A place of rest
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 3:16b-17 NLT
The reason why believers at times feel deprived of victory in their Christian life is because they fail to believe what Jesus said He will do. This is what Paul described in Romans 7:15, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” They may be exemplary in their Christian lives but deep inside there is sadness for they know that there are moments of defeat and failures. How they wished they could live otherwise; to live the way they should as followers of Christ. This is at times the reason why they do not have the courage to talk to others about their faith in Christ. The cause of Christ is prevented in advancing simply because they are disappointed in the way their living their lives as God’s followers. When the author of the Book of Hebrews looked at what happened in the lives of the Israelites as they moved into the land of promise, the Israelites did not hesitate to obey God. “‘God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: ‘Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts’” (Hebrews 4:7). They were told not to hesitate in making their decision to follow God which means to enter His rest: “So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors” (Hebrews 4:9-10). God wants us to get rid of our stubbornness that will cause us to rely on our own abilities rather resting on God’s strength. When we become habitual in trusting our own strength and wisdom, we will not have the courage to cross our own Jordan River. Just like the Israelites, they have to look at the Ark. We are called upon to look unto Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Let us leave the life of selfishness and let us identify with Christ of Calvary. “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).
Blessings,