These past few days the
Lord has directed me to read the Book of Joshua. It is a very interesting book
yet it can be a very boring book at the same time (no offense). When I first
started reading I was getting a lot of revelation about taking what is
rightfully yours and having no fear. These revelations related to the
Israelites crossing the Jordan and the taking of Jericho. Then I started
reading the somewhat boring parts. It is where they talk about after they
defeated all the cities in the promise land how they would divide up the land
between the 12 tribes of Israel. Now it talks about this for quite a few
chapters and while I am sitting there reading them and getting bored I ask God “why
did you want me to read this entire book when I only got revelation out of
these first few chapters and then the rest of them have been putting me to
sleep?” I like to be blatantly honest with God because he is honest with me.
Then while I am reading in Joshua chapter 17: vs. 14 – 18 they say:
“Then the children of
Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given us only one lot and
one share to inherit, since we are a great people, inasmuch as the LORD has
blessed us until now?" 15 So Joshua answered them, "If you are a
great people, then go up to the forest country and clear a place for yourself
there in the land of the Perizzites and the giants, since the mountains of
Ephraim are too confined for you." 16 But the children of Joseph said,
"The mountain country is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites who
dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both those who are of
Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the Valley of Jezreel." 17
And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph — to Ephraim and Manasseh — saying,
"You are a great people and have great power; you shall not have only one
lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours. Although it is wooded, you
shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive
out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots and are strong."
The Lord was saying to
me you want something? Well here’s a little nugget for you. God is a great and
powerful God. He owns all of the land from the Far East to the Far West. He was
there when man was first created and he will be there when New Jerusalem is
inherited upon the Earth (Speaks about that in Revelation). He has a destiny
and a purpose for us. We must realize that the limitations that God puts on us
is only for a time and a season. He urges us and pushes us to grow in him and
when we do then he will extend our reach of the outpouring of His love. The
children of Joseph did not receive more land until they came to the revelation
that they are a great people. Once this happened they could no longer be
contained in the lot that they had and they needed more room to grow. We must
grow daily in the Lord. He pours out his abundance of wisdom and knowledge on
us and is just waiting for us to grasp it. Once we do he will open more
doorways for us and close the ones that we are leaving behind.
We must not do 2
things. One is to look back at what we previously had and wish we were at that
place of simplicity, and the second thing is we must not be jealous of where
our friends or family are at in their walk with the Lord. As you gain more land
which by that I am referring to gaining more revelation, knowledge and
understanding the greatness you have in Him then more challenges will come as
well. It will get difficult at times but we must remember to guard ourselves.
We must guard not only our mind or heart but also our mouth as it says in Proverbs
21:23 “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” For
it says also in Matthew 15:11 “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a
man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." So what we say
and speak is an inner reflection of who we truly are. If we look back at what
we used to have and say things like “I wish that I” or “I remember when things
were much simpler”. NO! We must always be pushing ourselves and when the time
comes for us to move on to the next phase in our lives we must move without
looking over our shoulders. I know that God put words down into my inner being
so that is why I am writing blogs…to get what has been burning up inside me out.
I know that what has started with this blog will grow into more and more
ministry opportunities but I am not ungrateful of where I am right now. What
God has shown me though is that when I grow into greater things for his kingdom
I cannot be wishing to come back to this blog because there weren’t as many
challenges. Because if I do that it will hold me from even further growth with
him. You must grow because when you do you grow more into the likeness of Him
and what he truly made you to be….Jesus’ bride. Adam and Eve separated us from
this perfection image but through growth and transformation we can be made back
into the true intent of what God had for us. We must do this without wishing
for that previous lifestyle or those past dating relationships…OUCH! Yeah I
know that one might have hurtJ.
To cover the second
thing I talked about was to not be jealous. This is something very simple yet I
even struggle with it. In Exodus 20:17 It says "You shall not covet
your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male
servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that
is your neighbor's." Now of course we don’t have servants and stuff like
that unless you have kids...just kidding... but this was a law given to the Israelites by God
through Moses. God wants us to be happy with what He gave us. I can’t be
jealous of what my parents have because they are quite a few years older than
me and have had more time to save money etc. It goes the same way spiritually
we must not be jealous of where people are at in their walk for it may cause
you to stumble in yours. Instead of having your eyes on Jesus your groom, you
have your eyes on them. I know for a fact that when Erica walked down that
aisle that my eyes were glued to her because the beauty just radiated off of
her as it still does this day. The same goes for Jesus! He longs for us to just
look upon him, to stare him in the eyes and tell him that we love him. We get too
caught up in having nice things because that darn neighbor down the street just
got a Porsche so now you need one. God has called us to be great and powerful
just like the children of Joseph were. Once this realization has been made then
He can grow your land because you will know that any enemy that comes before
you will be defeated because of the power you have in the Lord your king. There
is no need to be scared, step out in faith, be challenged, don’t let the iron
chariots of this day and age intimidate you. Let the Lord show you how he can
use you as a vessel to remind you daily of the greatness that you possess. Even
Joshua had to do this with the children of Joseph. In vs. 16 – 17 it says “16
But the children of Joseph said, "The mountain country is not enough for
us; and all the Canaanites who dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of
iron, both those who are of Beth Shean and its towns and those who are of the
Valley of Jezreel." 17 And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph — to
Ephraim and Manasseh — saying, "You are a great people and have great power;
you shall not have only one lot, 18 but the mountain country shall be yours.
Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent shall be
yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots
and are strong." The people were
scared of what stood before them in the new land, yet Joshua reminded them of
what is theirs and how great they truly are. It is awesome to know that God
does that same thing for His son’s bride.
Lord I just lift up
myself and the people that don’t know the greatness they have in you. I pray
that you continue to mold us and shape us into your image and likeness. Just
touch us with a holy fire to where we will no longer be scared of being
persecuted for You. To where as we step out our faith grows more and more with
You. We put all of our trust and abilities into Your hands and we ask of You to
do Your will in our lives. I pray that we die to our flesh daily so that Your
greatness can show through us and through the light and love that we show
glorifies Your precious name. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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