Weds, April 22/20
In this time of uncertainty we certainly have the amazing opportunity to cling to the cross of Jesus Christ, the foundation and chief cornerstone of our salvation! I want to encourage you with these words I hear in my spirit for this hour, “This is the Joshua Generation!” You and I are the Joshua Generation of this era that will victoriously cross over the Jordan to the Promised Land which the Lord has commanded us to do! Our promised land is not that of this physical world, but just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan to take possession of the land of promise in Cannan, We press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14
Hear the Word of the Lord! 04/21/20 (40 days before Pentecost Sunday)
Women of ZION ARISE! (And Men!)
Ignore the distractions that have been sent. Your enemy wants you distracted. But I have come to focus you. Receive this focus now! You don’t have to do this on your own. Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of host! Zech 4:6 Seek first My Kingdom in this hour of trial and refining. Allow the fire to burn away the dross. Enter the “Garden of My Presence”. Soak in my hydrating waters and see the deliverance of the Lord! Behold! The deliverance of My people not afar off. Prepare for war, prepare for battle by drinking deeply of my Spirit. It is soon time to cross the Jordan!
1. Distractions
Ignore the distractions that have been sent. Your enemy wants you distracted. But I have come to focus you. Receive this focus now! You don’t have to do this on your own. In this time of the quarantine that the world is currently under God has a purpose for you, He has some things that He wants to specifically accomplish in you in this time of rest. So we seize the distractions now by the power of the Holy Ghost! Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of host! Zech 4:6
#2. Seek first My Kingdom in this hour of trial and refining. Allow the fire to burn away the dross.
Mal 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.
Psalm 51:6-13 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy (oil of joy) and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy (oil of joy) of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then! I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You!
#3. Enter the “Garden of My Presence”
In the beginning God created! What did God create? He created a garden of beauty, a beautiful place of rest and peace to nurture a relationship with man who He created. Man was created for fellowship with a loving God, and He placed in him in this environment of beauty and creativity. God’s original plan for man was for relationship!
Fast forward 26 generations later to Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt! The Israelites were never meant to be in the dessert for 40 years. It is said that the journey should really have only taken 11days, or hypothetically with such a large group, maybe 40 days, but it def shouldn’t have taken them 40 years! Yet because of Israel’s unbelief it took a whopping 40 years!
In contrast to the meaning of the word wilderness, the “wilderness” for the Israelites was supposed to be the place where they met with God, not so much a “wilderness” experience. Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh in Ex 5:1, “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness” And again the Lord said in Ex 7:16 Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness.”
The wilderness was meant to be the place where the people would get acquainted with God. The Wilderness was to be the place where the Israelites would draw near to God and learn His holiness and righteousness. Being built into a spiritual house. Ex 19:5-6 If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me… And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Ex 19:10-11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow… on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.
But we all know the children of Israel feared and only Moses entered into the presence, the rest of Israel stood afar off (Ex 20:18-21) All of this was to display the holiness of God that the people might not sin against Him.
Isaiah 41:18-19 I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the “wilderness” the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree;
Isaiah 61:3 They may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord…
Cedar/Acacia Tree: represents the righteous man.
Myrtle Tree: refers to the divine establishment of the people
Oil Tree: means to shine, richness, anointing, fat, fruitful, oil, ointment, to be brilliant
The “wilderness” was a place meant to bring refinement to a people that had the stench of Egypt on them, they had become like their surroundings. They worshiped the same Gods the Egyptians worshiped and the Lord would show them His “new” way of righteousness. To be Established in the Way of Righteousness and Anointing.
#4. Soak in My hydrating waters and see the deliverance of the Lord! Behold! The deliverance of My people not afar off.
In this time we are simply called to be still! And… See the salvation of the Lord! Be still and know that I am God Ps 46:10 Drink deeply of His living waters, cling to faith, hope and righteousness.
Ex 14:13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.
Also, let us take comfort in the words of Jesus. “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” Luke 14:1-3
This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven! Acts 1:11
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Cor 15:52
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thess 4:16-17
#5. Prepare for war, prepare for battle by drinking deeply of my Spirit.
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. Luke 12:35
This may seem contradictory to “Be still and see the Salvation of the Lord!” But it’s not! Our preparation for battle flows out of our relationship with the Lord! Whether you are currently fighting a battle or are preparing for spiritual warfare in the future, your foundation is sure. Your foundation is Jesus, He is the chief cornerstone!
Psalm 23:1-6 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
#6. It is soon time to cross the Jordan
I heard the Spirit whisper in my ears, “It is soon time to cross the Jordan.”
”Reference to the “Jordan” refers to the final step of the journey which is then complete. After wandering in the desert for 40 years, the Israelites finally approached the boundary of the promised land. The Levites were to enter the Jordan first with the Ark of the Covenant, they were to hold the Ark of the Covenant in the middle the river while the children of Israel passed through to the other side. The Ark of the Covenant symbolizes “Faith” and the “Presence of God”. Joshua told the people the Ark of the Covenant was central focus because, “You have not passed this way before.” (Josh 3:4) We too as a people have not passed this way before, we must make “Faith” and “His Presence” our central focus.
Joshua commanded the people, “Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.” Josh 1:11 I implore our you to Prepare! Make provisions for yourselves and your loved ones! Seek the Lord! We ask, increase our faith Lord! We press into the presence of God like never before! This is the hour when the sons and daughters of oil are being defined, the sons and daughters of His presence.
The name Joshua means, “Yahweh is Salvation”, “To Save!” Yahweh is mighty to save PEOPLE! Hallelujah! The Jordan River is considered the 3rd most holy site in the Christian faith after Bethlehem and Golgotha, because Jesus began His public ministry after being baptized in the Jordan River! As we look to Jesus and His words, “Greater than this shall ye do”, we pray for a mighty harvest of souls as the Joshua Generation reveals Yahweh’s Salvation in the earth! Pray for souls church! Pray for our loved ones!