; kick the bucket; going at a snail’s pace; break a leg; crocodile tears; sons of thunder; fly off the handle; turn a blind eye toward; let the cat out of the bag…
DEAD FAITH? FEAR FLOATS DEAD FAITH DOWN STREAM LIKE A DEAD FISH. LIVING FAITH IS MOTIVATED BY ACTION. LIVING FAITH GROWS AND DEVELOPS.
Those Living by faith will get their feet wet… NOW FAITH: THERE IS MORE THAN YESTERDAY’S FAITH, MORE THAN TODAY’S FAITH… WE NEED NOW FAITH…
Now is the present time, currently, no delay, no hesitation, at once, no waiting…
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Now faith involves hope, a hope that we cannot see. THE TIME IS RIPE RIGHT NOW… Yesterday’s faith may be forever gone. Tomorrow’s faith may never be… WITHOUT A DOUBT… WE HAVE THE EVIDENCE … WE MUST HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT BRINGS HOPE AGAINST HOPE. God is faithful to his promises.
WHAT IS STANDING IN THE WAY OF ME GOING DEEPER AND CLAIMING GOD’S PROMISE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY?
Joshua knows IT’S TIME TO STEP INTO GOD’S PROMISES … THERE HAS BEEN 40 YEARS OF SEEMINGLY AIMLESS WANDERING… One year for every day of the spies complaining… 40 days of disobedience and complaining opened up 40 years of wandering… 40 years opens the door to a new generation…
Numbers 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
HOW LONG WILL WE BE TRAPPED SHORT OF GOD’S PROMISES?
NOW FAITH --- NOW IS THE TIME… QUIT WAITING FOR A BETTER SEASON… THE JORDAN RIVER IS SWOLLEN AND OVERFLOWING… The Jordan feeds from the snow melting from Mount Hermon. On the other side of the flooded, swollen Jordan River lies the most fortified city… Jericho knew God’s people was coming so they prepared for years. They built one wall. Then they built another wall. If God’s people could get over one wall… They would be trapped between the walls and easy prey. THE CALL TO FAITH HAPPENS AT THE WORSE TIME OF THE YEAR IN THE WORSE AREA NEAR JERICHO.
NISAN IS THE MONTH OF THE BEGINNING OF RAIN… GOD HAND PICKED THIS SEASON, BECAUSE CROSSING THE JORDAN'S SWOLLEN TIDE WILL BE HARDER THAN ANY OTHER TIME OF THE YEAR. EVERY YEAR AROUND HARVEST TIME THE JORDAN RIVER WAS FLOODED… SWOLLEN…
In the tenth month of Nisan THE FLOOD WATERS ARE HIGHER THAN ANY TIME OF THE YEAR. This made crossing the Jordan impossible except by the mighty hand of God.
WE MUST FACE THE GREAT BARRIERS… HUMAN OBSTACLES…THAT WOULD HINDER THE DIVINE TIMING AND THE OPEN DOOR TO THE MIRACLE DEMANDS A STEP BY FAITH… THE GREATEST TEST IS GOING TO BE STEP INTO THE WATER... EVEN WHEN IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE… THE GREAT TEST OF NOW FAITH IS NOW… THE STEP INTO THE WATER… GOD’S PROMISES IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FLOODED RIVER.
NOW FAITH DOESN’T WAIT FOR PERFECT CONDITIONS… WHEN YOU SEE THE ARK OF THE COVENANT MOVE BE READY. Could God build a BRIDGE OVER NIGHT?
Joshua 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
There were 7 priest with 7 trumpets to praise before the ark.
LET US STUDY WET FEET FAITH… STAND STILL WITH YOUR FEET IN THE FLOOD WATERS…
WET FEET FAITH MEANS GETTING STARTED. Wet feet is CLAIMING NEW TERRITORY. Wet feet is getting your hands dirty and getting involved. If we want something different we try something new. Wet feet is different from diving into the deep. Wet feet can meaning to start out slow but sure.
Joshua 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. 8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. IT REQUIRED NOW FAITH TO MOVE INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE FLOOD WATERS…AS SOON AS THE SOLES OF THE FEET HIT THE WATER…
Joshua 3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
NOW FAITH HAS TO GET WET FEET… NEW ENCOUNTER, WE ARE GOING TO TRUST THE PLAN… WE MUST TAKE THE INITIAL STEP AND GET OUR FEET WET… ARE WE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK OF NOW FAITH.
Joshua 3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) 16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
NOW FAITH HAS TO STAND FIRM… UNTIL…
JOSHUA 3: 17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
HONEY, YOU CAN’T KEEP YOUR FEET WET… YOU CAN’T STAY IN THE RIVER… COME UP…
Joshua 4:15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan. 17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.
18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before. 19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
NOW FAITH PUTS 12 STONES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER…
Joshua 4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day. 10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
NOW FAITH OF THE WET FEET WANTS US TO REMEMBER WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE…
Joshua 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
CONCLUSION: FOLLOW THE ARK OF THE COVENANT OF GOD. WHAT IS STANDING IN THE WAY? WHAT KEEPS ME FROM RECEIVING MY PROMISE? WILL WE BE WILLING TO GET OUR FEET WET? HAVE WE PUT 12 STONES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JORDAN… ONCE ACROSS TAKE UP 12 STONES. Let us point the NOW FAITH is about where JESUS WILL BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN IN THE JORDAN RIVER IN THIS SPOT WHERE JOSHUA LEAD THE PEOPLE INTO THE PROMISE LAND. It will take NOW FAITH to overcome the obstacles and hindrances that are before us. God’s promises are on the other side of the Jordan. Don’t worry about Jericho. God’s attack plan says COME ON JERICHO IS NOTHING TO GOD.
NOW FAITH: Naaman had to get his feet wet to be healed. We must OVERCOME EVERY BARRIER THAT WILL HINDER THE WORK OF GOD.
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
WHY SAY WE HAVE A FOOT ON A BANANA PEELING? ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE… BE WILLING TO STEP IN THE FLOOD WATERS AND RELEASE GOD’S PROMISES.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
