The Excellence of Our Inheritance!
Joshua 5:9 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. 10 While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11 And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12 And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
After 40 Years of wandering in the desert God brought His people into their Promised Inheritance by Joshua. This is a Beautiful picture of the Christian life. We all spend time in the wilderness, but we are called to live our lives in the Promised Land! In the wilderness, we are learning to trust God and obey Him without reservation. In the wilderness we live from crisis to crisis and miracle to miracle just to survive. Then Jesus brings us to Gilgal, and rolls away the reproach of our past life and failures from us! The Passover is speaks of Christ and what he did for us in the cross and His resurrection. It is by our union with Christ that we are able to enter into the inheritance that our Father has promised for us.
2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in Him are "Yes," and in Him "Amen," to the glory of God through us.
1. We begin to eat of the Promises of God, and the miracle manna ceases to be our daily bread. We begin to understand what the Father said to His Son in Luke 15:31 "Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours." We are growing up! We begin to Rest in God's goodness, and obey His commands. We receive as Sons, no longer as slaves!
2. We begin to receive by faith, along with God's people, the inheritance in Christ that is ours as Sons of God. We learn to Live by Faith, Indwelt by the Living WORD, Led by the Spirit, Walking in Love. and Obey God in Sowing and Reaping! "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32
3. We no longer Live to survive, but Live for Christ as our all in all! We wage war in the Promised Land, but we fight to conquer and possess what God says is ours, and we win! 1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
4. We possess by faith our identity in Christ and spend our lives helping others do the same! "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, " Eph 4:13
5. We are coming into the maturity of Sons and Daughters of the living God, and begin to live as Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom 8:14
6. We are trained, equipped and stabilized under the Five fold Ministry of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher. Eph 4:14 "so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
If you are in a Wilderness Season today, take heart, learn the lessons of Faith that Christ is trying to teach you. Look for Opportunities to believe and receive from God so that you may be able to Cross over into the "Abundant Life" that Jesus said he came to give us! The Wilderness is always a place of transition; not a place to live in forever. Take time to hear God's voice. He is leading you out! Amen