ONE MORE PODCAST #1 -NOW IS THE TIME!
Now Is the Time to Take the Land
In a world that seems increasingly dark and uncertain, many Christians find themselves wondering when the right time will come to step into God's promises. The answer is clear: now is the time. Not when circumstances align perfectly, not when we feel completely sanctified, but now.
What Does It Mean to Trust God Completely?
The foundation of stepping into God's promises begins with complete trust. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." This isn't partial trust or selective obedience. It means submitting every area of our lives - not just the ones we consider spiritual - to God's authority. As the world grows darker and the spirit of the Antichrist rises, there has never been a better time to place our complete trust, hope, and faith in Jesus.
Why Must We Remove Sin from Our Lives?
Before we can move forward, we must address what holds us back. Colossians 3:8 instructs us to "get rid of anger, rage, malice behavior, slander and dirty language." This isn't about perfection - it's about direction. The grace of Jesus Christ doesn't just cover our sins; it empowers us to live free from them. There's a crucial difference between stumbling on the journey toward Jesus and deliberately choosing sin because "grace covers it." The Bible calls this lawlessness, and it's a dangerous trap. When we fall, we get back up. The righteous may fall seven times, but they rise again. We're not people who never fall down, but we are people who always get back up and keep moving forward.
How Do We Love the Unlovable?
Above all else, we must clothe ourselves with love. This isn't human love based on feelings or circumstances - it's God's love flowing through us by the Holy Spirit. Here's a profound truth: every person you encounter, the Holy Spirit within you loves them deeply. If we don't love them, we know we're walking in the flesh rather than the Spirit. This love isn't dependent on what others have done to us or how we feel about them.
The Challenge of Forgiveness
Many struggle with loving others because of unforgiveness. Remember Jesus on the cross - beaten, bleeding, in agony - yet He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." We often want God to heal our wounds before we forgive those who hurt us. But true forgiveness, like Jesus demonstrated, happens in the middle of our pain. We forgive by faith, not by feeling. This is especially difficult when someone hurts those we love, but forgiveness is about faith, not emotions.
What Is God Calling Us to Possess?
In Joshua 1:1-9, we find God's call to Joshua after Moses' death: "Now is the time for you to lead these people across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them." Notice the past tense - "I have given you." God had already provided the land; they needed to possess it. This passage reveals several key principles:
The Importance of Serving Before Leading
Joshua served as Moses' assistant before becoming Israel's leader. If you're called to leadership in any form, you should first learn to serve. If you're too good to serve, you're not good enough to lead. The greatest in the kingdom are those who serve.
God's Promises Require Our Participation
God promised to be with Joshua as He was with Moses, but under the New Covenant, we have something even better - God's Spirit lives within us. We're better positioned than any Old Testament believer because the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
What Does It Mean to Be Strong and Courageous?
Three times in Joshua 1, God commands: "Be strong and courageous." The Hebrew word for "strong" means to fasten upon, seize, strengthen, fortify, and hold fast. It's about girding ourselves up in the Lord's strength. "Courageous" means to be alert, encouraged, confirmed, steadfast, and established. Interestingly, the opposite of courage isn't fear - it's discouragement. Many of us battle discouragement more than outright fear.
The Role of God's Word as Guardrails
God instructs Joshua to "be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left." The word "careful" means to set up guardrails. God's Word functions like bumpers in bowling - when we bump against Scripture, it should alert us that we're heading toward the gutters. These are not just restrictions but protections that keep us aligned with God's blessings.
Why Is Obedience Essential for Receiving God's Promises?
All of God's promises come with a stipulation: obedience. This isn't about God controlling us but about positioning ourselves to receive what He has for us. God doesn't bless people - He blesses a place, and that place is under the authority of His Word. When we submit to God's Word, we position ourselves to receive His promises. When we're not submitted, we opt out of God's way and into the world's cursed system. It's for our benefit to obey God, not His.
The Danger of Misunderstanding Grace
Some teach that because we're under grace, we don't need to obey God's Word. This is a doctrine of demons. Grace doesn't eliminate the need for obedience - it empowers us to obey. Progressive Christianity that dismisses biblical obedience leads to destruction.
What Is the Difference Between the Wilderness and the Promised Land?
Understanding the Exodus story helps us grasp our spiritual journey. Egypt represents the world and bondage to sin. Pharaoh represents Satan. Moses represents our deliverer, foreshadowing Jesus. The Passover lamb represents Christ's sacrifice.
The Purpose of the Wilderness
The wilderness serves one primary purpose: it's where our disobedience and rebellion die. It's where the world dies in us so we can enter God's promises. Many Christians pray for what they think is the Promised Land but actually describe the wilderness. In the wilderness, God provided manna daily without work, led them with pillars of cloud and fire, and their clothes never wore out. It was comfortable but not productive.
What the Promised Land Actually Requires
The Promised Land requires strength and courage. It demands fighting battles, working fields, and taking responsibility. Yes, there were wells they didn't dig and vineyards they didn't plant, but they still had to work them, harvest them, and maintain them. In the Promised Land, things break and need replacement. It's not the easy provision of the wilderness - it's the blessed productivity of partnership with God.
How Do We Move from Wilderness to Promise?
Notice that Moses had to die before Israel could enter the Promised Land. Moses represents the last of disobedience and rebellion. Before we can enter God's promises, our disobedience and rebellion must die in us. This doesn't mean perfection, but it means trust. We can't shorten our wilderness season, but we can certainly extend it through continued disobedience.
Life Application
Your Challenge This Week
If God has been dealing with you about any area of disobedience - whether it's unforgiveness, anger, giving, trusting Him with your family or finances, or any other issue - now is the time to obey. Stop extending your wilderness season through continued rebellion. Allow the wilderness to do its work in you. Die to yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. Let the flames of testing burn off the world's influence so you can pursue God with everything you have.
Questions for Reflection
• What area of your life is God calling you to surrender completely to His authority?
• Are you trying to be fed by others instead of feeding yourself through God's Word?
• What disobedience or rebellion needs to die in you before you can move into God's promises?
• Are you praying for the comfort of the wilderness or the responsibility of the Promised Land?
• How can you position yourself under God's Word to receive His blessings this week?
The time is now. Not tomorrow, not when circumstances improve, but now. God has already given you
the land - it's time to possess it.
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