TAKE A STAND, WALK INTO THE WATER

***The message today is a little long, but it was given as a word for Sunday, so that you can read it at your leisure.***

Scripture Reading Joshua 3:7-17 – (This long to add in the daily word, but please read it when you have a moment, it will strengthen your faith to hold on to the promise the Lord has spoken over your life).

Are you facing a situation that is like the River Jordan?  What do you do when God has told you to do something and the way seems blocked?  There’s no doubt in your mind that you heard right, and then the word was confirmed.  So you step forward boldly in faith, and then it appears as though the door has slammed shut in your face. You cannot go on, because of a huge obstacle that stands in your way.

If you know with a certainty that God has called you to go to something, then do not for one moment entertain the idea that maybe you heard wrong. Do not think for one moment that God has changed His mind. Don't think that perhaps you have messed things up and now the Lord has cancelled the plan.  God does not make mistakes. 

On the contrary, this is a clear sign that you are going the right way. It is now that your faith is tested to the limit.  It is now that the enemy is going to challenge you to believe beyond what common sense tells you. It is now that you have to trust and depend completely on God and God alone.  

In our scripture reading, the priest was instructed to walk into the water and stand still. They had to take a step of faith and obey God. No matter how the circumstances looked, take a step of faith.  Walk into the water, stand still, and keep standing. That’s the only action had to take.  

It’s great to exercise our faith and pray, or speak forth The Word with boldness and confidence, but sometimes that is where we stop.  We think that if God is going to do it, then He is going to do it. If it doesn't happen, well then either their faith wasn't right, or God is not going to answer this time.  FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD!  

James 2:17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

The prayer of faith is not just submitting a request to the Lord. It is the releasing of the power of God into the situation through His Word.  And the longer you apply that power to the situation, the greater the results.  It was not enough for the priests to walk into the water, they had to remain standing.  It wasn’t enough that the waters stopped flowing when they stepped into the river. They had to remain in the river to make sure that the waters continued to be blocked so all the people could pass through..  Only then were they allowed to cross over themselves, and when they did the river returned in flood.

So take your stand now and go boldly into what God has told you to do. But please don’t think that you can just pray, rest on your laurels and stop fighting the good fight of faith. The enemy will fight you all the way.  You must stand, keep the prayer of faith before the Lord, and listen to His instructions. As you do this you will begin to see results, the way before you will open up.   And then, when the attack is over, and you have crossed over successfully into your Promised Land, God will give you rest. You will enter into a season of refreshing, and you will know the blessing of the Lord.

NOW TAKE A STAND,  WALK INTO THE WATER AND GET YOUR BLESSING!