TODAY IS YESTERDAY’S TOMORROW—3. Josh. 1:1-9
The death of Moses and the subsequent call of Joshua signified a closure to the past and the take-off of a new beginning—the divine assignment for Joshua
“Now therefore arise …” is an emphatic and specific instruction to Joshua not so much as it concerns a physical posture but a conscious and active implementation of all that God apportioned for him.
Again, as we have declared earlier, today is the tomorrow spoken of in your yesterday. Now that there is a new day, if you are sick then arise and be healed. Are you poor? Now arise and prosper. Are you barren? I speak God’s word to you, arise and be fruitful in Jesus name. Are you lonely, unmarried? I declare to you, arise and be favored!
NEW ERA, NEW CHALLENGES, NEW RESPONSIBILITIES-1:2
SIGNIFICANCE OF JORDAN EXPERIENCE BEFORE CANAAN POSSESSION:
“Go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel…”
Remember River Jordan? Many remarkable feats and events took place in and through it. It stood between Israel’s promised land and the wilderness. Nm. 33: 51. They had to cross it if they would make it! You also have to cross “it” if you will make it! Elijah and Elisha had to cross it if they would make it—2 Kg. 2: 1—14.
It also served as a medium of cleansing—of spiritual and physical leprosy. There Naaman the leper was cleansed, there baptism of repentance was conducted by John the Baptist for many Israelites, Mt. 3:1-12. Quite a lot about Jordan! All of us must cross our Jordan. Whatever it is that stands between us and our promised land. Only acts of faith get us through. Sometimes it will loom so large and intimidating. We must remember it was once a challenge to the Israelites. It was once an obstacle to Elijah and Elisha. How did they get through? By faith. Looking up to God and trusting in His promises and ability to get them through.
For some of us, the steps of obedience and repentance are necessary to take us through our Jordan experience. Naaman must obey if his leprosy must be cleansed. He must repent of his haughtiness, his pride. His reputation must be deleted if he would be made every whit whole, 2 Kg 5:1-14. The children of Israel who went to John to be baptized both high and low— needed to humble themselves. They must drown their yesterday’s high looks and obstinacy in the Jordan. If they would enter a future prepared for them by the God of their fathers, they must “bring forth … fruits meet for repentance”. Mt. 3:8.
Beloved, there is no amount of anointing oil or frequency of laying on of hands that can help us arrive at our destiny in God if we still wear the old uniform of our untamed nature. The high and the lofty must take the same position as the hand-maid in the Jordan. Our pride must be beaten low. Our future is uncertain until we stoop low and allow Jordan to overflow us. In this sense our spiritual leprosy will be cleansed and we can identify with the Son of God upon whom the heaven opened, and a voice of confirmation and affirmation approved and presented Him for an assignment that will endure for ever.
Jordan, remember, is the place where all must “suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” Mt. 3:15. Confronting Jordan brings a new challenge into our lives. Overcoming this brings a radical evolution from our past to our future. It unfolds a new horizon of unshackled possibilities, the emergence of fulfilled dreams and purposes.
Beloved, there is a land which the Lord does give to us. It is a land flowing with milk and honey. Faith, obedience, righteousness and focus will get us there.
You must need to know that it’s only on the platform of your faith in Christ that you receive and live in the benefits of God’s promises. In case you have not done so, you need to ask the Lord Jesus into your heart today. Just simply but heartily invite Him to live in you and be your Savior and Lord today. You would forever be glad you did.
Shalom!
