So, like I posted last week, I love the book of Joshua. It’s just a great story of the promises of God and the protection of God. Every time I read it, I just get encouraged by the endless possibilities of God. I mean, in the book of Joshua, God stopped the flow of the Jordan River and allowed the people of Israel to cross on DRY land. That blows my mind every time!
The abilities that God has blows me away. The possibilities of the miraculoushave no end and they go beyond what I can even think in my mind! We are loved by God enough that He uses these abilities to help us advance in life to aid the development of His kingdom on Earth. I’m convinced that God is completely in control and biblical books like Joshua help to solidify that belief.
One of our struggles, as humans living in a heavily demon-influenced society, is trying to understand what God tolerates. We can't access the fullness of what God has planned for us if we indulge in things that God just will not operate with… these things are also known as sin.
Last week, I discussed how the only loss recorded for the Israelites in the book of Joshua was a devastating one. It only happened because one guy violated the rules. God says in verse 12 of chapter 7: “I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.”
This tells me that there are some things that God just doesn't play with. Sin is a big deal to God. Our society has disguised it in so many different ways that sometimes it can be hard to spot and expose. And because we have fallen for the trick, it has reduced the power that we actually have as Christians. Our Christianity is so much more than just attending church and singing songs and worshipping a God that appeals to the “lighter side” of our emotions. While God is a comforter and yes, He is compassionate. He’s also the supreme being. He’s in complete control and we need to abide by the rules that He has set. The moment that we gave our lives to Christ, we surrendered control to God. Our souls are on the line!
The average American Christian, today, doesn’t understand the power that we have access to. We have reduced our faith to weekly meetings in fine clothes, where we hear some nice music and a preacher tells us a lot of nice, fluffy things about God. After this, we go home and we really don't encounter anything to do with Jesus until the next time we decide to go to church.
Thankfully, we have Jesus’ sacrifice that has granted us grace… so I, personally, don't think that we are ever totally cut off from God. But I do think that God will remove himself from a situation if it’s not an inviting atmosphere for Him. It’s crazy to me to see how we can experience the true work of God throughout our lives, just like the Israelites saw in their numerous victories, and still we have a hard time resisting the temptation of things that God has asked us to stay away from.
The Bible is a LIVING document. The power that lies in that book is still alive today: the same God that parted the sea for the Israelites is still alive. The Same God that spared Noah from the flood is still alive today. The same God that raised Jesus from the dead is still alive TODAY! This God doesn't really tolerate sin… living in sin, in its many forms, limits our connection to God. and If we are not careful to tend to it and fix it, we can and will find ourselves in a situation like Joshua 7:12 where God will remove Himself.
The guidelines seem tough, but the results are miraculous! The Bible talks about miracles, signs and wonders that are to be claimed and worked in the advancement of God’s Kingdom. God is calling us to higher levels in Him. Purity is required to enter these levels. There are lives assigned to your witness and testimony! There are new, exciting things that God can bring your way that we will only allow you to enter into when you have an intimate relationship with Him and you are living according to his rules. There are new levels of anointing that God is calling His church to. We have to obey His instructions. We have to yield to His voice in order for us to reach our full potential and spread the good news!