Step out of faith

So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho. Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

Joshua 3:14-17 NLT

From the text, the Jordan River “was overflowing its banks.” When it’s not harvest season, the river is about a hundred feet wide but by this time of their crossing, it was a mile wide. What a day it was! As soon as the priests carrying the ark placed their feet into the river “the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam.” A miracle happened because the people of God placed their faith in Him. They were reminded of what God promised Joshua when they were preparing to cross Jordan River: “Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you” (Joshua 1:3). “The whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.” The only way we can make progress in our spiritual life is when we trust God and step out of faith. The former generation of Israelites did not step out of faith that is why they did not experience God’s promise of rest. “So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest” (Hebrews 3:19). The crossing of Jordan River provided an image of God’s people enjoying the promised inheritance. Once we surrender our life to Christ that life does not belong to us but to Christ. “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). So if our life belongs to Him, then we must trust Him. The Lord Jesus Christ led the way for us when He suffered and died. His death abolished our death. He was made death so we can experience life. “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life” (John 5:24). We will never get into the place of rest in the promised land if we will remain in our unbelief. What is impossible to us is possible with God.

Blessings,