Doesn’t it appear that we are all having to embrace a continual change? According to statistics, most people don’t like change at all. We might think we do, but when it gets right to the point of embracing anything new it becomes uncomfortable. The point is this- we like to know where we are going. We may need to experience something different, but we want to know what that “different” looks like, right?
Unfortunately, our soulish issues (fear, insecurity, worry, anxiety, fear of failure, etc.) arise when we are led to untraveled and unfamiliar paths. When we are uncertain or unclear during times of transition and therefore, we are unstable. Many falter during transition due to the temptations of the soul (the flesh).
However, dear ones, as God’s Kingdom advances, more transitioning and changing is required. Trusting the Lord is mandatory for an advancing army if victory and breakthrough are to be experienced. He alone knows the strategy needed for each of us at this time. Keep reading, I’m going somewhere with this, and I know what God has shown me will empower you as you shift into greater fulfillment.
The I AM Says that YOU ARE!
Many times, in our mind we can envision ourselves finally arriving and experiencing our breakthroughs. Whether it is our healing, a financial shift, our kids coming home, our children delivered from addictions, being happy and fulfilled, etc., our breakthrough keys involve trusting the Lord in all things, especially His directives so that we get from “here” to” there.” We are in a shift, but to get there we must change and transition. We all want to get to “there,” right?
Where is this place, you may ask? I’m referring to your land, your land of promise. The Israelites had their Promised Land. Today, we study it as Canaan, the land of the giants that would have to be overthrown, and a land of rest that God had promised His children. Today it doesn’t necessarily represent a literal land (although for some of us it could) but mostly it is a promise. Our land of promise is the soil of our lives in which God was planted His Word, His seed, and that soil produces the promise that had been sowed into it by Him. It could be in the form of a Scripture that God spoke to your heart, a prophetic word given to you, a dream in which God spoke into, or through a minister. Regardless of how God heard it or received it, it was a promise from God that came in seed form into the land of your heart to produce your “there!”
In this season, much is being revealed concerning our spiritual identity. We must his remember who we really are- we are who He says we are. Let that sink in. Yes, the great I AM says” You Are!” You are who God says you are and only the I AM can get you there. What I mean by this is that He says that we are His “sons.” Romans 8:14 reminds us of this truth: “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (AMP, with my emphasis).
The word “sons” is a non-gender term in the Bible referring to both male and female. This is because it was a son who would receive a family inheritance and not a daughter. In Christ, we each have been given a royal inheritance, all being sons of a loving Father. As children of our natural parents, it may have been difficult to trust them, but our heavenly Father is trustworthy and faithful. Our natural parents may have let us down- bhut God never does!
Because of His faithfulness, we can stand firmly on His promises.
His promises include divine protection, direction, provision and to continually be with us. He truly is the Promise Keeper- the one we can fully trust-especially during times of change and transition.
Transition and Crossing Over…AGAIN!
A few weeks ago, I spoke to our church concerning Joshua Chapter 1, when the Lord was instructing Joshua to arise and cross over the Jordan. River. It was another transition time for him as well as for the entire nation of Israel. But, for Joshua to follow God, he had to first rise before he could take any steps in the right direction of destiny. When we experience difficult seasons, we get down, depressed, and often a spirit of hopelessness overtakes us. But again, if we want to move forward, we have to arise, trust and follow God! Every transition time requires an arising time.
Joshua Chapter 1 tells us It was a challenging time, for Joshua and for all of Israel. Why? Because Moses was dead. He went up a mountain one day and never returned. Joshua and the people of Israel were so devastated they mourned and lamented of this loss for thirty days. Can you imagine their thoughts? Questions like these must have gone through their minds:
· Who is going to lead us now?
· No one is as powerful as Moses!
· Who can be compared to Moses, the one God chose to lead us all these years?
· Who will intercede for us now? Who will feed us or give us water?
· Moses was the only one who could hear from God for us. Who can we possibly trust now?
Moses, their previously anointed leader was dead and now they had a new leader and a new direction. Change. Transition. They were afraid!
Yet, it was Joshua who was anointed by God to lead us people forward. He was chosen by God to fill the shoes of Moses. He had previously been Moses’ servant and assistant was now the point man. His transition required that he rise and embrace an identity transition to step into a territorial transition. It is the same for us today.
Arise and Become!
I have been prophetically speaking into the revelation of our spiritual DNA and identity for a long time now. Without repeating what has been proclaimed about our spiritual identity let me be blunt for the sake of this article- we must arise and become! This is our only way to cross over with confidence in this season!
The Lord understood Joshua’s challenge! Because Joshua was probably intimidated, unready and uncertain, the Lord told Joshua three different times to be strong and courageous. He needed to regain the strength and courage that he had once had! If you recall, around forty years prior when sent as a spy into the promised land, it was he and Caleb who returned with a good report saying that they were well able to take the land. Even though Joshua saw giants in the Promised Land, he fully trusted in God to give them the victory!
However, during the next forty years in the wilderness he endured the death of an entire generation. He now faced the challenge of raising up an entirely new generation of warriors who didn’t even know how to fight! He needed courage because to look at their situation in the natural it would appear somewhat hopeless. Joshua had performed zero miracles and there was no outward demonstration of God’s glory and power upon Joshua’s life. How would Joshua convince the people to listen and follow his lead?
We can only imagine what Joshua may have been thinking and telling God:
Lord, these people are going to compare me with Moses! I am not a Moses!
Moses was an awesome leader, God. Don’t you recall all he did?
Moses had an awesome rod! ALL I HAVE IS THIS SWORD.
Moses turned the Nile into blood.
You used Him to proclaim plagues in Egypt.
He led Your people forth in the exodus.
He parted the Red Sea, and they crossed over on dry land.
He brought forth water from a rock…from a ROCK!
And more…
God! I don’t think I can do all that!
Joshua knew He couldn’t fill Moses’ shoes. Everything was changing and they were in huge transition. It was the beginning of a new season. The old was gone, the new was there.
He Promises His Presence
How did Joshua gain his confidence? How did He rise with the courage that was needed to lead an entire nation into new territory? It was because God promised to be with him!
If you carefully study Joshua 1, you’ll notice that in verse 5, God assured him “…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” He went on to say…” I will never leave you or forsake you. In verses 6-9 God charged Joshua with these directives:
1. He told Joshua to “be strong and courageous.”
2. Be obedient.
3. Follow His directives.
4. Do not be afraid or dismayed.
In verse 9b God said these words that sealed the deal for Joshua: “. for the Lord thy God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua would lead God’s people because He became strong and courageous. He became obedient,he became a leader who was trusted and followed. Joshua became who God said He would be as His leader; strong, courageous, obedient, and one who followed His directives. But even more importantly- He trusted God in the transition because as God was faithful to be with Moses, He was now promising to be with Him.
It is the same with us today. We are in transition in so many ways, but the main transition we are experiencing is becoming who God says we are! If we are believing to be healthy, we are trusting God for our healing- but it’s more than that! It is about becoming the healed one! Transitioning from a place of sickness to a land of health may require a miracle. Yes! And aren’t we thankful for that? Absolutely. But ultimately it is a transition, a change, a transformation process of fully becoming ALL that God intends for us to become!
You’ve Not Been This Way Before!
In Joshua 3, we read that it was time for them to cross the Jordan. As God directed, the priests carrying the Ark of God were to go first over the Jordan. The Ark was symbolic of God’s presence- so the Lord was demonstrating to His people that His presence was going before them, as He had promised to be with them. Joshua told the people.
“… When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before” (Joshua 3:3-4a).
The people were to fix their eyes on the ark, God redirects the focus of their journey from their uncertainties to His constancy. He was saying this: “I know you haven’t done this before, “but if you keep your eyes on Me, I’ll show you the way.”
His Presence is More Important Than His Presents
It was God’s way of saying once again, “As I was….so I will be. The God who is, was, and is to come (Rev 1:4) still promises the same for us today. If His presence goes with us, how can we fail? Where He goes, His glory goes. For so many decades we have focused on his gifts, His “presents” (gifts to the Church) and yet it is His presence which He is asking us to trust in. For years we have focused on our “land.” But if we will keep our eyes fixed on His presence and cry out for it, He will give us the land!
We may have never been this way before, but we can enter the rest of knowing this-
“As I was…so I will be….”
My prayer for you
Father God,
Empower us to seek after You and Your divine presence. You promised Joshua that You would lead Him and that You would be with Him. You promised to be with Him just as You were with Moses. That promise empowered Joshua to be able to rise, take courage and become Your leader. Lord we each believe that in our time of transition, as we cross into our unfamiliar territory and fulfill destiny, You are with us! You will empower us to become who You say that we are. I just speak the name of Jesus over myself right now. I will have peace and confidence for You have empowered me through You’re Word
We take courage and arise, knowing, that Your presence goes before us. We honor You, trust You and love You.
As we remain fixed on You, we trust that You will never leave or forsake us and all that You have promised to do, You will surely do. As we all transition, we are determined to be strong and courageous and advance Your Kingdom,
In the mighty name of Jesus I pray,
Amen!
Blessings, Dr. Sandie Freed
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