Has God ever brought you out of a wilderness?
After days, weeks, months, or maybe even years of struggle – it could be financial, health-related, family-related, or in our marriages – God helped you overcome something.
You felt pretty great, right?
You probably felt a lot like the children of Israel – after they crossed the Jordan with Joshua.
They had seen an entire generation die off in the wilderness before them. Their fathers and mothers hadn’t seen this promised land – and now, God had finally brought His chosen people into their intended blessing.
What an incredible moment it must have been! But their journey was far from over…
God parted the waters of the Jordan, which were overflowing at its banks – much like He made the way for us in OUR time of struggle – but God didn’t stop there…
Because the work was not complete.
The land was still full of hostile inhabitants, who had heard of the glory of the Lord. The hearts of those inhabitants had grown faint. They trembled at the thought of God’s people.
They knew their fate was determined.
This was because God had worked great and powerful signs and miracles. His fame had moved throughout the land.
These far-away people whispered in fear about what the Lord had done for the children of Israel when they were in Egypt. They trembled when they thought of the stories they’d heard: How He had brought them out with plagues and curses, how He had parted the Red Sea and swallowed up Pharaoh’s armies.
When God’s people crossed the river, their fears became all too real.
Joshua and the children of Israel were emboldened with faith when they crossed the Jordan, and they watched God drop the walls of Jericho in their first battle, faithfully delivering the enemy into their hands.
Have you ever had a ‘Jericho’ moment in your life?
It’s a moment when you obey God, not really knowing what He’s going to do, and then He performs miracles that change your life.
A ‘Jericho’ moment builds your faith. They are like a spark that lights aflame the Spirit of God in your heart. This certainly happened for the children of Israel as well.
After Jericho, Israel zealously proceeded with Joshua to follow the Lord, laying waste to 31 different kingdoms without a reprieve, taking the land the Lord had promised them faithfully, and witnessing miracles over and over – until they had driven their adversaries out.
But then… guess what happens?
In Joshua chapter 17-18, Joshua begins to divide up the land as an inheritance to the children of Israel. He is laying out the borders of each tribe’s inheritance. Five of the tribes receive theirs… but the rest do not.
So, Joshua brings all the people together at the tabernacle to speak.
The passage reads:
“Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: ‘How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your Fathers has given you?'” – Joshua 18:3.
Joshua has the tribes send out people to survey the rest of the promised land and return to him – so that they can divide it.
But the question is:
Why did Israel need to be reminded to continue moving into God’s promise for them?
And do we fall into this same trap of complacency in our own lives?
Most likely, Israel had gotten comfortable because they had dwellings for the first time ever. This same generation, who had come into the promised land, was born in the wilderness.
They had never experienced such comfort and stability. Has God ever done this for you?
Israel was most likely reveling in the blessings of God and neglecting to realize that: He was only getting warmed up!
Have you ever cried out to God because of trials?
He gives you an answer, He draws near to you, and He changes your life…
For a while, you bask gratefully in the blessings He’s provided. You praise Him – but after a while, you start seeking Him less.
He brought you out of the worst of it… and you settle for those initial blessings – but you are forgetting something:
What if God’s purpose for your life is more than just the minimum?
How can He use you to do incredible things if you become complacent – and are satisfied to seek Him only until your basic needs are met?
Aren’t we missing out on the infinite spiritual riches of our all-powerful God?
That is the message I was given today.
Don’t stop seeking Him. Don’t settle for comfortable.
Go outside of comfortable, if need be, and seek your God. He will reward your soul with torrents of living water. He will stoke the flames in your heart again. He will fill you with His Spirit and give you the strength to walk out His purpose in your life.
He will show you that your purpose is more than you can imagine – because He alone is the author of your destiny…
So, let’s not get in the way of His will for our life….
And instead…
Get IN THE WAY He has purposed FOR your life!
I hope this brings you encouragement today…
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Thanks so much for reading, and have a blessed day!
