During the time of floodwaters, the lions that lived around the river would come out and enter the camps and villages. It was definitely a time of challenge with struggles and difficulties to overcome. Jeremiah refers to these times when he wrote, “If you have run with footmen and they weary you, then how will you run with the horses? If you fall in the land of peace, how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)
The Israelites first resting place after crossing the river was Gilgal. Gilgal means, ‘God has rolled away, completely, our reproach.’ One of the first things that Joshua did was have the men circumcised. They used knives of sharp stone. Although they probably had metal, the cut of the stone would heal quicker. But, even with the use of stone, the men needed at least 3 weeks to heal. This was a three-week opportunity for the enemy to utterly destroy them. The army had been reduced to total helplessness.
Looking at this situation, we might ask two questions. Why did God lead them to cross during a time of flooding? Could they not have done the circumcision on the other side of the river where there was less danger from the enemy? This gives us some insight into the ways of God. He wanted them to see the excellence of His power. He wanted them to know they were under His complete care and protection. He would be honored instead of man. Trust in the strength of man and his weapons had to take a back-seat to the Lord of the Angel Armies.
Joshua saw a man standing there and asked Him if He was for them or against them. The man simply replied that He was Captain of the Hosts. I believe this was the Lord pre-incarnate because He didn’t refuse worship from Joshua. Angels refuse worship. Here was the Lord leading His Army of Angels before the people. The Lord had already promised in Exodus 33:2 that He would send angels before them to drive out the enemy. He always does what He promises He will do.
As we have entered this season of walking in the Promised Land, we can see some valuable parallels here. Upon crossing into this season, we too are vulnerable. Like the floodwaters, sometimes things almost look out of control. The great Revivals and Outpourings of the past have always looked out of control. When man has finally gotten them under his control, they have ceased.
As we lay our hearts bare before the circumcision rock (Romans 2:29), our hearts are now open to receive. It’s our greatest opportunity to step outside the box to receive new passions and desires from the Lord. As Israel camped out at Gilgal (place of their circumcision), and continued to come back there throughout the conquest of the land we must continue to come back for heart-circumcision. We will have a new understanding of “open hearts” in this season.
We must learn to trust Father more than we ever have. This is the generation that will be called the friends of God because of their awesome trust. This is the generation that will camp outside of their man-made fortresses and allow themselves to be vulnerable. Walls will come down as we lay our souls bare before an Almighty God. We will take the risk, allowing ourselves to be open to the criticisms of man. However, we will value the opinion of Father more than all the opinions of man. We will deny the flesh and be willing to be unknown that God be better known and greater honored than man.
In these floodwaters the enemy will come out. Although the lions roar we will not turn to the right or the left. Revelation tells us that in the latter times satan will be like a roaring lion because he knows his time is short. The louder the roar of the enemy the more confident we are that his days are numbered. With greater steadfastness we will go forward. The challenges will do no more than confirm and define who we are. Ezekiel was taken down into a valley, but while there, he encountered the breath and wind of God. There is not a place too dry or out of control that we cannot invite the breath of God to breathe upon.
A wind is already blowing across these mountains of Appalachia. Dry bones are coming back to life. How many of you have felt a momentum in the last 6 months? The momentum is building. We need deeper perception, which comes from deeper hunger. Deeper perception will allow us to see what Father is already doing. To deny what He is doing forfeits increase and cancels opportunity. The Omnipresent God is here and He is becoming more and more tangible. He is manifesting Himself and His power. To deny this is to dishonor Him.
We need to stop acting as if God is not in the room. We talk to Him about coming and He is already here. What a dishonor this is. As long as we keep looking for Him, we will never step up to the plate and play the game. He is on the pitcher’s mound and He is throwing the ball. We can keep asking for more rain in the time of the latter rain but let’s not deny it is raining! Jesus talked some about ‘bad praying’ – repeating ourselves, long prayers, street corner prayers, etc. I have trained myself to spend about 1% of my prayer-time asking and about 99% listening or agreeing with Father. Let’s change some of our bad praying to thankfulness for what He is doing and proclamations of what we see that He is going to do. Thankfulness is something that greatly satisfies Father’s heart. Proclamation opens the atmosphere for grace and angelic activity.
The Lord sent angels before the Israelites to drive out the enemy. As we are now living in the Promised Land, He is doing the same today. Just after the crossing, the Lord of the Angel Armies appeared to Joshua. He was ready to go. Jesus said that in the end-time harvest the angels would be the reapers. (Matthew 13:39) He also said we need to ask the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers into His harvest. How much easier this is with angels going before us. We work together in synchronized motion. They swing the scythe and we follow in the same path. In modern day farmers’ language – they rake the hay and we come behind to bale it. The path is easier because they are going ahead of us. We are still in elementary school in our understanding of how to utilize angelic activity. Soon, we will be following the angels into the fields of the nations. Like Ruth they will lead us to the threshing floor of our Redeemer Kinsman. We will continue to lie at His feet throughout the night seasons. In the morning we will awake and He will put a double measure in our mantel. Ruth would have received three measures if she had worked all day, but she received six measures for just laying at the feet of her Redeemer. Intimacy will always outweigh works. Jesus Himself cleared the way so we can come boldly unto Him and His resources without much toil. What a blessed Harvest this is!
I challenge you as a Believer to experience what Elisha’s servant experienced. Elisha and the servant were surrounded by the enemy. The odds were bad. Like a normal man the servant was greatly alarmed. Elisha simply prayed that the servant’s eyes be opened to see the spiritual realm. Then… he saw the mountains… full of horses and chariots-of-fire all around them. (II Kings 6)
Do I need to say it? These Appalachian Mountains are filling up with angelic activity. Things that looked impossible a couple of years ago in this region are now looking possible. The strongholds are coming down. A region known as the 'second most religious area' because of its staunch religious strongholds are changing. The light is shining in and the darkness cannot stand against it.
Jericho was the greatest stronghold they had to face and they faced it first. It was the first victory just after the crossing. God is calling us to face our strongest one first. Upon its fall all the others will fall in submission. Religion without relationship is our strongest fortress in this region. Christianity is not a religion. Religion is humans trying to work their way to God. Christianity is God coming to men and women through a relationship with Jesus Christ. As this stronghold falls, others will follow. The drug empire will crumble. Injustice will bow. Arrogance will humble. Poverty will change. Jobs will come. Are you ready to march? It will be a different march and a different sound, but it will permeate the atmosphere. Father has already rent the heavens so we can send up the sound.
(Painting above is "Exposed Hearts" - watercolor by Gwen Meharg ~ www.drawneartogod.com)
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