Possessing the Land - Pt 4

So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. (Joshua 3:14-16 ESV).

Getting ready to cross over, Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow" (v. 7). The Hebrew word for consecrate means "to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be separate or set apart." God was telling His people that if they were going to cross the uncrossable and follow the will of the Lord, they must be set apart to Him. They must be holy. That involved basically two things. They were asked to repent of their sin. One of the primary reasons Israel found their way blocked, and one of the reasons we find ours often blocked, is sin. Our refusal to repent keeps us from possessing this land. Jesus has paid the price for our eternal life. It is the work of sanctification that the Holy Spirit does for this life. On the eve of one of the greatest days in their history, Israel was commanded to be certain they were right with God, to examine their lives, confess and forsake sins, and devote themselves wholly to the Lord. To cross the uncrossable we must fix our gaze on Jesus, sensing His movements and follow; and, set ourselves apart from sin unto Him, being on constant alert spiritually for the hand of the Lord around us. Then we may focus on the Lord. While this consecration is vital, we must remember that the work is already accomplished in the work of Jesus. The outcome is never in doubt. The time is the only question. Our eyes and our hearts can be right on, but if we don't move our feet to meet the challenges, we will never progress in God's work. We must commit ourselves, our time, our energy, our resources, our lives to what God is doing, or it won't happen. But let me quickly add something here. I want you to notice an element in their trust that is present in all true faith. After they stepped out, they stood still (v.8). They were waiting on the power of God. In all their activity, they maintained dependence. Their standing still testified to the fact that everything came from God. They were acknowledging that it wasn't their work that changed anything, it was God and God alone. They stepped out, and they stood still. You can do that today… possess the land God has given you!