By: Dr. Jürgen Bühler, ICEJ President

Standing recently at the River Jordan made me think again of the great moments which have happened there, especially how Joshua led a whole nation into a new destiny. In fact, the story of Joshua and the Israelites conquering the Promised Land has occupied my thoughts often over recent years.

After forty years of Israel wandering the desert, they finally reached their destination, the Land of Canaan. This represented a significant shift on many levels. Israel needed to change their thinking, attitude and behaviour. Once Israel passed over the River Jordan, a new approach was needed. What had worked in the wilderness was no longer good enough in this new territory. It is a lesson for all of us today.

Joshua’s ascent to leadership marked a dramatic shift for Israel, a transition from nomadic desert tribes into a victorious nation conquering the Land of Canaan. This transition was miraculous and brought upon them by God. The day the people of Israel crossed over the Jordan, they celebrated their very first Passover in the Promised Land. While Jericho was not yet taken, they celebrated Pessach with the produce growing in the Land of Israel. Suddenly something happened they might not have expected. The blessing of manna, the bread of angles, no longer appeared.

“Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.” (Joshua 5:12)

In many ways this change was long expected, as the daily diet now became far more diverse. But the big change was that Israel now needed to sow and gather and work the land. Seedtime and harvest now required a new approach of labouring in the fields and orchards to bring in the annual crops.

It also marked a radical change in their military strategy. From a nation that only defended itself against attackers in the wilderness, Israel now needed to go on the offensive and conquer new territory. From a nomadic life of following God through a barren wasteland, they now were asked to take fortified cities and settle down in their land allotments.

Therefore, when Joshua led the people of Israel over the Jordan, he required them to keep their eyes on the ark of the covenant and follow its lead – because “the way by which you must go… you have not passed this way before” (Joshua 3:4b). A new way and new experiences were waiting for them. Thus, Israel needed a new mindset of faith and expectation. In some ways they needed a new theology, because they found themselves in a totally different paradigm of salvation history than their fathers.

During their forty years in the wilderness, Israel lived on ‘deferred hope’. Many Christians today live in that same mode of deferred hope. They became content to live in a spiritual desert that was never truly intended for them as sons of God. It is true that Israel was destined for a period of desert wandering. Because of their unbelief, God did allow them to rush right into the Promised Land, but led them by a longer route through the wilderness. This was an important part of their journey. And there are periods when God might lead you and me through desert seasons, because these times often impact and change us more than times of blessing and plenty.

But it was never God’s purpose for the Israelites to spend their entire lifespan in the desert. It was rather a just judgement of God that an entire generation would wander in this place of unfruitfulness for four decades and perish in the wilderness.

Yes, it was a time of divine protection, provision and God’s faithfulness. Their clothes did not wear out (Deuteronomy 8:4), and there were no feeble or sick among them, the Bible says. God did faithfully provide for His people. But the desert was supposed to be only a brief transition period leading them to a greater destiny. Tragically, an entire generation never saw the Promised Land and missed out on what God had for them.

I believe today the same is true also for many people in the Church. All too often we are all too ready to settle for less than what God has intended for us. But like Joshua, God is calling us to cross the River Jordan into the promises and destiny He intends for the children of God.

There are four biblical principles in the story of Joshua that I would like to highlight:

1.)  The expectation of something new

This was a central quality which not only characterised Joshua, but all great men in the Bible and even in Church history. Revivals have come because men looked at the status quo, compared it with the Bible and realised the people of God were destined for more. That is why Martin Luther, John Knox, John Wesley and many others saw not only revival, but even impacted nations.

Joshua dared to step out in faith on the “way you have not gone before”. The prophet Isaiah encourages us to be ready for new things which God wants to do even in our time. “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19; see also Isaiah 42:9, 48:6)

It means no matter how dry your situation might be, God encourages us to expect the new thing, even “streams in the desert!”

2.)  Faith and courage

When Moses commissioned his successor to take over, he repeatedly told Joshua to be “strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6-9). Moses understood this was the main quality needed to enter and possess the Land. The Book of Hebrews affirms that it was an “evil heart of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12) which caused them to not enter their rest in the land of promise. God is looking for a people who are not impressed with the giants in the world and the onslaught of evil. Rather, He looks for men and women who know there is nothing impossible with God, and who understand that if God is with us then who can be against us.

3.)  A people hungry and thirsty for righteousness
Another essential quality in Joshua’s life was his total dependence on God’s word. He did not do things his way but God’s way. Again and again, the Book of Joshua records that he did all “according to the word that Moses commanded him” (Joshua 4:10; 8:30-31, 35; 10:40, etc). This was exactly what the Lord instructed him to do from the very beginning of Joshua’s calling. “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7) The key for Joshua’s success was his obedience to the word of God; his being careful not to compromise – neither to the left nor the right. Make it your practice to spend time daily in God’s word. It is a key for your own success.

4.)  Eyes fixed on the ark

Just as Joshua commanded the ancient Israelites to keep their eyes on the ark of the covenant carried on the priests’ shoulders, we also need to be a people who keep our eyes upon Jesus. He is the Great Shepherd we follow as he guides us. Here again, the word of God is essential. His word is a lamp unto our feet, and God has promised that His Spirit will lead us. A book that has touched me tremendously is “The Practice of the Presence of God”, by a certain Brother Lawrence. A simple monk working in the kitchen of a European monastery, his advice was sought by leaders of his time because he indeed practiced living in God’s presence. He was a man of prayer. This season of the Coronavirus is a season which forces us all to walk in ways we have never passed before. We cannot afford to lose eyesight of Jesus!

5.)  A people of battle

The land of promise was not a paradise on earth, but a battlefield which needed to be conquered. It was not child’s play to take possession of the land, but God warned Israel several times that after they passed the Jordan, new challenges awaited which outstripped their capabilities. God declared through Moses that upon entering the land they would encounter “seven nations greater and mightier than you” (Deuteronomy 7:1). In Deuteronomy 9, this warning is even more explicit:

“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the descendants of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the descendants of Anak?’” (Deuteronomy 9:1-2).

It was this very same seemingly hopeless situation which the generation beforehand had faced and wound up wandering in the desert for forty years.

Today, God is looking for people like Joshua, and for the Calebs and Deborahs who are willing to take the battle to the gates of the enemy and possess what God has promised.

A season of opportunity

Today God is leading His people to the border of the Promised Land. It is a land which holds tremendous promise for us, yet at the same time it will take courage and faith to face the giants that are between us and our destiny.

I truly believe that the current Corona crisis is placing many of us on the banks of the River Jordan, and God is inviting us into a new land of promise. He is inviting us to leave the place of mediocre Christianity characterised by weekly visits to church for two hours of upbeat music and motivational speaking which leave us feeling good but do not help us face our giants. All too often I hear these days: “I hope this Corona crisis will be over soon and we can go back to how it was before.” I honestly dare not go back to how it was before. Here at the ICEJ, during the past six months we have prayed more than ever before. We have seen God answering prayer and healing people from severe diseases. Every month more of our branches are committing to increased prayer for revival in Israel and in their nations. They have witnessed a new hunger filling their gatherings for more from God and for revival.

Entering the Promised Land means to develop a new passion and hunger for the promises God gave us in His word. We need a whole new level of determination to shake off the dust of our religiosity and declare to God, to ourselves and to the enemy that a new day is dawning, and that we are determined to enter into the promises of God. We need a fresh hunger for the Word of God and for His presence.

So what is the territory which the Lord has promised us? What is the destiny we should enter? It might look different for each one of us, as we all have different callings. But one of the territories the Bible invites us to conquer is our families. Joshua boldly prophesied over his own family: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) As parents, and in particular as fathers, this should be our battle cry regarding our children and our children’s children.

For others, the battlefield might be demonic bondage and oppression of family members or loved ones. Let us remind ourselves that Jesus did not come to pacify the enemy camp but that he came to destroy the works of the devil. In Mark 16:17 and following, we find a description of the Promised Land which should be inherited by all who believe:

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Yet another battlefield are our cities and nations. We are living in times when our nations are in uproar, not only in the United States but in many countries around the world. It is a battle for the soul of our nations. Countries today are turning away from their godly and Christian heritage, and are drifting into a swamp of open immorality and sin. God is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap and are ready to take our nations back for God.

One of the messages that the Restoration of Israel teaches us today is that God is not only interested in the salvation of individuals but also that He cares for entire nations. “Ask of me,” God says, “and I will give you nations as an inheritance.” (Psalm 2:8) In one of our recent Global Prayer Gatherings, Suzette Hattingh said that it is our fatalistic prophetic expectation of the End Times which too often leaves us passive and complacent. How true that is! One of the core character traits which the Church needs is to be a source of hope. This hope never puts to shame. Let us hope and pray for our nations until Jesus returns.

Today, even as you read this, make a personal commitment to cross into your own personal Promised Land. Ask God to lead you into the new things He has for you and ask Him to carry out great exploits even in this difficult time of Corona. Remember that if God is with us, who can be against us!