The Promised Land and the Place of Battle

The first time God dried up waters to lead Israel was to lead them out of slavery and into freedom. The second time God dried up waters to lead Israel was to lead them into the battle ground of the promised land.

“When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.'" - Joshua 4:21-22

The first time God dried up waters to lead Israel was to lead them out of slavery and into freedom. The second time God dried up waters to lead Israel was to lead them into the battle ground of the promised land. What happened in-between was Israel’s years of wandering in the wilderness. So it is with all of God’s children. The first thing we experience is the redeeming freedom of salvation whereby God sets us free from our slavery to this world’s hollow pleasures and our own carnal sinful nature. We become free to follow God. Then comes the wandering. And much like Israel, many wander way too long. We question if we would rather return to slavery. We question why God has saved us if we are still going to face difficulty. Plainly stated: many Christians wander like fools in the wilderness. Many die there; never entering the promised land of mature spiritual purpose that God desired to lead them into.

But for some, the brave, the believing, and obeying, there is another parting of waters by the supernatural hand of God. This parting is not for our freedom (we are already free). This parting of the waters is to lead us into God’s realm of battle and war where we become usable by Him. Here we become his sons and daughters who make a real difference in gaining ground for our Father’s kingdom. This was the miracle that occurred at the Jordan river, and it will take a miracle to get the child of God out of his wandering and into focused Spiritual warfare.

Where are you today? Are you still in Egypt; needing deliverance from your sins and set free from being a slave to the empty pursuits this world offers you? God can deliver you. Cry out to Him now. Repent of yours sins today. God commands all men everywhere to repent. No matter what you're facing ahead of you if you so choose to follow God, our God can part the Red Sea in your life and lead you out of captivity. Only you must trust and obey.

Or, have been delivered and yet find yourself still wandering foolishly in the wilderness? Wasting your life thinking that your Christian faith is supposed to be about God feeding you with manna and meeting your every childish want and desire forever? Are you stuck in the wilderness? Could it be that you were only wanting to make a mild change in your life, and not a full complete change? Following God has never worked that way. To be truly blessed and truly transformed requires all you have to give. Half-hearted change and half-hearted commitment will never lead you to freedom. Cry out to God to wake you up out of your childish mindset and pray that He parts the waters of your Jordan river that you might enter into real Spiritual maturity and begin actually doing something with your life for the cause of Christ.

Have you already passed over into the battle of the promised land? Have you already crossed the Jordan river and found your purpose in this Holy fight for the souls of men? There is a word for you too. Be strong and courageous! Keep fighting the good fight of faith and know that there is one final crossing! This crossing will not be through the waters, but through the skies! This one final crossing will be into a land where there will never be fighting again, nor sorrow, sin, sickness, or death. What a glorious day that will be! At least for those who make it.

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