WHEN THE JORDAN STANDS BEFORE YOU
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: Joshua 3:14-17
Key Verse:
“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; 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... that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap.” (Joshua 3:14-16 KJV)
Supporting Texts: Isaiah 43:1-3; Exodus 14:13-16; Psalm 114:3-7; Hebrews 11:29
INTRODUCTION:
Life’s journey is filled with various rivers and obstacles that seem impossible to cross. These represent the “Jordans” that stand between us and our promised destinies. For Israel, the Jordan River stood as a final barrier before they could enter the land of promise. Likewise, every believer will face seasons when progress seems impossible, and hope seems distant.
The Jordan symbolises anything that blocks your advancement: a stubborn problem, a financial limitation, a health crisis, or a spiritual challenge. But the God who led Israel through the Red Sea and the Jordan River remains the same today. He is still in the business of parting waters and clearing impossible paths.
When the Jordan stands before you, fear not. The God of breakthrough is still at work. He uses obstacles as opportunities, commands His presence to go before His people, and performs wonders that silence every opposition. When you trust Him completely, your Jordan will surely part before you.
1. GOD USES OBSTACLES TO DISPLAY HIS POWER
God often allows His children to face impossible situations so that His power can be revealed. What appears as a dead end is actually a divine stage for God’s glory to manifest.
a) Obstacles are platforms for divine glory (John 11:4)
When Lazarus was sick, Jesus declared that the sickness was not unto death but for the glory of God. Many times, our problems are not punishments but divine setups for God’s power to be seen.
b) God turns impossibilities into testimonies (Exodus 14:21-22)
When Israel faced the Red Sea, God did not remove the sea, He divided it. In the same way, God does not always eliminate problems; He makes a supernatural way through them.
c) Obstacles build faith and endurance (Romans 5:3–5)
Trials are spiritual training grounds that refine believers and strengthen their trust in God. Without obstacles, faith remains weak and untested.
d) What is impossible with man is possible with God (Jeremiah 32:27)
No river is too deep, no mountain too high, and no situation too hard for God to handle. His power knows no limits.
Biblical Example:
When the Israelites stood before the Red Sea, God turned their obstacle into a testimony of deliverance (Exodus 14:21-31). What was meant to drown them became the grave of their enemies.
2. DIVINE PRESENCE MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
The difference between defeat and victory lies in the presence of God. The Ark of the Covenant symbolised God’s presence with Israel, and when it went before them, the Jordan could not resist.
a) The presence of God precedes breakthrough (Joshua 3:11-13)
The priests bearing the Ark stepped into the water before the people. Wherever God leads, the impossible must bow. His presence clears every obstacle ahead.
b) Without God’s presence, there can be no success (Exodus 33:14-15)
Moses understood that divine presence is the true mark of distinction. No man can cross his Jordan without God’s abiding presence.
c) Nature bows before the presence of the Lord (Psalm 114:3-7)
The sea saw God and fled; the Jordan was driven back. Mountains skipped like rams before the presence of the Almighty. When God shows up, creation responds.
d) God’s presence gives courage in the face of fear (Psalm 16:8)
When we keep the Lord always before us, fear loses its grip, and faith rises to the challenge.
Biblical Example:
David faced Goliath not with physical might but with divine presence (1 Samuel 17:45-47). The awareness of God’s presence gave him confidence and victory over a seemingly impossible battle.
3. OBEDIENCE ACTIVATES DIVINE INTERVENTION
The pathway to divine miracles often lies in complete obedience. The moment the priests obeyed and stepped into the Jordan, the miracle was triggered.
a) Obedience unlocks the miraculous (Joshua 3:15-16)
The water did not part until the priests’ feet touched it. Faith without obedience is powerless; it is obedience that activates divine action.
b) Simple obedience leads to supernatural results (John 2:5)
When Jesus instructed the servants at Cana to fill the pots with water, their obedience brought about an extraordinary miracle. Small acts of obedience can yield great manifestations.
c) Partial obedience delays divine manifestation (1 Samuel 15:22)
Saul lost his throne because he obeyed halfway. God desires complete obedience, not convenient obedience.
d) Faith-filled obedience produces visible transformation (Luke 5:5-6)
Peter obeyed the instruction of Jesus even when it seemed unreasonable, and his obedience produced a net-breaking harvest.
Biblical Example:
Naaman’s healing came only after he obeyed Elisha’s instruction to dip seven times in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:14). His obedience brought an end to years of affliction.
4. FAITH IS THE BRIDGE OVER YOUR JORDAN
Faith is what connects man’s impossibility to God’s ability. Without faith, the waters will not part. Faith allows you to walk where fear says you cannot.
a) Faith sees beyond the flood and focuses on God’s promise (Hebrews 11:29)
The Israelites crossed the Red Sea by faith. They looked not at the waves but at the word of God that guaranteed their crossing.
b) Faith moves the hand of God into action (Mark 11:22-24)
Faith is not passive belief; it is active trust that compels divine response. When faith speaks, heaven answers.
c) Faith eliminates fear and strengthens courage (Isaiah 41:10)
Faith reminds you that you are not alone. God is with you; therefore, you can move forward in boldness.
d) Faith makes the impossible possible (Luke 1:37)
Every divine promise requires faith to manifest. When faith is present, impossibilities dissolve.
Biblical Example:
The woman with the issue of blood believed that touching Jesus’ garment would heal her (Mark 5:25-34). Her faith became the bridge between her condition and her miracle.
5. GOD ALWAYS HAS A WAY WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY
When every door seems closed and every path blocked, God creates a way no man can see. He is never out of options.
a) God makes paths in impossible terrains (Isaiah 43:16)
The same God who made a way through the sea can make a way for you in your present situation.
b) Your dead end is God’s new beginning (Micah 7:8)
When darkness surrounds you, it is only a sign that a new dawn is near.
c) God turns barriers into blessings (Romans 8:28)
Every problem that confronts you can become a stepping stone to greater glory.
d) What once blocked you will become your testimony (Joshua 4:20-24)
The stones from the Jordan became memorials of God’s faithfulness for generations to come.
Biblical Example:
Paul and Silas were imprisoned, but God made a way for them through divine intervention (Acts 16:25-26). Their midnight prayer became the key to their sudden deliverance.
CONCLUSION:
Every believer will face a “Jordan” at one point or another. But the good news is that God never leaves His people stranded. The same God who parted the Jordan for Israel is still the same today. He is your Way Maker, Miracle Worker, and Promise Keeper.
No matter what stands before you today, trust His presence, obey His word, and exercise unwavering faith. The God who makes a way where there seems to be none will part your Jordan, and you will cross into your promise with songs of victory.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, thank You because You are the God who makes a way where there seems to be no way.
2. Lord, strengthen my faith to trust You in every difficult situation.
3. Every obstacle before my destiny, part by fire in Jesus’ name.
4. Lord, let Your presence go before me in every step I take.
5. Teach me to obey You promptly and completely.
6. Father, turn every barrier into a testimony of Your power.
7. Every Jordan of delay and opposition, dry up in Jesus’ name.
8. Lord, increase my faith to walk through impossible situations.
9. Let every mountain before me melt at Your presence.
10. O Lord, make a way for me where there seems to be no way.
