Ever so often when I do my devotions, I have these monumental revelations and rush to share with a friend LOL. Below is a recent text message to my line sister, Taylor.
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In Genesis 12, God shows Abraham the land of Canaan, and it’s occupied. Hundreds of years later in Joshua 11, God takes the children of Israel (Abraham's descendants) to Canaan and it’s STILL occupied.So what accounted for the book of Joshua being the time to walk into the Promised Land vs. the time of Abraham in Genesis?
What I’ve determined is, it’s the process that makes all the difference- The faith building process.
Countless miracles occurred from Genesis to Joshua. The Israelites' testimony had to be fully developed amongst themselves and their enemies before they had enough undeniable faith to cling to to fight the battles that unlocked the door to the Promised Land.
God’s not interested in just giving us things without work. The Land was always occupied. They were going to have to vanquish their enemies and clear the path for themselves to settle in the Land, but none of that would’ve occurred if they hadn’t had miracle after miracle, grace after grace, that pushed them to closer relationship with God.
In Joshua 1, Joshua had to rise up after Moses’ death before progress could be made. Like, snap out of discouragement. Then came crossing the Jordan where, for the SECOND TIME, God lets them walk on dry land, then Jericho’s unorthodox battle. They got prideful and messed up at Ai, but God lovingly chastised them, and they got it together to be victorious. At that point, all the enemies joined together to beat them, but Joshua’s faith was so strong because of past victories that he asked God to do the impossible feat of stopping time so that he could do what God called. That right there unlocked the Promised Land; his faith to do the impossible with God on his side.
Joshua determined to trust God to do the impossible because he had seen God do it time after time. Unquestionable faith unlocks next level movement.
Faith unlocks what's been promised.
Faith unlocks what's been promised.
You gotta have an arsenal of faith to have unquestionable faith. That means, you gotta endure and push through gradual tests for you to have anything to look back to cling to when you’re standing in front of Goliath.The lion and the bear were just as important as Goliath, if not more important.
Everything from Genesis to Joshua was needed to get into the Promised Land. Their wait time was contingent upon their bank of faith that had been stored up from all the tests and trials they experienced beforehand
They repeated a lot of tests. Because you can grow up knowing better and still not catch the revelation on test # 1. Like, you’d think hearing the Red Sea was parted for your grandma would be enough, but no. They needed to see God do it in the Jordan River for them to have a claim to that faith
You can’t be filled up on the faith of someone else’s experience, because faith building is such a personal journey.
Faith requires intimacy with God.
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More and more I'm realizing that I sell myself short when I just focus on the end goal. As Christians who walk with God, there are promises guaranteed to us because we are His children. At the same time, God is a relational God. He doesn't want us so caught up on the blessings. Walking with God towards the blessings should be our focus.
Daily I pray, "God, Help me not to covet the promise, but cling to You. I'm expectant for what You're going to do because I have faith that You can AND will do it, but I refuse to idolize the product."
Whatever God has promised you, can I assure you, the answer is never to idolize the promise, but to adore the Promiser. Don't lose sight. The process makes all the difference. The wilderness paved the way to the Promised Land.
Clinging to the Promise Keeper,
God, I love You. I really do. What/where would I be without You? Sometimes, I get so caught up in getting to the next season in life that I miss out on the growth process. The Promised Land will be great, but there's something so sweet about the wilderness where there's so much uncertainty that I have no choice but to cling to You for every single direction. God, keep me near You. Disallow me from ever thinking I can move ahead without You. I need You. Mold me and shape me into who You need me to be to fulfill Your purpose in my life. Do the same for each and every person reading this blog post. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
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