Though we are just halfway through the second month of the year, it seems like everything has moved into high gear. By high gear I mean that situations, circumstances, issues, relationships, etc. are being shifted and shaken to bring about the purposes of God in our lives. Things are moving quickly.
I was also reminded of the scenario where Joshua and the children of Israel were told that they were about to take possession of the land that the Lord had given to them. Joshua's instructions to his people were simply, "Get your supplies ready". In other words, we are about to move and you need to decide what you can take with you and what you should leave behind.
We are in a similar season now. God has been preparing many and positioned us to move forward to take possession of the land He has given to us. But, there are things that we can and should take into that land, and things that need to be left behind. We need to take with us a foundational belief that God is good, and a revelation knowledge of His love along with an identity that believes that we are beloved sons and daughters. We need to leave behind past failures, wounds, offense, unforgiveness, and broken relationships.
As we prepare to take the land, our stance is important. The children of Israel and those of Joshua's generation were use to being part of a military culture. War was common and so was wartime terminology. They understood it was a military move to take possession of the land.
The odds were stacked against the children of Israel. Every 'ite' imaginable was living in the land marked off for Israelites and they weren't planning on leaving.
And just like any time the great clan moved forward, they did so with the Ark of the Covenant ahead of them. The Ark of the Covenant was the very Presence of God in their midst. The people were given firm instructions to follow the Ark of the Covenant, "since you have never been this way before" (Josh 3:4).
Though we live in a totally different day and age, our need to follow the Presence is just as important. In fact, you won't get to the land He has for you without following the Presence.
If you continue reading in Joshua 3, you will find that the Lord reveals His battle strategy to the Israelites. They were to obey the Lord's commands and then He would drive out their enemies before them. God would do it, but their part was to obey.
This is much like where I feel we are today. The stakes are high and entering into our full inheritance depends on following the Presence and obeying Him as He leads us and tells us what to do.
I have never enjoyed moving or anything about the process. It is often messy, tiring, stressful, and can be very frustrating. It stretches us to our limits and causes us to have to deal with stuff we don't want to have to deal with.
For many, the heat has been turned up and the pressure is on to get rid of unwanted things in our lives. A dissatisfaction with the status quo is causing many to allow the light of the Spirit to put His finger on the things that will be excess baggage for the journey or hinder them from taking their land.
The last time my husband and I moved, I said I never wanted to move again. But, once we were settled and I began to enjoy the benefits of our new home, I was so glad we had moved. The new place made all the effort of moving totally worth it.
The story of the children of Israel moving into their promise land is a picture of God's heart for every believer. The Israelites had to leave their bondage behind in Egypt and put their trust in God to lead them into a land they had not yet seen. Stepping into our inheritance and destiny will take effort and our willingness to leave our bondage behind, all the time putting our trust in Him to lead us. The fulfillment of possessing our own promise land will far exceed the cost.
So, it's time to get our supplies ready. It's moving day!
