As Christians we are commanded to arise, go, and prepare our hearts, minds and souls in Christ. This happens as the Spirit in His power fills our emotional and spiritual tanks with His living Word Jesus Christ. We must also prepare by becoming physically fit to endure with joy at a moment’s notice any kind of battle in which God our Father calls us to engage. It is our duty to fight as His people of valor for the hallowing of His name, regardless of the intensity and difficulty of the battle because we know that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
It is encouraging to know that He will always fight for us and make us victorious.
If we are prepared, God oftentimes uses these battles to build us up with His strong and mighty, credible character to equip us for fulfilling His great commission. One of our ministry goals should be to pitch our tent to tabernacle and get dirty with any neighbor our Father chooses to send our way.
Joshua chapter one gives the account of God’s commands and promises as Joshua prepared the Israelites to cross the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land. God gave Joshua the same promises He had given Moses regarding Israel’s inheritance. God continued to move Israel toward the Promised Land during Joshua’s leadership just as He had with throughout Moses’ time. By following God’s command not to turn to the right or to the left from the Law, the people were to keep their eyes fixed on our Father. They were to be consumed with the Word by meditating on it day and night. Then came God’s promise that He would be with them wherever they went. On the other hand, we also see that God requires complete obedience and those in the camp who did not obey were to be put to death. Disobedience is not acceptable. They were not only to profess but also possess the Word of God.
The book of Joshua is about conquering the land that God promised to His chosen people who kept rejecting Him.
God is a very persistent loving, merciful and gracious Father, who suffers deeply and long. He never gives up pursuing His children with His radical, irresistible love! Jesus realized how much the Father loves Him, and therefore, became our substitute to perish on the cross. God loved Moses so much that He forgave his sin of disobedience of smiting the rock instead of speaking to it. He did not give Moses a do-over opportunity, and Moses still had to suffer the penalty of his sin; he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. We need to take a radical time out to heed this clear and urgent warning for us to run to our Father NOW in genuine repentance to plead with urgency for the heart of Jesus Christ with a new beginning.
Unlike Moses, Jesus finished the work and completed the radical and impossible mission God the Father gave to Him, John 17:4 and 19:3. We need to follow Christ’s example rather than Moses’ who took God’s Word, mercy and grace for granted like many of us do every single day. We need to be like Joshua and be willing to pay the price of real and effective leadership to arise, go, and prepare that will please Yahweh to lead His people into the Promised Land. God expects His disciples to lead at a moment’s notice. Radical prayer is essential in meeting this expectation. In verse two God’s first command to Joshua was to arise and go over this Jordan. God the deliverer wants to deliver you and me just like He delivered Joshua and the Israelites. Our battles are the Lord’s just as Joshua’s were. Let us commit to stop reacting and rebelling out of fear and anger. Rather, respond out of love to empower us by GRACE with radical courage, and not hide or run away from reality like prodigals do. Our Father does not want to hire us but love on us radically and lavishly.
Joshua followed God’s command to prepare the Israelites to cross the Jordan. Joshua told the people to prepare provisions for themselves because in three days they would cross over into the land that was promised to them. Faith by all participants was necessary because, at that time of year, the waters of the Jordan were overflowing, making it impossible for them to cross.
To arise, go, and prepare like Joshua did with his hope alive requires a relationship of trust and intimacy with our Father through radical, Biblical prayer.
By being prepared in this way, we can expect our Father to surprise us at any moment, even when the situation seems impossible. Our Father will make a way out of situations that seem impossible. He will open new doors, making what appears impossible to become very possible. When this occurs, we become by faith radical partakers of our Father’s unlimited grace that produces radical courage to empower us to obey radically. Biblical courage is doing what is right in the eyes of God our Father, regardless of the consequences. We must be willing to live out our Biblical courage.
True, effective and lasting leadership is driven and sustained by Biblical (Truth of the Word) radical prayer.
Much more is accomplished on our knees than on our feet! Radical prayer defines who we are as Christians and hence establishes our current and eternal legacy as Christians. In conclusion, consider the following questions: Is Jesus the full and exclusive object of your affection and satisfaction? If not, why not? Are you ready to arise, go, and prepare? If not, why not?
