Im Stepping In To My Promise

Joshua 3:8,15-4:

I'm stepping in to my “promise”

*8- Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there. (NLT)

The children of Israel are standing in a familiar place (40 years prior, their parents had stood in this same place) On the brink of a breakthrough, but instead they had a breakdown. They had a Faith Failure.

They forfeited their promise. They were still Gods people, God cared for them and sustained them for 40 more years in the wilderness till all the doubters died off. But that generation died destiny poor. (Num.14:34) One of the greatest tragedies in life is to live and never discover your destiny, but worse than that is to discover your destiny and forfeit it. Dont miss your destiny (The good things that God has planned for you) trying to please ppl., trying to please your flesh. I came to talk for a minute to some people unlike this generation of Israelites who died in the wilderness. But I came to talk to some people who know they have a destiny over their lives….who knows there is a reason and a purpose for your existence. I came to encourage some people that wants everything God has ordained for your life. And even though it may seem you're at a standstill, you refuse to let go.. give in.. give up. No matter the cost. *Im all In!

When you’re all in, there are some things that you'll have to go through to get what God has promised you. When you’re all in, there will be times in this walk of faith, that you’ll sit down and have to ask yourself how bad do I want it? Can I be the man or woman that God is calling me to be, going this way? Am I strong enough, smart enough? Am I able? You may have those questions, but ive got ya answer! Yes you are more than able! You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus our Lord! You are well able to overcome whatever it is that’s causing you to be afraid and doubt the promises that God has set over your life. Set over this ministry. You may say we’re small and cant do it, but that sounds like before when they spied out the land.

Is there anyone here that has any fight in your spirit? Is there anybody here who wants what God has promised you? Am I talking to anybody whose mind is made up that whatever it takes, whatever it costs, I'm going to get what God has promised me! I've been thru too much, I've come too far, I’ve got too much time in, to turn back now!

First of all I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you that every promise comes with a price. There is no victory without a fight, there is no testimony without a test. There’s no healing without a sickness.There’s no deliverance without a fire. There’s no crown without a cross.

And between the children of Israel and their Inheritance (the promised land) there was a river called Jordan (Jordan means, descender or the one that takes you down) and that’s what the Jordan river intends to do; take you down, drown your faith, kill your dreams. The Jordan river will tell you it can't be done.. it will tell you that you can try to cross over but you will fail. Obstacles..distractions..but it’s just a set up.

There's a Jordan river for all of us. Your Jordan may be different from mine, but the 1 thing we all can relate to in this text is that the Jordan river stands between me and my promise, and it stands between you and your promise. What is God trying to move you away from?..... What’s telling you that you can’t get past this raging flood in your life? The floods of secret sin, the floods of bad habits, and can’t help it’s. The floods of shame…low self esteem..Racism, violence...God ain’t concerned with how long you been in it, because He already knows. But He’s heard your prayers and He has you right at the brink of leaving it behind, and all you have to do is Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you. Get through this midnight hour. Stop allowing what you see and hear to cause you to doubt what God can do! God is who He says He is!

2Cor 5:7 tells us that We walk by faith and not by sight Matter fact Hebrews 11:6 says: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. *you can’t get through this without God..

This Jordan, you can’t float over on feelings. Feelings won’t get you through, and you cant run over on past experiences and second hand knowledge. Momma and Daddy's prayers wont get you through it. Religion, looking the part, sticking your tongue out, running, falling out in here on the floor, or even having a form of godliness won't get you through this. The only thing that can conquer Jordan is a Living Faith in a Living God. The Bible says As the children of Israel stood at the edge of a raging Jordan river during its flood stage, Joshua gives the Priest that carried the ark of the covenant, a strange order. He says start walking. Step into the water..you gotta get ya feet wet. Start moving in the direction of your promise. When God says move, you've got to move! You can’t go by what you’re seeing or what your hearing or what you’re feeling, what other people are saying. You can’t go by what the economy is saying; even what your own mind is saying. Do you know you can talk yourself out of a blessing?

You have to move because God says Move! You can’t wait until it makes sense. You can’t wait until you see the waters open up in front of you. Maybe the first time God did it that way for you, when you were just starting out on your journey, but you’ve got some history with God now and if you're trying to get to the next in God, He’s requiring more faith from you right now. You havent passed this way before, so in order to get through this Jordan, you've got to not only trust God, but obey God.

Its time to take the training wheels off. It's time to get rid of the pacifier. It’s time to move from sight to faith. It’s time to move from I hope so to I know so! Tell yourself, its time! It's time to get your feet wet. You've got to cross this Jordan yourself! No more piggy back rides, this time You have to step in. Tell your neighbor: You've got to step in! I know it sounds crazy, i know it doesnt make any sense, but I’ve Got a Word from God! And that's all you need is a Word from God. There’s power in the Word. The Word travels! He sent His Word and it healed..those that are afflicted in their body right now, tell yourself, lI'm healed by the Word!… Delivered by the Word!...When you get a Word from God you can sleep like a baby in a den of lions... you can walk through a fiery furnace....you can do the impossible. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. *I’ve got a word!

I’f youre here today, if you’re listening to this message, you're 1 step away from what you’ve been believing God for… 1 step away from a closer walk with Jesus...better home life...job...children saved,...inspite of what it looks like right now...in spite of how you feel right now… Youre 1 step away, But you have to take God at His word! Nu 23:19 God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent, if he said it he will do it, if he hath spoken it he will make it good. . ‘ In other words, You can depend on God!* you can depend on God!

When they stepped in the water, as soon as the priests feet touched the waters (the water rolled back)!!! There's a turnaround in the atmosphere and God is about to flip the script for somebody. I don’t know what Jordan you may be facing today. And I don’t know what step you need to take, but i do know this; ...Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it!! The miracle is not in the knowing or even the believing, the miracle is in the doing.

(16,17)The bible says that the priests that were carrying the ark kept moving until they were standing in the middle of the Jordan River. When you see the turnaround, don’t stop! *don’t stop! Be confident that He that began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Youve got to Keep moving! You've got to Keep praying, keep believing, keep coming to church and prayer meeting, keep coming to Bible study. Keep singing on the praise team, and choir. Every member ought to be doing something. This ain't the time to have a pity party...Youve got to keep praising God even when you don’t feel like it. So just in case you don’t see anything to praise God for, give him a just because praise! Just because he’s worthy…..just because he's mighty….Just because He's God!

But whatever you do, don't sit on your praise! While you’re going through, you’ve got to raise your praise! The bible says: The priest that were carrying the ark stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan river with the Ark of God raised in the air, as the children of Israel crossed over. In other words while the priests were lifting God up in the middle of their trial, their Jordan, the Israelites came through on their praise! I want to tell you that somebody’s coming through on your praise! somebody that wasn’t going to make it, will, because you praised God in the middle of your Jordan. You’re an inspiration to someone. You’re an encouragement to someone. You’re a lifeline to someone! They may not say it, but ppl are watching you and ppl are depending on you, thats why it’s so important that you lift God up, even in the midst of your storm.....

(4:3)- and the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up 12 stones out of the midst of the Jordan and carried them over unto the place where they lodged and laid them down there.

Anybody can praise God after the fact. But can you praise Him while you're going thru? There’s something about a midway praise...a midnight praise,.. an in the middle praise that gets God's attention and breaks things open for you. But watch this:

(vs9)Joshua built a pillar of Stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests feet stood firm on dry ground. If i had an opportunity id ask Joshua what does this pillar mean? Joshua would say: This is my going through it praise. But what will you say? Somebody here may say, I’m going through the worst trial of my life, but I’m going to praise God anyway. I’m going through it in my finances, but I’m going to praise God anyway...I’m going through it in my relationship with my spouse, children, in my health,…but I’m going to praise God anyway. These stones are MY testimony, that God has been faithful, and when somebody else come this way,.. in the middle of their trial...hardship...pain, they’re going to see this pillar of praise and it’s going to remind them of the faithfulness of God…This is my story, this is my song… praising….praising my savior….

It'll tell them, that somebody else came across this Jordan before them who thought they wouldn’t make it…somebody else came across this Jordan before them with addiction…was told they’d never amount to anything…somebody else came across that ppl gave up on... and they stepped in but it didn't take them under….somebody stepped in but they didn't drown…..they stepped in, and didn't turn back! *3, if you step in, you can make it

Somebody is going to make it because of your praise! Somebody is coming out of depression because of your praise! somebody is being set free because of your praise! Somebody is coming off of drugs because of your praise! Somebody’s marriage is being restored because of your praise!

Somebody's prodigal child is coming home because of your praise! This community is changing because of your praise! I dare somebody to give God a praise!

For the last time, tell your neighbor: This praise is for you! This Holla is for you! This shout is for you!!……

I love this part: And all the Israelites passed over on Dry Ground. But not only did they make it through, but there was no evidence, no residue that they had been through what they had been through, they didn’t even have mud between their toes. I’m telling somebody today that if you step in, God will bring you out! And when you come out, you wont look like what you been thru!

* Im steppin in, but I'm coming out! There’s somebody waiting for you to step in. Grab somebody by the hand and tell them: I’m stepping into my miracle….into my deliverance...my healing...my blessing...my promise.

Some ppl you gone have to help them fight until they can fight for themselves. Fight for our homes, family, peace, joy, fight for our rights! But this ain't no regular fight.

“the weapons of our warfare are not carnal BUT mighty through God! For the pulling down of strongholds casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2Cor.10:4,5)”

so that means in order to beat the devil, you got to fight God's way. If youre gone step in the ring with the devil, youve got to have God in your corner. Dont play tag or pity pat with the devil, cause the devil aint playing with you. But knock that devil out! Knock him out with prayer, uppercut him with fasting, jab him with consecration, body blow him with praise, left hook with worship! Dance on him...dance...dance on him....Knock him out!