“….NOW WALK….” By Stephen Young
Joshua 3:14-16: So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, 16 the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. NLT
I would like to tag this week’s Stephen’s Gate onto what I shared last week. If you didn’t read last week’s I encourage you to read it along with this one. Last week the Lord gave me the words, “Step In.” This week He gave me, “Now Walk.” When you put them together the Lord is saying, “Step In, Now Walk.”
In your walk of faith to cross your Jordan River to your destiny you have to first step in, I shared that last week. But, you may be thinking, “Okay, I stepped in, now what?” If you’ve stepped in, the Lord says, now walk. Stepping in is important, it initiates your journey but we can’t just stand there. You have to step in, and then begin to walk with faith, that as you do, the waters will part. The above passage tells us that as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance.
If you study this passage you find that typically the Jordan River would not be a hard river to cross, it normally is very shallow and not very wide. At this point of their journey, however, it was the time of the season that the water would rise and it was overflowing its banks. You see, it would have normally been easy for them to have faith to cross the river before, but this time really took some faith.
What I’ve been sensing lately is all of us have crossed our “rivers” in the past and were able to do so fairly easily but we are in a season where the rivers of life are overflowing the banks. Again, your river is something that is between you and your destiny and for many of you it could be things the enemy is using to stop you. What he’s using is overflowing the banks, he’s going beyond the boundaries but the Lord wants you to step in, and walk. In this passage we find that it was the feet of the priests carrying the Ark that touched the water and caused it to part. Here’s the advantage we have. If we will step in and let the Lord lead us He’s the priest carrying all of the New Covenant promises that belong to us and as He goes before us the water will part.
Verse 16, again, tells us the water began backing up a great distance away. The minute you decide to step in and walk behind the Lord’s leading the water won’t just part directly in front of you but it will begin to back up a great distance in front of you so that you can begin to see, not just your destiny, but that the path to your destiny is dry and passable.
I really sensed this week to continue on with last week’s Stephen’s Gate because I felt many had determined to step in but they didn’t know what to do after they stepped in. It’s simple, now walk. Your river banks may be overflowing but it’s time for the water to back up and dry ground to appear for you to cross on. Don’t give up, don’t give in, your destiny is attainable, don’t let a little bit of water stop you!
Blessings ~ Steve
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