Skipping the Wilderness Through Obedience
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Hebrews 11:29-30:
29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
Verse 29 took 40 years to happen, verse 30 happened a generation later and only took 7 days. What was the difference?
The wilderness generation murmured instead of marching. They chose to focus on the seemingly impossible obstacles before them instead of trusting what the Lord was speaking to them and obeying His direction. Obedience is the key to skipping the wilderness.
Obedience is not about gaining a full understanding of the Lord’s plan before stepping forward. It requires action by faith to see the breakthrough and the plan unfold. The Jordan river did not part until the priests stepped foot in the water.
The wilderness mentality vs. the Joshua mentality
The wilderness asks, “What if I fail?”
Joshua answers, “What has God said?”
The wilderness complains, “We’ve never done this before”
Joshua responds, “God can never fail us.”
Walking in this Joshua mindset is as simple as being willing to believe God, obey Him, and move forward with Him. Our willingness to do so determines if we get stuck in the wilderness or if we forward to the promises God has for us as a Joshua generation.
As we enter this new season, let us enter with consecration, obedience, and following the presence of God. May this key be the way we go from a promise revealed to a promise fulfilled.